22-23 LSB Autumn Paul Bufton (SL)_GF.qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 21/09/2023 21:13 Page 1
THE BIG INTERVIEW
High hopes
Inset: A Gabby on the Go! roadshow toured the UK and France this summer. Below: UP&E is "really going places", says the company’s Paul Bufton.
With the much-loved Trolls, Minions and Po the Kung Fu Panda set to return to cinemas, plus preschool hit Gabby’s Dollhouse continuing its unstoppable rise on screen and at retail, Universal Products & Experiences is heading to BLE in upbeat mood. Paul Bufton, vp EMEA consumer products at Universal Products & Experiences, shares the good vibes with LSB.
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“What was so humbling about the roadshow was the incredible number of people who turned up. The kids were so excited to have photo ops with [costume-character] Gabby, it was adorable to see.” Since launching in 2021, Gabby’s Dollhouse has skyrocketed in popularity across North America and EMEA and has charted as an overall top 10 series in 57 countries on Netflix. Most recently, the series has spent six weeks in the Global English TV Top 10 list on Netflix (as of 5 September); and this year it was named the number one new preschool property in the UK toy market by Circana. UP&E’s product strategy Coming soon… for Gabby’s Dollhouse has l This October will be filled with good vibes, glitter and hit songs as the DreamWorks Trolls return to cinemas in the newest chapter of the beloved been very focused and franchise, Trolls Band Together. designed around building a l 2024 will see the return of the mischief-making Minions in Illumination’s highly long-term brand. “We have anticipated Despicable Me 4. a very intentional strategy l Kung Fu Panda 4 will debut in cinemas in 2024. l Screens will be turning green with the release of part one of Wicked on 27 for which categories we November 2024, with part two slated for 26 November 2025. move into,” Paul says. “The l An all-new live action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s beloved How to big news for us is LEGO Train Your Dragon is coming to cinemas in 2025. coming on board. The Spin l The original summer blockbuster JAWS and iconic sketch show Saturday Night Live will both be celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2025. Master toys are incredible
s a business, we’re really going places. It’s a tough market, but we've got so much good stuff going on and a huge amount to look forward to,” begins Paul Bufton. Chief among Paul’s reasons to be cheerful is DreamWorks Animation’s hit series, Gabby’s Dollhouse, which has enjoyed a “brilliant year”. “This summer we ran ‘Sprinkle Party’ activations across Europe and a Gabby on the Go! roadshow tour of the UK and France; our UK partnering retailer Smyths Toys saw a significant uplift in participating stores and nationwide for Gabby’s Dollhouse product sales,” says Paul.
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LICENSING SOURCE BOOK 2023