Pokemon Special Publication by Licensing Source Book Europe

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WELCOME It is astonishing to think that 20 years have passed since Pokémon first burst onto the video game scene in Japan. The original premise was the vision to create something that would capture the childhood wonder of discovering new creatures, collecting them and sharing the experience with friends.

Twenty years on, that vision remains and it’s at the heart of Pokémon’s appeal to the global market—discovering, collecting, battling, trading and sharing.

Today, Pokémon stands as a worldwide phenomenon, a globally successful brand with a business spanning video games, trading card games, animated TV series and films and much, much more.

The Pokémon Company International continues to innovate: launching exciting new products such as the forthcoming Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems; delighting audiences around Europe with Season 19 of the popular animation; finding ground-breaking new ways to connect with its loyal audience, such as our animation studio at KidZania in London; and working with best-in-class partners across

licensing and retail to continue to grow the brand across the globe.

The hugely loyal fan base—from all walks of life, children through to adults—stand at the heart of Pokémon’s success.

They continue to engage with, share and talk about Pokémon products across the world.

With a year-long programme of activity and events in place to celebrate 20 years of Pokémon, the brand has never been in better shape. Twenty years? It’s just the beginning!

Gaku Susai, Vice President of London Operations, The Pokémon Company International

CONTENTS

5 6-7 8-9 11 12-13 15 16-17 19-22 23 24-25

Introducing… Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon The Essence of Pokémon Taking Pokémon to the Fans Celebrating 20 Years Of Pokémon Pokémon Today and Tomorrow Meet the Team Consumer Products Approach Licensee Lowdown Celebrating With TOMY Retail Outlook

This special Pokémon publication was produced by Max Publishing. Editor: Michelle Board. Editor in chief: Jakki Brown.

The advertising was handled by Ian Hyder. The designer was Mark Grayson. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors, missions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers, not any organisations mentioned in the text. ©2016 The Pokémon Company International. ©1995-2016 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

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INTRODUCING...

POKÉMON SUN AND POKÉMON MOON! Exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon are the much-anticipated games coming to the UK in late November.

between the player and their first partner Pokémon.

Pokémon Sun and Pokémon These three new Pokémon—Rowlet, Litten, and Moon are the latest Popplio—will be a key focus in 2017 in generation of Pokémon video addition to Pikachu, and they have game launching on 23 already caused a buzz online.

November 2016. The On the day they were revealed, previous generation of #PokemonSunMoon was the top games, Pokémon X and trending hashtag on Twitter.

Pokémon Y, are the biggest selling Nintendo 3DS These iconic characters will feature in games ever, selling over 14 million copies the new generation of TV animation and worldwide to date.

Pokémon Trading Card Game that will be released soon Since being announced on Pokémon Day in February of after the games become available. this year, more details about the new games have been emerging every few weeks.

So far, we know that the new MEET THE NEW POKÉMON SUN AND region is called Alola and has POKÉMON MOON CHARACTERS a distinctly tropical look.

ROWLET Fans had their first proper The first of the potential partners is the highly look at gameplay from adaptable Rowlet. This Pokémon can fly Pokémon Sun and Pokémon silently through the skies, drawing near to its opponent without being noticed and then Moon in May and again at lashing out with powerful kicks. It can also strike E3 in Los Angeles in June, from a distance using the razor-sharp leaves that and the overall feedback was form part of its feathers. Rowlet can survey its environment and turn its neck nearly 180 ° from front to back so it can see directly behind itself. incredibly positive.

With every region that is LITTEN announced, there is a flurry The cool-headed Litten is the next choice for a first- partner Pokémon. Litten’s fur is rich in oils and of excitement around the first immensely flammable. It constantly grooms itself by partner Pokémon. licking its coat and collecting the loose fur into balls. It then ignites these hairballs to create Players must select one of fireball attacks. When the time comes for these three Pokémon to join Litten to molt, it burns off all of its fur in them on their adventure, and one glorious blaze.

POPPLIO a special bond is often forged The third possibility is the acrobatic Popplio. Popplio can snort out balloons made of water and spin them into a playful battle strategy. This Pokémon is better at moving in the water than on land, and it can swim at speeds over 25 mph. On land, it takes advantage of the elasticity of its balloons to perform acrobatic stunts and jumps.

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THE ESSENCE

OF

POKÉMON

For the past 20 years, Pokémon has captured the imagination of children around the world. It’s a global entertainment brand, engaging with fans across video games, trading cards, animated TV series, movies, toys and much more.

First introduced in Japan in 1996 as a role-playing video game for the Nintendo Game Boy handheld game system, Pokémon has delighted fans of all ages around the world for two decades.

The three core pillars of the Pokémon brand—video games, the Trading Card Game and animation— remain at the heart of the company.

“When Pokémon arrived, it redefined how kids could engage with a brand,” says Peter Murphy, Senior Director of Marketing for The Pokémon Company International.

“The video game, the TV show and the Trading Card Game were all there from the start. Brands come and go, but Pokémon continues to flourish by maintaining the fine balance of constant innovation while retaining the core elements that made it so popular in the first place. And above all—whether it’s the video games, the TV show, the Trading Card Game, apps, licensed goods, publishing or digital content—everything we do is always of a consistently high quality.”

Just as the games and content continue to evolve, so too does the way in which everyone can interact with Pokémon, with free apps and on-demand TV becoming increasingly important to reach fans wherever they are. “We do have to move with the audience and ensure our TV show is available on as many platforms as possible,” says Peter.

“As a result, and as part of initiatives around the 20 years of Pokémon, you can now find the movies and the TV series on a wide range of services such as

Top left: Pokémon movies and the animated series are available on a number of platforms including Netflix, Amazon and the Pokémon TV app.

Left: Pokémon has delighted fans of all ages around the world for two decades.

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Left: The fans are central to everything The Pokémon Company does.

POKÉMON BY THE NUMBERS

GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL! TM

Netflix and Amazon, and our very own Pokémon TV app. On the social side, we see You Tube as a key channel to announce news and share videos with our community.”

The fans are central to everything The Pokémon Company International does, as it continually strives to delight them wherever they are in the world. “The whole company feels a strong sense of responsibility to our fans and a strong sense of responsibility to the Pokémon themselves. Our fans consider these Pokémon as dear friends, so we have to treat them in the exact same way. We put a lot of energy into creating events that let fans get together and share their love for all things Pokémon,” says Peter.

This is a big year for Pokémon, with the arrival of the next generation of content, including the new Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon video games, the release of the mobile game Pokémon GO, as well as all the celebrations around 20 years of Pokémon. It’s also an exciting time for the licensed consumer goods programme, with new toys coming out from TOMY and several new partners coming on board spanning multiple categories across Europe.

“Pokémon” is the collective name for the more than 720 known Pokémon creatures that live in the wild or alongside humans. Pokémon are caught, raised and instructed by their Trainers.

During their adventures, Pokémon grow and become more experienced, and many evolve into stronger Pokémon.

VIDEO GAMES One of the most successful video game franchises of all time, with more than 275 million titles sold worldwide. Pokémon is the highest-selling game for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

TRADING CARD GAME Esdevium Games enjoyed record UK sales for the Pokémon Trading Card Game in 2015. NPD sales data shows the Pokémon TCG has made significant gains for the past two years, with growth of 34% in 2014, followed by a further 56% growth in 2015.

Globally, over 21.5 billion cards have been shipped to 74 countries in 11 languages (The Pokémon Company, through March 2015). And so far in 2016, sales are continuing to soar, with a further 75% increase over 2015.

ANIMATION Pokémon animation is broadcast in more than 160 countries, and there are more than 800 episodes spanning 18 series of the animated TV show. Series 19 will be televised across Europe by the end of 2016.

LICENSING Pokémon was ranked as the number one single-IP entertainment company in the world (Source: License Global Magazine’s Top 150 Licensors 2015).

ONLINE Pokémon’s official website has more than 3 million unique visitors per month. Total traffic across Pokémon’s global websites and mobile apps is more than 18 million visits per month (The Pokémon Company, August 2015). Videos on the Pokémon YouTube channel have garnered more than 114 million views, and Pokémon’s Facebook page has more than 6 million Likes.

Above: The next generation Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon video games are due out November 2016.

“The whole company feels a strong sense of responsibility to our fans and a strong sense of responsibility to the Pokémon themselves."

— Peter Murphy

Above: TOMY’s Pokémon range is very popular with fans.

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To

TAKING POKÉMON

THE FANS

Fans are at the heart of everything The Pokémon Company International does, whether launching new games or hosting consumer experiences.

Here are a few highlights from the past year…

RECORD-BREAKING TRADING CARD MOSAIC

MACY’S PARADE

A giant Pikachu card, measuring 10m tall and 7m wide and made of 12,987 individual Pokémon Trading Card Game cards, was created in Paris in March. The trading card mosaic was designed by British artist Quentin Devine and broke a Guinness world record.

Pikachu makes the 2.5-mile journey through the streets of New York in the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, watched by 3 million people on the streets and a further 50 million at home. Pikachu has appeared in the parade since 2001.

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SUPER BOWL 50 ADVERT THE POKÉMON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

A Pokémon TV commercial shown during the 2016 Super Bowl was a huge hit with fans around the world. Roughly 189 million people tuned in to watch the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers on 7 February.

The advert has also been viewed over 24 million times on YouTube.

Every year, more than 3,000 players, fans and supporters attend the Pokémon World Championships to watch or compete in Pokémon Trading Card Game and video game battles. A further 800,000 tune in through live coverage around the world. The Pokémon World Championships is an invitation-only competition for players who have qualified through excellent performance at regional, national, and other events throughout the year.

KIDZANIA The Pokémon Animation Studio opened at London’s Westfield KidZania in November last year. Visitors to the interactive experience are able to make their very own short film, featuring the TOMY Pokémon figures and props, using stop-motion animation techniques.

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Under Licence to Fashion-UK www.fashions-uk.com 11 St Georges Way, LEICESTER, LE1 1SH ENGLAND

Licensing & Brand Manager: Laura Clowes TEL: +44(0) 116 276 2929 (ext 803) FAX: +44(0) 116276 7727 EMAIL: licensing@fashions-uk.com

©2016 The Pokémon Company International. ©1995–2016 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

OF

POKÉMON

2016 is a year of celebration across the entire Pokémon franchise, with new video games, Trading Card Game products, animation and licensed products, not to mention events and tournaments. The official website for the celebration, www.Pokemon20.com, is the place for fans to keep in touch with everything that’s happening over the year.

This website has all the latest news on events happening around the globe, games and quizzes to unlock Mythical Pokémon wallpapers, as well as a place for sharing memories and moments with other Pokémon fans.

POKÉMON PHOTO BOOTH

FIND POKÉMON PRODUCTS Fans can find out about all the latest special products to celebrate 20 years of Pokémon and where to buy them, including additions to the TCG, toys, video games and animation.

MYTHICAL POKÉMON

Fans can create Pokémon-themed photos with the Pokémon Photo Booth app. They take pictures and personalise them with a variety of captions in the style of classic Pokémon games. When finished, fans can upload their photos to the website for the 20th celebration, where a selection are regularly displayed, or share them with friends via social media.

Every month, a Mythical Pokémon will be available via special distribution to Pokémon video games, either via Nintendo Network or at participating Game and GameStop stores. These Pokémon aren’t available during normal gameplay, making them extra interesting for intrepid fans. The full distribution calendar is available on the website.

Left: Fans can create Pokémon-themed photos with the Pokémon Photo Booth app.

1996

1998

2001

2004

2007

2011

2014

On February 27, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green for Game Boy launch in Japan.

Pokémon makes its first US appearance at Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

Pikachu is featured as a balloon in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time.

The first Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships are held in Orlando, Florida.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the 10th season of Pokémon animation, has its TV premiere on Cartoon Network.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online launches for PC and Mac.

PokemonCenter.com launches, offering specialty Pokémon apparel, plush and more.

1997

1999

2003

2006

2009

2013

2016

The animated Pokémon TV series is introduced in Japan.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game debuts with the launch of the Base Set.

Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire are released for Game Boy Advance.

A celebration of 10 years of Pokémon kicks off at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.

A dedicated Pokémon boutique opens in Times Square’s Toys“R”Us.

The Pokémon TV app launches Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are released globally.

20 years of Pokémon!

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Below: Pokémon GO is played using real-world locations.

POKÉMON

TODAY AND TOMORROW Pokémon is one of the most popular and successful entertainment franchises of all time, attracting just as loyal a following today as it did 20 years ago. Pokémon’s ongoing popularity is testament to The Pokémon Company International’s vision of a continually evolving brand, offering fans something new and exciting today…and tomorrow. Here’s more about what’s already in the market and what’s coming up.

Below: The Pokemon animated series is available on a number of platforms including the Pokemon TV app.

Pokémon is one of those rare brands whose popularity spans demographics, appealing to children, millennials and adults on all levels. Although it launched initially as a pair of video games, it was always intended that it should go beyond that—quickly spreading to encompass an animated TV show, a trading card game and a whole host of exciting merchandise. Movies followed, and more recently, apps for mobile devices and tablets.

“We had a phenomenal 2015, with record sales for the Trading Card Game UK,” says Mathieu Galante, Senior Market Development Manager. “The Pokémon animated series is now available on a variety of content platforms, including CITV, Netflix, YouTube Disney XD, Amazon Prime and iTunes, and is also available via the Pokémon TV app.”

This year looks to be even bigger for Pokémon, with the recent launch of Pokémon GO for smartphones and the highly anticipated new video games

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Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon.

“Pokémon is as strong as ever, and we’ve had some great feedback around the events and initiatives in this our 20th year,” says Mathieu. “The fans are really looking forward to the new games at the end of the year, and we’re building on the success of the brand by expanding our consumer products programme with new categories and new territories. Our growing market development team now covers more of Europe, and we’ve got some very exciting partnerships in the pipeline.”

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POKÉMON TRADING CARD GAME ONLINE The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online is an online version of the popular Pokémon Trading Card Game enjoyed by millions of players around the world.

Originally available on PC and Mac, the TCG Online more recently became available as a free download for iPad and Android tablets. Players can expand their online collection by redeeming code cards found in specially marked Pokémon TCG booster packs, theme decks, and other products. Just like the physical card game, players can trade cards, play competitively against others and earn rewards.

As of June 2016, Europe has seen 123 percent more new users sign up than over the same period in 2015. As a result, our active European player base has nearly tripled since the same time last year (up 199 percent). Europe is now the second-largest market for the Pokémon TCG Online after North America, with the EU market seeing the largest growth both in percentage and in total numbers in 2016.

Above: The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online is enjoyed by millions around the world.

Below: Pokkén Tournament is an arcade-style fighting game for Wii U.

POKÉMON GO Pokémon GO is built on Niantic’s real-world gaming platform which uses real locations to encourage players to search far and wide to discover Pokémon.

Pokémon GO allows anyone to find and catch more than a hundred different Pokémon with its dedicated smartphone app. As players visit new towns, cities and even countries, their smartphone will vibrate whenever a Pokémon is near.

POKKÉN TOURNAMENT Pokkén Tournament is an arcade-style fighting game, and an allnew way to play Pokémon. It was released for Wii U in March 2016 and appeals to Pokémon fans, fighting game players and even casual gamers looking for an action-packed title. Players can play single-player, multiplayer and online. The gameplay is completely different from traditional Pokémon games, with an emphasis on fast-paced battling.

VIDEO ON DEMAND

During game play, please be aware of your surroundings and play safely. ©2016 Niantic, Inc. ©2016 Pokémon. ©1995 - 2016 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.

The Pokémon Company International has signed a number of agreements with Video On Demand partners around the world, allowing fans to watch the animation wherever and whenever they want. Major global partners include YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

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NEW

NEW

MY FRIEND PIKACHU

THROW 'N' POP POKÉ BALL

4

DIFFERENT STYLES

TOMY’S NEW POKÉMON RANGE BRINGS BATTLE PLAY TO LIFE WITH ACTION FIGURES AND PLUSH

TV CAMPAIGNS

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA

PR SUPPORT

CALL THE SALES DEPARTMENT ON 01392 281 928 OR EMAIL UKCUSTOMERSERVICES@TOMY.COM

© 2016 The Pokémon Company International. © 1995–2016 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

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MEET THE

TEAM

Meet some of the key people in the licensing and marketing team, and discover their favourite Pokémon and licensed product!

MATHIEU GALANTE, SENIOR MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER—EUROPE Favourite Pokémon: Pikachu—Such an iconic character and loved by fans of all ages. It’s super cute!

Favourite Product: OTL’s Poké Ball adult headphones are super cool.

HARRIS MCQUEEN, MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER— UK SOFT LINES Favourite Pokémon: Charizard—a real adult fan favourite. Love for the Shiny Charizard trading card still amazes me.

Favourite Product: Fashion UK’s Pikachu novelty hoodie.

SAMANTHA MORTIMORE, MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER— UK HARD LINES Favourite Pokémon: Mew, of course!

Favourite Product: I’m loving the 20 years of Pokémon products coming through this year, a must-have for all the fans. We have the Mythical TCG boxes, and TOMY are releasing a very cute, interactive Pikachu feature plush.

FABRICE BLANCHEFORT, MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER—FRANCE Favourite Pokémon: Chespin/Froakie/Fennekin—I love every new generation of Pokémon for its group of first partner Pokémon. The group from XY had some really cool Evolutions, too.

Favourite Product: Teknofun Poké Ball and Pikachu digital alarm clock. It always keeps me on time.

ROMINA IALONGO, MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER—ITALY, SPAIN Favourite Pokémon: Meowth and Team Rocket. They are so humorous and always scheming.

Favourite Product: The Zara boys T-shirt that launched this summer.

Pikachu looks so cute in Ash’s cap.

CAMILLE LAGRANGE, RETAIL MARKETING ASSOCIATE Favourite Pokémon: Zygarde—It has so many different new Formes that are all really exciting, and I can’t wait to see its new battle moves in the TV series.

Favourite Product: Undiz women’s loungewear.

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CONSUMER PRODUCTS

APPROACH Over the past two decades, Pokémon has extended its reach and grown into a phenomenally successful international brand spanning video games, animation, the Pokémon Trading Card Game and, increasingly, a wide range of licensed consumer products. For Pokémon, 2016 is a big year, particularly around apparel, toys, gifting and FMCG.

In recent years, The Pokémon Company International has spent considerable time developing the consumer products programme, taking its output from six licensees in the UK at the beginning of 2015 to nearly 30 today.

It is Pokémon’s commitment to the fans and brand that underpins and drives the licensing programme. As European Senior Market Development Manager Mathieu Galante explains, “Since early 2015, Pokémon has grown the licensing programme in response to the increased buzz around the brand.

The reaction to our upcoming promotional activity has been amazing, with best-in-class partners all very keen to get on

Above: Bioworld’s Pokémon range targets millennials using the first-generation cast of Pokémon.

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Above: New headphones from OTL.

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Below: The record-breaking mosaic created out of trading cards in Paris in March.

POKÉMON IN FRANCE France is a strong, established market for Pokémon. In 2015, Pokémon ranked number three in the toys and games category. Over the past couple of years, the number of licensees has grown to 21 ranging across multiple categories.

Mathieu Galante says, “We have recently opened up the consumer electronics/lighting category, we are also strengthening the soft lines category to appeal to our core 6- to 12-year-old consumers, as well as entering the gifting and fashion accessories categories.”

Paris played host to the securing of a new Guinness World Record for the largest mosaic created out of trading cards in March.

The massive work of art, measuring 71.54 square metres formed the image of beloved Pokémon character Pikachu in the original iconic pose as drawn by GAME FREAK illustrator Ken Sugimori.

board with our expansion of Pokémon’s consumer products in the UK and across Europe. Toys and apparel led the way, launching across several key retailers as part of a bigger presence for SS16, and will be followed by several further categories in AW16.”

Pokémon has two very clear target audiences for its licensed products: boys age 4 to 15, and millennials who have been engaged with the brand since the ’90s.

For the younger audience, Pokémon focuses on toys, apparel, bedding, stationery accessories and seasonal confectionery, using Pikachu and the latest cast of characters. Partners such as Fashion UK, Aykroyd’s, Roy Lowe and VMC Accessories are working closely with the Pokémon team to bring a fresh approach to kids’ apparel.

For toys, master toy licensee TOMY has a number of innovative products spanning the plush, action figures, playset and role play segments. The Pokémon Trading Card Game continues to perform extremely well with its young fans, and Esdevium announced record sales in 2015 for its Pokémon TCG offerings, with 2016 set to be even greater.

“For the millennials, we’re using Pokémon all-time favourite characters from 1996, including Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Jigglypuff, Gengar and Team Rocket,” Mathieu says. “We’re looking at some truly fashion-focused ranges with TVM Fashion Lab, Bioworld, BC International and Insert Coin. Exciting fashion collaborations are launching in 2016 and throughout 2017, including Just Hype, Romain Jerome and Dr. Martens.”

A number of initiatives in support of 20 years of Pokémon go across both target audiences, including four of the special Mythical character campaigns. Each of the four activations includes new TCG launches, adult Tshirts from Bioworld and toys from TOMY, and will be supported by TV and online marketing.

“It’s a very exciting time for Pokémon at the moment, with the new game launches, apps and animation,” Mathieu says. “The licensing programme is going from strength to strength, and we’re looking forward to seeing some truly innovative products across a wide range of categories.”

Above centre: Nightwear from Aykroyds.

Above: In 2016 limited edition Mythical Pokémon, such as Mew, feature in Trading Card Games from Esdevium and teeshirts from Bioworld.

Above: Fashion UK brings a fresh approach to children’s apparel.

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• PANEL DUVET • SINGLE & DOUBLE ROTARY DUVETS • CURTAINS • FLEECE BLANKET • TOWEL • CUSHIONS • BEAN BAG

Join the Pokémon fun

To celebrate 20 years of Pokémon, Character World has created a vibrant product range distributed in all major retailers across the UK. Don’t miss out on this worldwide phenomenon and book your selection now to get it for the holidays!

©2016 The Pokémon Company International. ©1995-2016 Nintendo/CreaturesInc./GAME FREAK inc. TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

© Copyright Character World Ltd web.characterworld.com tel.0845 004 9217 e.info@characterworld.com

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THE LICENSEE

LOWDOWN The licensee list for Pokémon is really starting to take shape across more consumer product categories than ever before. Some licensees have been working on Pokémon for years, while others will be launching products for the first time this year.

Left: T-shirt from Fashion UK.

LAURA CLOWES, LICENSING MANAGER, FASHION UK “Our relationship with Pokémon began in late 2014 around the launch of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. We instantly recognised that there was a huge opportunity to grow such a recognisable brand in the UK market for kids’ daywear and tap into the newer generation of Pokémon fans. Our trend-led approach seems to go down really well with retail. We are always looking at ways to incorporate trends into our T-shirt, hoodie and sweat designs and to keep up with the ever-changing demands of our customers.”

Below right: Socks from Roy Lowe.

MARTIN LOWE, SALES DIRECTOR, ROY LOWE & SONS “We are really excited to be on board with the Pokémon franchise and working with such a proactive team.

The brand is an evergreen, and the recent activity is complementing the awareness that licensees are creating at retail. Gotta Catch ’Em All! TM —including all the Pokémon sock designs!”

DAVID AYKROYD, JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR, AYKROYD & SONS “Aykroyd & Sons are delighted to be again working with the Pokémon brand on children’s nightwear. We will be listing pyjamas, robes, nighties and sublimation onesies for AW16, and are looking forward to a very positive response from retail. This is an evergreen brand that kids just love, and the continued incredible success of the games continues to make Pokémon a must-have for consumer products.”

LAURA SUMNER, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, VMC ACCESSORIES “Pokémon is such a wellknown brand, and we’re looking forward to bringing our first products to retail in autumn. The Pokémon team are deeply passionate about the brand and how it is represented in the marketplace. We’ll be launching with headwear this autumn and working on an all-round fashion offer for 2017.”

TIM KILBY, BRAND DIRECTOR, CHARACTER WORLD “Character World established a partnership with The Pokémon Company International last year and worked closely together to design and produce a vibrant, eye-catching Pikachu bedding range. It’s fantastic to create a range for such a well-loved brand with a global fan base. I predict the Pokémon bedding range will become a strong seller as new, younger audiences are introduced to the franchise that young adults remember fondly from their childhood.”

Right: Character World bedding

Right: Pyjamas from Aykroyd & Sons.

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LICENSED

LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS ©2016 THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL. TM, ® NINTENDO.

WWW.BIOWORLDEUROPE.COM MOLENWERF 23 – 1911DB UITGEEST – THE NETHERLANDS

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JEREMY ORRISS, LICENSING DIRECTOR, BIOWORLD EUROPE “We’ve been working with Pokémon since May last year, and the collaboration we have had with the team on the development of our Pokémon range has been an amazing experience. They truly love the brand and all it represents, and have worked with us to produce the best product for the fan and for the demands of fashion retailers. Bioworld Europe always produces extensive collections for the brands we work with, and Pokémon is no exception. We have a range which covers everything from T-shirts through to socks, gloves, wallets, headwear, scarves, underwear and loungewear. In development for this year are swimwear, seasonal jumpers and tech covers.”

Right: Bioworld’s range includes caps.

DAN LONG, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, INSERT COIN CLOTHING “We’re working with Pokémon for the first time. We’re all huge fans of the brand, having grown up alongside the games and the anime. It’s such an incredibly rich universe, with memorable characters and places that are now an intrinsic part of modern culture. We’re working on our collection of apparel at the moment, and we’re looking to include a broad range of items—all designed with core Pokémon fans and millennials in mind.

This is an exciting new project, and we’re really looking forward to launching the designs later this year.”

SIMON JOBSON, MARKETING DIRECTOR, AIRWAIR INTERNATIONAL “The first pair of Dr. Martens 1460 boots rolled off the production line on 1 April 1960 and were originally manufactured for workers. Throughout its history, the brand has been become a culturally relevant icon that has been subverted and replayed by diverse free thinking individuals, musicians and youth cultures. We are delighted to be working with Pokémon as this is an extension of the strategy of engaging with consumers through pop culture by re-interpretating the brand’s iconic 1460 boot-style using the power and connection of the Pokémon brand and imagery.”

JUSTINE EGGLETON, DESIGN AND LICENSING DIRECTOR, BC INTERNATIONAL “Pokemon has been on our wish-list for a while, so we’re very excited to be on board. There’s never been a better time to be involved with all the brand activity happening this year. Pokemon is a true heritage brand of the digital era, and attracts fans of all ages. We’re bringing adults’ nightwear, loungewear, underwear and swimwear to retail for AW16. There’s also a range of children’s nightwear and daywear for selected retailers.”

Above: Men's boxer shorts from BC International.

SÉBASTIEN BISMUTH, CEO, UNDIZ “Undiz is thrilled to welcome the yellowest and cutest of video game characters to our store – the one and only Pikachu. We just love Pikachu, and we love our special Pokémon range even more.”

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CHRIS MALONE, SALES DIRECTOR, OTL TECHNOLOGIES “We signed earlier this year with Pokémon and will be bringing a range of kids’ headphones to retail in autumn. Pokémon is a great brand to work with and has a wonderful heritage. It is a unique brand in that it appeals to kids of today, but also millennials who remember it from the ’90s. Our junior headphones are specially designed for smaller ears, while our tween model is for older kids and adults. We’ve been really pleased with the feedback we’ve had so far from retailers and will be looking at adding new designs to the range for 2017.”

Inset: Pokémon headphones from OTL.

KALPESH TAILOR, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, NINTENDO UK “Working with the Pokémon Company International over the years has been extremely rewarding, especially in recent months with activity around the 20th celebrations. Pokémon continues to be one of our strongest partners and we see this relationship only getting stronger in the future. We are extremely excited to see what Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will bring. Everyone has been waiting to see what this new game will offer and we are sure it won't disappoint!

RACHEL WYATT, MARKETING DIRECTOR, KINNERTON CONFECTIONERY “We are very excited to have been awarded the Pokémon license for confectionery. We only met the Pokémon team at Brand Licensing Europe last October, and their energy and enthusiasm around Pokémon, supported by the investment in the brand, won us over. Their can-do attitude and support shown to us as a licensee is fantastic. Our first ranges are planned for an AW16 launch, with the key product being a chocolate Advent calendar.”

Above: Pokémon Advent calendar.

Above right: Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon from Nintendo.

STEVE BUCKMASTER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ESDEVIUM GAMES “We have worked with Pokémon since the launch of the Trading Card Game (TCG) in the UK, so around about 17 years now.

We consider ourselves very lucky to work with such a successful brand and one that can offer so much support for the products we distribute. The 20th anniversary has brought with it some very exciting and highly sought-after new product. The monthly Mythical Collection boxes are a true must-have for fans and collectors, featuring 20th anniversary artwork on special boxes dedicated to some of the franchise’s most popular modern characters.”

Left: TGC Mythical Collection from Esdevium.

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IAN CUTHBERT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SAMBRO “This is a totally new relationship for us, and we are really enjoying working with the team.

They are a really proactive bunch and are always forthcoming with up-to-date information.

Sambro is renowned for its stationery and backpack ranges, and this will be our focus for Pokémon. However, the backpacks will come with a twist, and we have created a fantastic Pikachu plush backpack which we think will be a real hit with fans.”

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Below: The new feature Pikachu with sound, animation and light-up cheeks.

CELEBRATING

WITH TOMY TOMY brings the world of Pokémon to life for millions of fans around the world with a diverse range of action figures, plush, role-play, novelty and commemorative items. TOMY’s attention to detail and unique stylising capture Pokémon in a way that offers something unique for every Pokémon fan.

TOMY International has been the master toy licensee and distributor for Pokémon in categories including figures, figure accessories, plush, playsets, role-play and more since 2012. TOMY International’s parent company, Takara TOMY, has been a toy licensing partner of Pokémon in Asia since Pokémon first launched 20 years ago.

“The Pokémon property is seeing incredible momentum at retail and the 20th anniversary has only added more excitement to the brand for 2016,” says Camilla MacQueen, UK Brand Manager for TOMY Europe. “We are continuing with our strong expansion globally with new action figures, plush, roleplay, novelty and commemorative items. New characters from the games and TV animation are essential to the action-figure assortments which are the heart of the TOMY Pokémon toy offer.

TOMY will be building on its core figure range in 2016 by introducing new characters in proportionate scale, allowing kids to re-create the world of Pokémon as they experience it in the animation and video games.

“This year the Mythical Pokémon and retailer exclusives will generate even more attention for the property, and we’re thrilled that we get to bring these incredible

Pokémon to life in a variety of figures, plush and more,” says Camilla. “New for 2016 is the Throw ’n’ Pop Poké Ball.

With four to collect, the range consists of Pikachu & Poké Ball, Chespin & Premier Ball, Fennekin & Great Ball and Froakie & Ultra Ball.”

In addition to figures, TOMY has focused attention on soft toys in 2016 and has extended its plush range.

TOMY have also paid tribute to the best-loved character by translating Pikachu into a huggable feature plush complete with sound, animation and light-up cheeks.

Above: TOMY is focusing on extending its plush range with new characters and poses coming out.

Left: TOMY’s Camilla MacQueen.

Below: New for 2016 are the Throw ‘n’ Pop Poké Ball range.

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RETAIL

OUTLOOK With a growing consumer products programme, The Pokémon Company International is working more closely than ever with retailers to bring Pokémon to life in the physical world. New partners are bringing an exciting array of products to market, reaching consumers across all demographics.

Above: AW16 tee-shirt for Zara.

Retail is a growing focus area for Pokémon, as the company works on reaching a wider audience by partnering with a range of retailers passionate about the brand. TPCi is working closely with retailers, building strong relationships to give consumers a complete brand experience.

“This year we have been getting a lot more active at the retail level and having direct conversations with bigger retailers,” says Mathieu Galante, Senior Market Development Manager. “Our main priority when working with partners is to help them succeed in delivering an amazing and engaging offering to their customers. We have been working very closely with

Above: Tee-shirt for Primark/Penneys.

Above centre: George at Asda.

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retailers and listening to their needs to make sure we really understand their customers.”

While toys and games have always been strong for Pokémon, over the past year the company has been building up its soft lines, with new retail partnerships with Zara, Uniqlo, Primark, Asda, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer. “It’s exciting to see the brand expanding into new categories and bringing new partners on board,” says Mathieu.

“The feedback from retailers has been really positive, and everyone is looking forward to taking Pokémon to the next level.”

Right: An off-fixture display for Pokemon in Tesco in May. Left: Pokémon tee-shirt for Zara.

ANITA SERRADIMINI: LICENSING MANAGER, TESCO "Pokémon is on fire and this is very well-deserved; the hard work from the teams are paying off. Range sales are performing well at Tesco, proving to be a big hit with our customers. Pokemon Go has just sent the demand for the brand sky-high."

RETAIL BITES: MATT LEWIS, ASSISTANT BUYER, BOYS’ TOYS—ACTION AND COLLECTIBLES, TESCO “Pokémon has become an evergreen brand for Tesco. Over the past few years, with the support of Esdevium, we have been able to make Tesco a destination for Pokémon’s Trading Card Game (TCG). Tesco’s range in stores includes the booster pack, theme deck, triple-booster pack and tin, and each line consistently remains a top seller across our entire toys category. To support celebrations around 20 years of Pokémon, Tesco have for the first time run a TCG freestanding display unit (FSDU), with an exclusive Shiny Mega Gyarados Box. Discussions are also ongoing as to how Tesco and Pokémon can translate the success of its TCG range into other areas of the Pokémon franchise.”

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POKÉMON

PARTNERS Socks: Roy Lowe & Sons Caps, Gloves, Scarves, Sunglasses and Tech Accessories: VMC Accessories Bags: Sambro

PARTY / PAPERWARE Calendars: Danilo

STATIONERY & GIFTING Stationery: Sambro Mugs and Posters: GB Eye

HOUSEWARES Bedding, Blankets, Towels: Character World Lunchware, Drinkware: Sambro

TOY & ELECTRONICS Master Toy: Tomy UK Trading Card Game Reseller: Esdevium Monopoly: Winning Moves Pokémon Build-a-Bear: Build-a-Bear Headphones: OTL Technologies

FOOD Seasonal Confectionery: Kinnerton

PUBLISHING Books: Scholastic

VIDEO GAMES & ACCESSORIES Video Games: Nintendo Video Game Accessories: Hori Video Game Accessories: RDS TCG Accessories: Ultra Pro

APPAREL & ACCESSORIES Kids Apparel: Fashion UK Kids Nightwear and Underwear: Aykroyds and TDP Licensing Adult Nightwear, Swimwear and Underwear: Branded Clothing International Adult Daywear and Nightwear: TVM Fashion Lab Adult Apparel and Accessories: Bioworld Europe

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android, Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc. Amazon, Kindle, Fire and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com Inc. or its affiliates.

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