Dossier Children's Content - Children's content, from book to licensing

DOSSIER Children’s Content Children’s content, from book to licensing

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The victory of children’s content, between publishing, digital and licensing Children’s publishing, from albums to novels to comics, has always been a great inspiration for the world of licensing and vice versa. In the book loved by the general public, there is the certainty of finding captivating and quality content and characters, ready to jump from the pages into a world full of product categories.

a real audioboom, with big growth in podcast listening by teenagers (age group 13-18).

In the same period, the passion for gaming increased for preadolescents and adolescents. However, there are also comforting data for traditional reading, which in Italy was placed second among the favourite hobbies of teenagers. Even in the 3-12 age group, which reads mostly paperbacks, happiness was 8% higher than average.

KidzGlobal’s research confirms, however, that children and teens’ lives are purely digital, with 3-6-year-olds regularly using computers and tablets. In their free time, pre-schoolers like to watch movies, while teenagers prefer to use the internet. However, digital entertainment is now a priority for all, and in the future it is advisable that companies increasingly orient their content in this direction.

Content continues to win even in the downturn created by the pandemic. It may be useful at this time to focus on the most popular stories and protagonists of classic and contemporary children’s literature, which have enjoyed and are still enjoying great editorial and commercial success. Through licensing, the beloved characters of children’s publishing can be used in animation, video games, and clothing collections, constantly renewing their lives and their relationship with young readers.

As digital entertainment grows, characters’ existences are becoming increasingly cross-media and multi-platform, traveling from social media like YouTube to popular streaming services. Thanks to international kids’ data analytics companies like Kidz Global and The Insights Family, it’s possible to see precisely how children’s habits and consumption are now very much focused on digital use, from video games to audio products to social networks. From The Insights Family’s surveys, in the first months of 2021, for example, there was

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Best practices: the most beloved characters in children’s books

MOOMIN Born in 1945, the Moomins are the main characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finnish illustrator and writer Tove Jansson. They are a family of round, white trolls with big snouts.

The carefree and adventurous family resides in Moominvalley, an idyllic and peaceful place where the Moomins live in harmony with nature. At times, they go on journeys of exploration that take them far from home, but they know they always have a safe place to return to. The brand has a target audience that covers all ages and carries the values of respect, friendship, courage, love, tolerance and family.

Moomin Characters Oy, Ltd Rights & Brands enters into, develops and oversees all licensing agreements related to the Moomins. A Moomin licensing program has existed since the 1950s and the first products were designed by the artist herself. Today there are more than 400 licensees around the world producing a variety of Moomin products. Among the many companies that have chosen to work with Moomin are Iittala, Finlayson, Suzuki, Junibacken, Lindex, Martinex, Artek, Unilever, H&M, Uniqlo, LeKlint, Fazer, Rabén & Sjögren, etc.

Recent initiatives and collaborations include the #OURSEA campaign, launched in 2020 on the occasion of the Moomins’ 75th anniversary, in collaboration with the John Nurminen Foundation to help raise funds to save the Baltic Sea and its vibrant culture; and Arabia’s two new limited edition mugs, one made in anticipation of Moomin Day, August 9, and the other available from August 16 for the Norwegian market and for sale worldwide through Moomin webshops.

Here are a few examples of classic children’s book characters who are still successful brands today and continually initiating new licensing collaborations.

PETER RABBIT Peter Rabbit has become a global icon, recognizable to parents, grandparents and children around the world since the publication of Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902. It tells the story of a very mischievous rabbit and the trouble he encounters in Mr. Mc Gregor’s vegetable garden! It’s one of the classic brands managed

by Penguin Ventures, the division of Penguin Random House that strategizes for Licensing, Retail, Digital, Film, Television, Experiential, Partnerships..., to find new ways to tell the world’s most beloved stories. Since 2012, the preschool animated series has been aired and has been very successful. Then came an animated movie and from July 1 will be released the second one. The animation has a much more modern style, to the point that even for the creation of products it is as if there are now two brands, one with the classic style of the book and one derived from the animated series. Given its longevity as a brand, it has been used in every possible way and every product category. Among the latest collaborations in 2021 is with Cath Kidston, who has launched a beautiful new collection of clothing and accessories. Inspired by Beatrix Potter’s original sketches and designs, the collaboration involves four exclusive prints, all with a soft, nostalgic feel reminiscent of the timeless English gardens the whole world knows. Another apparel collaboration is with Tu Clothing, featuring soft rompers and adorable baby clothes.

PEANUTS Charles M. Schulz first introduced the Peanuts characters to the world in 1950, when their comic strip debuted in seven newspapers.

Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the gang have left an indelible mark on popular culture. As of November 2019, the new Snoopy in Space series has been launched on Apple TV. Peanuts’ animated specials and series air on major networks and streaming services, including ABC, CartoonNetwork.com and Boomerang in the U.S., Family Channel in Canada and WildBrain Spark network on YouTube. Fans also enjoy the Peanuts through thousands of consumer products worldwide, amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media and a daily comic strip available in all formats from traditional to digital. The Peanuts characters and related property are owned 41 percent by WildBrain Ltd., 39 percent by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) and 20 percent by the family of Charles M. Schulz. Recent collaborations in 2021 include a line of ecosustainable clothing by Vayyu, created by British fashion students; a collection of clothing, footwear and accessories for adults and children by Puma; and a series of products dedicated to Lucy (socks, checks, mugs...) made by Hallmark.

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Museum is a charity that aims to inspire enthusiasm for reading, writing and creativity. There are three galleries that are fun and full of activities. In terms of collaborations, a new partnership was recently formed between The Roald Dahl Story Company and children’s brand Petit Collage to develop a line of products based on the author’s stories. The properties involved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The GGG, The Enormous Crocodile, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Witches and Matilda.

DR. SEUSS Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer and cartoonist of German origin, born in the early 1900s and known by the pseudonym Dr. Seuss. He published over 60 books for children that were often characterized by an extraordinary imagination of characters and a clever use of language, with frequent uses of rhymes. Among his most famous texts are The Grinch, Cat in the Hat, Ham and Green Eggs.... Today, thanks to Dr Seuss Enterprises, an organization founded by the author’s wife in 1993, it is possible to continue to enjoy the world he created through new experiences and products.

Among the most recent initiatives, the Dr. Seuss Experience gives children and adults the chance to move through a sort of theme park, swinging through a forest of neon trees, climbing on a carousel of mirrors and getting lost in a maze of balloons. Also launched was the new Oh, The Places You’ll Go! product line featuring footwear, apparel, plush, gifts, publishing, and more, with collaboration from a wide range of partners including Skechers, Build-A-Bear, MantraBand, Random House Children’s Books, and Oriental Trading Company among others. Dr. Seuss Enterprises has also partnered with one of the world’s leading photography companies, Fujifilm, for a giveaway that began June 1.

BARBAPAPA Barbapapa is a series of books published in France since 1970, for the target 2-5 years, translated into 30 languages. The peculiarity of the appearance is the strong point of the eponymous protagonist: he is pear-shaped, as well as his family members. They are like blobs, all have different colors and the ability to change shape at will. They coexist with humans. In both books and animated series, creative solutions are conveyed through the characters’ adventures to solve all kinds of problems, with comic moments and respect for the environment. The brand has agreements with more than 100 licensees including Zara, Panini, H&M, Les Livres du Dragon d’Or, Ravensburger, Vilac, Plastoy, TF1 Games, TF1 Vidéo, MLP, and many others. The new season of the legendary series is a real success in France, averaging 34.3% audience share in the TFOU children’s slot.

In 2021, there will be new partners and products: a completely new collection of organic textiles with Sahinler; educational games, board games and puzzles with Educa Borras; and a range of hygiene products and masks with TakeCare. In Europe, Nickelodeon has launched the new season in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal and Scandinavia.

Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful, and beloved storytellers. Since his death, his work has not only endured but is still growing in popularity. His stories are currently available in 63 languages. Sales in the United Kingdom alone exceed 50 million books and are increasing, with global sales estimated at over 300 million. The Roald Dahl Story Company Ltd manages the copyrights and trademarks of author Roald Dahl and works with publishers, directors, theater producers, merchandisers and other licensees worldwide. To discover Roald Dahl’s real-life experiences and how they were transformed into his stories, children and adults can visit the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Center in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire (the author’s home village). The

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Miffy, the cutest Dutch bunny know globally Miffy is a much-loved character, created by Dutch artist and author Dick Bruna in 1955 and famous worldwide.

The Miffy character is a sweet little girl bunny loved all over the world.

Her creator, the Dutch artist Dick Bruna, received inspiration for her birth in 1955, during family holidays in Egmond aan Zee. In those days he told to his eldest son, Sierk, bedtime stories about a little, white bunny, who scampered around the garden of their vacation home.

Bruna, famous above all for his works with a clean and direct line, has created over 120 picture books, among which more than 30 have Miffy as the protagonist. She is known in Holland as Nijntje, diminutive of Konijntje, which means Bunny. The stories about her have been translated into more than 50 languages and sold in over 85 million copies worldwide.

The character is much appreciated by the little ones (0 – 4 years), for her simple appearance and because her adventures convey freshness, positivity, and a warm family atmosphere. Miffy is reassuring: she moves calmly in the usual environments (the house, the garden…) and carries out plain and satisfying actions in which every child can recognize himself, such as dancing, visiting a museum, learning to ride a bicycle…

Over the years the girl bunny has become a real icon, achieving worldwide success and huge attention from all age groups, and has also been used as a symbol for many products (school articles, clothes, stamps...). As well as in her country of origin, she is particularly famous in Asia (especially in Japan and China), and the UK.

The company Mercis bv takes care of the global diffusion of the brand Miffy, managing Dick Bruna’s worldwide copyrights since 1971. For developing the license, Mercis collaborate with a mondial network of representatives from different cultures and backgrounds. The society monitors the quality of all illustrations that are reproduced and the high standards of the products themselves. The toys, which include cuddly toys, playpen toys, jigsaw puzzles, games, , are the bestknown merchandise. All of the toys have to be consistent with Dick Bruna’s values. This means that they must facilitate and enhance play and must not elicit any violence.

Concerning books, Mercis Publishing bv has published the Dutch version of the Dick Bruna books since 1995 and also supervises the realization of other book products. Mercis Publishing bv also coordinates all Dick Bruna publications in other countries. The texts published in other languages have to meet the same quality standards as the Dutch books.

Mercis Media bv supervises also the development of media-related products such as CDs, DVDs, musicals, and TV series. Miffy and her friends regularly appear on television in many countries all over the world. These short animation films are also available on DVD and are suitable for children up to the age of 6. The Miffy series includes both traditional animation and 3D stop-motion animation, as well as a new series in computer-generated imagery (CGI). Miffy has her own official Youtube channel, where it’s possible to see many animated adventures.

The Miffy products can be found in physical stores in the Netherlands, such as the one in Amsterdam, and various e-commerce sites. A new Miffy shop was recently opened in Leidschendam, a locality near The Hague.

Her celebrity allowed the opening of the Miffy Museum in Utrecht in 2016. The Museum was previously visited as the Dick Bruna House (founded in 2006), but nowadays it is entirely devoted to Miffy and her family and friends. In the city, there are also a traffic light and a square dedicated to her. About Asia, there is in Japan a themed Miffy café, which is located in the renowned Shibuya district in Tokyo. Also in China, the city of Shenzhen has a real Miffy subway.

The items range from books and toys to mugs, wall art, jewellery, clothing, homeware…

Among the most recent important collaborations, the one with Licensed to Charm, to launch the Miffy Jewellery Collection on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the brand, which took place in 2020. The line offers a rich range, from delicate mini charm necklaces with a tiny Miffy head, or associated flower or button icon, to two larger sizes of Miffy head necklaces and two full-body standing Miffy pendants. There are a fine chain bracelet and both stud and hoop earrings. You can also buy individual mini charms from the Licensed to Charm website to add some Miffy style to your favourite existing jewellery pieces. All Licensed to Charm pieces are designed, made, and finished with care in the UK. For the 65th anniversary, other various initiatives have been launched around the world. WildBrain CPLG, one of the world’s leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agencies, has teamed up with Italian design school Istituto Europeo di Design (IED Milano) for a fashion project to celebrate the 65th anniversary of this classic character brand. The project saw students from awardwinning design schools in the UK, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, and the Netherlands create limited edition Miffy plushes, which have been displayed in an exhibition titled ‘Miffy: 65 Years a Source of Inspiration’ at Centraal Museum in Utrecht. In total, 86 Miffy plush designs were created by the international design students. This included 20 designs from the 15 students involved at IED, across the institution’s Visual Arts, Fashion, Design, and Communication courses.

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The new TV series and the latest news from The Smurfs On the occasion of the global launch of the new Smurfs TV series, LM interviewed the team of the Worldwide Licensors IMPS / LAFIG. The Smurfs is a historic property that for over 60 years,with the mix of sympathy, friendship, tolerance and respect for the environment, never ceases to thrill and entertain with its stories. A success supported by over 4 generations of fans and always very popular globally.

On the occasion of the worldwide launch of the new TV series, LM knocked on the doors of IMPS / LAFIG, the licensors of the IP. The heads of Licensing, Business Development, Marketing & Family Entertainment Louise Busseniers, Fabienne Gilles, Sebastien Dumont and Philippe Glorieux answered the questions as a group and with great enthusiasm.

Candy being eaten every minute! We are also very proud about some amazing recent and future worldwide fashion collaborations, the SMURFSxSUPREME collection was a hit with items sold out within 4 minutes.

We want to grow the digital Smurfs offer. We’ve recently shared some great news for video games with some smurfy projects being developed together with our talented and innovative partners Microids, The Sanbox or Azerion.

The worldwide popularity of the Smurfs is phenomenal (95% global awareness) and the New TV series will introduce a new generation of kids to the legacy of the Smurfs, the future looks bright and blue!

Tell us about the new 3D series and its worldwide presentation in 2021. What are some numbers of this successful launch?

Which will be the first country where the series has arrived, and which will be the last?

The new Smurfs series has started its global journey on French speaking channels in Belgium (RTBF), Switzerland (RTS) and France (TF1). The numbers are amazingly successful so far! TF1 has reached its best 4-14 audience performance since 2007, and an impressive 52% of all 4-10 y.o. in the time slot.

The series will be globally broadcasted by Nickelodeon with a U.S. premiere slated for this Fall. The launch on Germany’s KiKA is set for January 2022 and many other Free TV partners will start broadcasting the series starting Q2 2022. The series will be on Netflix from Q2 2023!

How did the Smurfs brand experience the post-pandemic period?

Being a family-owned company makes us very agile which has been very helpful dealing with such unpredicted and impactful worldwide event. Caring for each other is part of the Smurfs DNA and our little blue characters have been remarkable positive message carriers through the pandemic.

What are the latest news for publishing products?

We are proud of our new educative collection “Growing with the Smurfs”. It is already published in French and this year it will be published in German (by Splitter Verlag), Polish (by Egmont Polska), Chinese (by Jieli Publishing) and English (by Abrams Books).

Out of the traditional way of paper books, we are also working with Bookful. This app brings children’s books to life with Augmented Reality and 3D animations. They already published several titles.

In which categories have The Smurfs products been most successful, and which ones would you like to grow more in the future?

We are very proud about the comics origin of the Smurfs and publishing always occupies a central role. There are many success stories to highlight regarding Smurf products in every category, like the Smurfs’ Village game by PopReach, or Haribo, with one Smurf

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Cartoon Movie 2021: film based on books

What are the latest collaborations for Toy’s category?

We are lucky to collaborate with an amazing Master Toy partner: Jazwares !

It is still early to share details about it, but the new Smurfs series toy line will bring a lot of fun and blue happiness to kids! The line is set to hit retail next year. This Fall, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic series with the release of some exclusive Jazwares “classic smurfs” packs.

Of course, our historical partner Schleich will release 6 new smurfy figurines this year.

There will also be new Smurfs cardboards and puzzles, so stay tuned!

The latest Cartoon Movie took place online from 9 to 11 March 2021. Several projects have sprung from books.

Smurfette turned 55 in April 2021. Are there any special initiatives or product lines dedicated to her for this year?

Smurfette blew out her Birthday Cake Candles on French Television and she has been honoured in our Theme Parks as well! Recently she has been honoured in apparel collections by Springfield, StayReal, Defacto, Lidl, PatPat or Benetton, and she will star on many other products this year such as Ocean Terre’s organic cosmetic products.

Will there be any new theme park openings in the next few years? In what parts of the world?

Yes, we are in final discussions (still confidential) with many players in Asia, Europe and Middle East for smurfing around the blue world.

The Cartoon Movie has reached its 23rd appointment, for the first time in a digital edition due to Covid19, from 9 to 11 March 2021.

Over 850 protagonists including directors, distributors, and about 290 buyers and investors (13 % more than in 2020). 55 animated feature film projects were presented from 16 countries, for 76 hours of programming and a total budget of 297 million euros.

Many feature films (33%) originated from a book.

Among the preschools, Rosa and the Stone Troll, a concept based on the first book of a series written by Josefine Ottesen, in second place among the most widely read writers in Denmark. The Danish production company Dansk Tegnefilm wants to make it with 2D and Cutout techniques, showing an enchanting natural world in which characters such as fairies and elves live. A project for children 5-8 years is Cut and Run by the French company Blue Spirit Productions, in concept. Inspired bythe illustrated book La poudre d’escampette

by Chloé Cruchaudet (also the screenwriter of the film), it will use the 3D technique. The shy and obedient Paul leaves home and meets a gang of children who just want to be free and wild. It is a story with naturalistic and poetic/fantastic traits.

There are several interesting proposals dedicated to the whole family. Granny Samurai - the Monkey King and I, is a project in development by the German Dreamin Dolphin Film, with a 3D technique, from the homonymous book by John Chambers. Sheba, a French project in development by Maybe Movies, with 3D technique, tells the adventures in Ethiopia of Emelia, the ten-year-old daughter of an archaeologist. We are in 1938 when the fascist troops are plundering the country.

Ninn by French TeamTO is a concept project, with 3D technique, inspired by the homonymous graphic novel by Johan Pilet & JeanMichel Darlot. Ninn is a girl who enters a magical world from the Paris metro to solve the mysteries of her past. Copperbeak is a project in development, in 2D and Stereoscopic 3D techniques, produced in Italy

by Ideacinema and Movimenti Production. Taken from the book Becco di rame by the veterinarian Alberto Briganti, it tells the true story of the Ottorino duck who, after a fight with a fox, was saved thanks to a copper prosthesis to be used in place of the beak.

The adventure of Fram the polar bear is a concept project (3D technique and Stereoscopic 3D), produced by the Romanian studio Duo Animation Production. Fram is a polar bear cub who experiences many adventures as he goes in search of his mother. Its story was born in 1931 from the pen of Cezar Petrescu and is still read today.

From there other books, TV series, plays, board games and soft toys have been made.

The character of rain (Métaphysique des Tubes) is taken from the text by the writer Amélie Nothomb. Curated by French producer Maybe Movies, in 2D technique and in development, it will probably be finished by 2024. Claire Lacombe of Maybe Movies said that together with the Albin Michel publishing house, they all agreed in considering animation the only means capable of making the content of the book, very visual and eccentric. The Fire Keeper is a project in development, produced by France’s Gao Shan Pictures. Taken from Pierre Rabhi’s Le gardien du feu, in 2D technique and set in a village on the edge of the desert, it has aroused a lot of interest in ecological themes.

Caramel’s Words is also a beautiful concept project, produced by the Spanish Koniec Films. Taken from the book Palabras de Caramelo by Gonzalo Moure, it will be made with 2D and 3D techniques. It tells the evocative story of Kori, a deaf child who lives in a refugee camp in the Sahara and has the little “Caramel” camel as his best friend.

Rainbow is The Smurfs exclusive agent for Italy IMPS / LAFIG has chosen the experience of the Rainbow team for the management of the licensing plan that will accompany the new series of “The Smurfs” on the Italian territory.

There are already numerous CP partners involved by Rainbow in the development of the countless possibilities offered by the brand.

Matteo Olivetti, Sales Director, Global CP, Rainbow stated: “We are very happy to be able to manage an “evergreen” property like the Smurfs in the Italian market. It is a much-loved brand for several generations that is allowing us to develop a very broad licensing plan dedicated to both a child and an adult target. The Smurfs lend themselves to successful collaborations in practically all product categories with a particular focus on Food and Fashion.

Obviously, Rainbow’s goal will be to develop a 360-degree plan that comprehensively involves all product categories “.

The new season of the beloved IP will debut on Nickelodeon next fall and on Italian free to air Rai Yoyo in spring 2022 with 52 episodes of 11 minutes and target audience 5-10 years. Following this, the series will also land on TVOD and AVOD platforms in the first half of 2022, to be distributed on SVOD at the beginning of 2023.

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Properties from Children’s Publishing: the latest news The children’s book market is growing and is responding well to the pandemic. It is the right time to launch new products born from highly appreciated publishing properties.

Children’s publishing is always a sector in turmoil, it is reacting well to the pandemic, and also for this reason it continues to produce much interesting news. Here are some projects involving high-impact and successful publishing properties.

The character Olga The Cloud by Nicoletta Costa and the monster most loved by children, The Gruffalo, are the new protagonists of Ludattica’s latest publications. For Olga The Cloud, the titles have been released starting from March 2021 and are designed for children from 2 years of age. They range from fun association games, designed to develop logical and observation skills, to illustrated puzzles (1-3).

The series of gamebooks is dedicated to the theme of the seasons: each volume is accompanied by a logical memo, which allows children to continue their playful learning activity. Scuola di disegno con la nuvola Olga (Drawing school with Olga The Cloud) is a special gamebook with many figures to be completed with the supplied erasable marker, to learn how to draw following the suggestions of Nicoletta Costa.

included in the package. In addition to the first 4 titles, the line will be enriched with new releases throughout 2021.

The Little Prince, a children’s cult book, celebrates the 75th anniversary of its first appearance in 2021. For this special occasion, several editorials and product releases are planned in France during the year. In April it has been released a series of specific anniversary editions by Gallimard, including a re-edition of the original manuscript and the agenda 2021-2022. The publisher Fleurus also launched in April the collector’s edition Le Petit Prince pour les enfants and coloring editions of the series La Grande Imagerie. In September, a boxed set book dedicated to the anniversary will be released

by Gallimard, with gadgets of the little prince and unpublished content. In November, curated by Geo / Prisma, the prestige largeformat editions Les voyages du Petit Prince and Saint-Exupéry c’est l’aventure. as well as the Escape Game box. A major licensing development has also been planned in various categories, with monthly releases: after the gold and silver medals by La Maison de la Médaille in January, and the gold and silver coins, with special graphics for the 75th anniversary, by La Monnaie de Paris in February, from April it is available a collection of objects curated by Enesco, from May a collaboration with Pylones, which will dedicate the shop windows of its 120 stores around the world to the little prince, from June in cooperation with the postal service a carnet of 12 dedicated stamps.

Also from March, The Gruffalo, an international bestseller in publishing and animation, has made its entry into the world of educational games in Italy for the first time with Ludattica. There are association and educational games inspired by the original texts and images of The Gruffalo’s books. Creative games allow children to give free rein to their imagination and fun and will develop manual skills, thanks to the use of 100% vegetable and made in Italy plasticine,

Ninja Life Hacks is a comic-book style series, suitable for ages 3 to 11. It has already scored 42 titles, and at least 20 more are on the way. In each volume, a little Ninja experiences an important resource or emotion for self-esteem and self-knowledge, such as kindness and grit, inspiring children to grow positively. The Ninja Life Hacks Mover and Shaker boxed set has recently been released, which collects 8 titles in the series. This publishing property has chosen The Brand Liaison agency to develop a licensing program that will cover various categories including toy, apparel, home, stationery.

Blippi is a fun and energetic character, created and played by the American educator Stevin John on his very popular Youtube channel.

It teaches kids ages 2 to 7 about colors, letters and more! Thanks to Studio Fun International, a series of books dedicated to him was born.

The first 13 titles sold nearly 400,000 copies in more than 15 formats, including paperback and touch and feel. In 2021, the publishing house will release another 12 books. Among the first publications Baby Farm Animals, a sound book to learn more about animals. Have a Happy, Healty Day was released last May, along with a cloth mask for children. It will encourage preschoolers to adopt healthy habits, such as washing their hands and eating healthy food.

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Children’s publishing properties: the latest news The publishing industry, from children’s books and novels to comics and magazines, has always been a great inspiration for the licensing world. Here’s what’s new for some classic and established IPs.

Easter partnership and activity trail took place this April with Kew Gardens in London, and a historical exhibition with Somerset House will open in October of this year. Rebel Girls’ mission is to inspire and empower 50 million girls around the world to dream big, aim higher, and stay rebellious. The bestselling Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls anthologies have sold more than 6 million copies in 51 different languages, and the fourth anthology, 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic, will be released this fall as part of a rapidly growing publishing portfolio for the brand. The digital and experiential branches of the brand are also growing, with a Rebel Girls app launching in 2021 and Rebel Girls Fest events now taking place twice a year. In the U.K., Gibsons is expanding its range of successful games and puzzles for 2021, following the recent launch of a card game in late 2020.

Highlights for children is a wonderful magazine created to positively engage children and be shared with the whole family, founded in Pennsylvania by two experienced educators. It has always focused on evolving and improving its look and content to get youngsters curious, creative, confident and authentic. It has become a trusted global brand, reaching children ages 0-12 with its most popular magazines and books, and on multi-platform digital experiences, toys/games, podcasts and more. It also works with licensees and partners to bring its stories and all of its activities to a wide range of products.

It is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and for that there are plans for a partnership with Audible, an expanded licensing plan, podcasts, two main titles based on the magazine’s flagship features, Hidden Pictures and Dear Highlights, exclusive offers on Highlights products and 75 days of giveaways on social channels. A brand campaign titled “All it Takes...” kicked off in late May, urging adults to immerse themselves in life’s little moments and listen to kids. It will run through 2022 and will include social channels, national video placements, YouTube ads, media partnerships and will be promoted on all Highlights marketing channels. An Audible miniseries will feature American comic book characters Goofus and Gallant; a podcast, “Dear Highlights,” by director Christine French Cully, will explore what children’s letters can teach us about childhood and how to spark meaningful conversations with young children. In August, Highlights will add a new title to its Hidden Pictures franchise, which will feature a variety of innovative search-and-find puzzles with more than 1,500 hidden objects. In addition, the Flashlight Hidden Pictures board game produced by Buffalo Games will debut in time for the 2021 holiday season.

The publishing industry, from children’s books and novels to comics and magazines, has always been a great resource for the licensing world. Here’s the latest news for some classic and established IPs. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, since its first publication in 1969, has been an evergreen story by Eric Carle, read and loved by three generations. It currently sells a copy every 15 seconds. Winner of three international and UK licensing awards in 2020, the brand is managed globally by The Joester Loria Group. In February, Baby Mori launched a beautiful range of super soft and sustainable baby and children’s clothing, and in May a major partnership with ZSL London Zoo began. A wide range of new products will also be launched throughout the rest of 2021, including gardening, apparel, toys and outdoor games. The Elf on the Shelf® has become a timeless Christmas story and family tradition, with 19 million Scout Elves and Elf Pets® adopted since the book’s publication in 2005. Christmas 2020 saw the strongest year to date for the licensed product in the UK, marked by 74% growth and new categories including health and beauty, confectionery, games and puzzles. The Lumistella Company and Rocket Licensing are further expanding The Elf on the Shelf® offering for Christmas 2021 to enhance cherished family moments at Christmas time. 2021 is the 70th anniversary of Dennis, Beano’s iconic and mischievous character, beloved by four generations of parents and children. The big birthday is being celebrated with a year of major marketing and licensing activity, including the launch of new products in the UK from Tower Mint for commemorative coins, Prickly Thistle for bespoke tartans and Arthouse for home decor. A major

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The editorial properties of ETS licensing ETS Licensing is one of the main independent Italian agencies specialized in the management of Intellectual Properties licensing rights. It takes care of about twenty local and international brands, and many of them come from the publishing industry. Here is information and news about some of their publishing properties.

Sud was released with the title “Do You Know Pippi Longstocking?”

This year the book was part of the children’s series dedicated to the great masterpieces of recent decades by Centauria.

In addition to the publishing sector, fashion has also taken inspiration from Pippi. ottod’Ame has created a very successful capsule collection, the H&M brand has used the original illustrations of Ingrid Vang Nyman for its children’s collection and Happy Socks has created a line of socks to celebrate Pippi’s 75th birthday.

As for the games branch, brands like Clementoni and Micky created puzzles and figurines, Multiprint produced stamp sets and Ciao designed carnival costumes for both adults and children.

Pippi’s courage has also inspired an important partnership with Save the Children in support of girls fleeing war and poverty. To support Pippi of Today, hundreds of partners around the world are helping by offering Pippi-related products, donating a portion of sales or spreading the campaign message. All funds raised benefit migrant girls. After 75 years, Pippi is more relevant than ever and we won’t have to wait long to see her on screens again. A new trilogy of liveaction films is being developed and produced by Heyday Film and Studiocanal. The first film, whose producer is David Heyman (Harry Potter, Paddington) will be released between the end of 2022 and the spring of 2023.

Lucky Luke Comic books also have great importance in the world of publishing.

Among the most long-lived we find for example Lucky Luke, created by the Belgian cartoonist Morris, pseudonym of Maurice de Bévère in 1946. The illustrations were published in the weekly magazine Spirou for about twenty years and then became a series of comics centered on the protagonist. Lucky Luke’s stories are set in the far west, expressing irony and adventure and taking their cue from western history and its characters such as Calamity Jane, Billy the Kid, Jesse James and the Dalton Brothers. The adventures of this courageous cowboy are now published in more than 100 comics translated into 18 languages and with 300 million copies sold in 100 countries.

In 2018 was published the new comic “A cowboy in Paris” set for the first time in Europe, more precisely in Paris and follows the events of the construction of the Statue of Liberty. In 2020 the story published under the title “Inferno di cotone” (translated in Italy by Nona Arte) sold in France over 270 thousand copies becoming the most successful comic in the country and in April the last adventure of Lucky Luke entitled “Wanted Lucky Luke” was released in Italy.

The success of the comic book was followed by numerous films, including television series and movies (3 live movies and 4 animated movies). Several spin-offs have also been created, such as the

Pippi Longstocking In 1945, one of the most iconic and groundbreaking children’s books

by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren was published: Pippi Longstocking.

The funniest, strongest, bravest, and most irreverent little girl in literature with red braids quickly became an iconic character and an inspiration for young and old alike. The books have been translated into 77 languages, selling more than 1 million copies each year all over the world. Since 1988 Salani has been the historical publisher of Pippi Longstocking books, in addition to having a rich catalog of fiction, illustrated and audiobooks titles, in 2020 it published a book edited

by Samanta K. Milton Knowles with eight unpublished chapters and a new translation for the 75th anniversary.

Also in 2020, a new picture book for preschoolers published by Nord-

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Lottie Dottie Chicken

animated series Kid Lucky, available on RayPlay, which tells the story of little Lucky and his desire to become the greatest cowboy of all time, and The Daltons, the animated series (available from May 10 on K2) which tells the story of the brothers Joe, Jack, William and Averell Dalton, historical enemies of Lucky Luke.

This year Variety magazine announced that Federation Entertainment has struck a deal with Un pour Tous Productions to produce a TV series about Lucky Luke. Not many details at the moment but it has been confirmed that Michael Youn will soon play the lead role.

Recently Bershka, a young and urban brand of the Inditex Group, launched a t-shirt to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the fearless gunslinger of the west.

Lucky Luke remains a nostalgic brand, an evergreen that fits perfectly in all licensing categories.

Lottie Dottie Chicken is a preschool property born in Brazil in 2005 with cute nursery rhyme clips for YouTube, which quickly achieved enormous popularity on the web, with over 20 billion views worldwide.

This great success led to the development of the animated series Lottie Dottie Mini, where the cute blue hen, with her husband, little son and their funny friends, dance and sing funny ditties. The cartoon, with 2 seasons of 52 6-minute episodes (104 episodes), mixes cheerfulness, color, musicality and basic educational values designed especially for a primary preschool segment.

After the growing consensus obtained by the 1st season broadcast on Frisbee starting from March 2020, with the beginning of 2021 the 2nd season is also on air. In addition, the 3rd season is also being finalized.

In addition to its television successes, Lottie Dottie Chicken has achieved other important milestones: its nursery rhyme videos and episodes of the animated series are now also available on Amazon Prime and you can listen to its songs on the main digital music platforms: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and Deezer.

Social channel data also testify to the growing affection towards the property from the Italian public: in just 8 months since its activation, the Italian Facebook and Instagram profiles have reached almost 350,000 people with excellent levels of engagement, exceeding 18,000 interactions. In addition to these numbers, there are more than 200,000 subscribers to the Italian YouTube channel, with more than 5 million views.

For the coming months, there are many new features that will concern Lottie Dottie Chicken; among them, the new collection “Lottie Dottie Chicken bedtime stories”, a collection of video-books that will be available soon and that proposes, with a new perspective, some of the most popular classic fairy tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling and The Three Little Pigs.

Lottie Dottie Chicken has to its credit an extensive international licensing program that involves more than 500 products from different product sectors: toys&games to publishing, clothing and accessories, FMCG, and much more.

Dennis the Menace and Gnasher Another brand born from the world of comics is Dennis and Gnasherunleashed! created by David Law and first appeared in the British magazine The Beano. Some 3,000 issues were published in its first 50 years, and in 2015 it won the Guinness World Record for the longestrunning comic book.

Since its first appearance in 1951, the comic has been able to develop and keep up with the times.

In 2017, it went from the pages of The Beano to the screen, thanks to CGI graphics and new characters becoming an animated television series.

The series, which airs on Rai Gulp and is available on Rai Play, follows the adventures of the unrestrained Dennis and his dog Gnasher, who first act and then reflect, which with great ease often gets them into trouble. Always together with their most trusted friends, Pieface, JJ and Rubi, they face every day the overbearing Walter, in the background the city of Beanotown and the daily routine of school life.

The brand has been able to evolve, even in terms of communication, with the use of major social networks, apps and streaming platforms.

This year Dennis blows out 70 candles, but despite the years continues to surprise and entertain.

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FABA and Tonies storytelling devices Children enjoy listening to stories and are also usually very fond of going to the library or bookstore for live readings. During the pandemic, the opportunities for reading aloud disappeared or were significantly reduced, so storytelling devices, such as FABA and Tonies, made their way more and more.

Gruffalo, The Little Prince and other FABA products are available in the online shop hiips://www.myfaba.com and over 300 points of sale throughout the country, including Toys Center, Prénatal, Città del Sole and Giunti, as well as small retailers.

The British company TONIES has created Toniebox and Tonies, to bring to life a beloved and educationally important storyteller. A Toniebox is a colorful and soft portable speaker, and a Tonie is a magnetic, handpainted figurine that plays music and tells stories when placed on the Toniebox. How to use? You need to create an account on Tonies.com or download the Tonies app on your phone to set up your device. The Toniebox comes with a charger and, once charged, has an autonomy of up to 7 hours. There are currently more than 50 “Content Tonies”, mostly inspired by well-known and beloved characters such as Disney, who tell their stories. Among the latest news, the character Chase from Paw Patrol. The “Creative Tonies” instead allow you to record up to 90 minutes of your voice, to tell stories in person to your children, or to leave them a goodnight message (you can do it through the app) even when you get home late.

FABA is an editorial brand born at the end of 2019: in just over a year, it has registered record numbers, becoming a leader in Italy in the children’s storytelling sector. It borns from the experience of the Maikii company, present in the technology sector since 2008; it was designed to entertain children and stimulate their imagination.

With the FABA storyteller, children between 0 and 7 years old can listen to stories, nursery rhymes, songs, and educational content in total autonomy and safety. The product consists of a Bluetooth® speaker and licensed 3D sound characters. It is a tool rich in content, some already in memory, others to be updated through the MyFABA App. Among the 30 Audio Characters are Little Red Riding Hood, Masha, Tea by Giunti, Geronimo Stilton by Piemme, the Great Fairy by Dami Editore... The latest releases are The Gruffalo and The Little Prince. A new ad hoc story was created for him.

“To make the story more accessible to children - while maintaining the magic and strong educational value of the literary work that has been read by adults and children for 78 years - we reworked the content by creating an exclusive text: the activity was carried out from the publishing house EDITORIAL PROGRAM of Treviso ”declares Chiara Gava, Retail Dpt. Manager of FABA. And she continues: “Thanks to our knowledge, at a technical and editorial level, and the great experience of the partner we have chosen, we are able to tell and relive the adventures of the Little Prince even to the little ones, with a lot of enthusiasm and involvement”

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