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Right: Rainbow Heart Bear is a new character to celebrate Care Bears’ 35th anniversary.
Marking Milestones
Dear Zoo Won’t Be Caged A year long-programme has been organised to help Dear Zoo (represented by Metrostar) celebrate its 35th anniversary with a roar. Dear Zoo is the iconic preschool storybook from Rod Campbell which has sold over 8 million copies worldwide and is published in more than 20 languages. Macmillan Children's Books will launch a year of celebrations with a hardback gift edition for which author Rod Campbell has created a new designed slipcase. Macmillan will be working with Dear Zoo licensees throughout the anniversary year, with existing licensees including Milly&Flynn (wooden toy range, puzzles and games), Aurora (plush), and Paul Lamond Games (puzzles). The publisher has also collaborated with ZSL London Zoo to create The Dear Zoo Trail, which will be open all through the Easter holidays at London Zoo. Families will be able to follow the story of the Dear Zoo book. In addition retailers across the country will be invited to get on board with the birthday celebrations with a host of Dear Zoo events supported by bespoke event kits including activities and suitably festive bunting and display materials. A Dear Zoo storytelling event will tour all the major literary festivals throughout the year too. The year will culminate in Autumn 2017 with the opening of a brand new stage performance of Dear Zoo. Commenting on this landmark Rod comments: “I can’t believe Dear Zoo is celebrating its 35th anniversary! I really am enormously touched and delighted that successive generations of young children continue to love Dear Zoo!”
Caring At 35
Throughout 2017 American Greetings Entertainment is celebrating 35 years of caring, sharing and hugs with Care Bears - the colourful, huggable bears that have been connecting with generations of children and continue to create long-lasting relationships with today’s kids. “Special for the 35th anniversary, we will be introducing a brand new, never-before-seen character to the Care Bears family: Rainbow Heart Bear, who will appear across multiple categories for 2017 only,” kicks off Janice Ross, head of global licensing for American Greetings Entertainment. Care Bears (which is represented by CPLG for licensing) started as a line of greeting cards in the early 1980’s and quickly grew into an entertainment, consumer products and pop-culture phenomenon. Today there is a Netflix original series, 26+ million app downloads and millions of YouTube views with content for this generation’s audience. At the core, Care Bears is about caring and sharing and the emotional connection fans have with these cuddly characters. “We have stayed true to these brand attributes and that connection with fans around the world has never been stronger,” says Janice. She adds: “In addition to our brand new, 2017 exclusive Rainbow Heart Bear who will stay true to the current core style of Care Bears and help us to celebrate our “Year of the Hug,” we will celebrate by giving hugs nationwide in the US via an experiential mobile tour.” The brand’s specialty 35th anniversary partners will have the opportunity to utilise a special, 1980’sinspired watercolour style guide, including Land of Nod, California Donuts, Sprinkles Cupcakes and SpiritHoods. Internationally, Care Bears looks forward to its collaboration with fashion brand Boy Meets Girl for colette in Paris, supported by a window display and event, as well as Japanese figurine brand, Be@rbrick. Additional programs are also still to come. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the Care Bears’ long-lasting relationship with people who grew up loving these huggable characters,” says Janice. “We want to give fans of all ages the chance to reconnect with their favourite Care Bear at anniversary events and through partnerships around the world.”
LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2017
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