The Bugg Report Magazine - Edition 21

BUGG

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Sanrio & Mr Men Ingredients of Success

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The Emoji Company with Marco Huesges

REPORT Feature Interviews Industry Updates

Window of Opportunity London • Paris • Dubai • Milan

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From The Editor

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elcome to our 2016 Las Vegas Licensing Expo magazine. If I look back to last years Expo, the vibe was positive and the attendance was high with some of the highlights including the LIMA Licensing University, The Future of Retail keynote and the discussion around “The Big Interview” with global YouTube sensation, Bethany Mota.

2016 is looking to be another great Expo with over 700 brands on display in the $259.9 billion licensing community. This year there is a free matchmaking service and a new venue for the opening night party; Tropicana Las Vegas.

Speaking from an Australian retail perspective, it is a very interesting time in our marketplace. Guy Russo, who was previously the CEO of Kmart in Australia, has now been appointed to lead Target (Westfarmer’s) and oversee a transformation of the business, which was put in motion by the recent decision to close the Target offices in Geelong (Victoria). Russo is responsible for taking Kmart from $75 million in 2008 up to $319 million in 20161.

There has been a somewhat negative connotation which has developed towards the merger of Kmart and Target since the announcement of Guy Russo taking over earlier this year. This undertone has included the Mayor of Geelong expressing his disappointment2, the reaction to a loss of jobs in Geelong, all the way to news articles suggesting that the move will lead to a bigger Kmart and a smaller Target3.

Depending on where you sit when looking at the current retail landscape in Australia, it is certain that there is a general feeling of uncertainty. The effect that the merger will have on the retail marketplace in the short, medium and long term is largely unknown at this stage, however there are many who have a more positive outlook on the scenario. Richard Goyder, Westfarmers Managing Director, recently pointed out that people are underestimating the opportunities as a result of the merger and over-estimating the impact that it will have4.

I am not here to offer an opinion, I will leave that to the experts and the analysts, however I do believe that the result of the merger points out the fact that, for product businesses, the more of your distribution channel that you control, the better. There is no better time to “think big” and create new and exciting ways to get your product into consumers hands than now. With all the new technologies at your disposal and the “new world” where almost every person on the planet is connected via the internet, it seems an opportune time to invest in some Research & Development into creating new distribution channels of your own.

You can get in touch by emailing editor@buggreport.com.au 1 & 2 - www.abc.net.au 3 & 4 - www.smh.com.au

THE BUGG REPORT Managing Director Tony Bugg: tony@buggsolutions.com.au Editor in Chief Matthew Bugg: matt@buggsolutions.com.au

Contacts Advertising: bookings@buggreport.com.au Feedback: editor@buggreport.com.au Media: media@buggreport.com.au

Bugg Marketing Solutions Phone: +61 3 8782 3717 | Fax: +61 3 9769 7922 | Email: info@buggsolutions.com.au Address: Level 1, 64 Victor Crescent Narre Warren VIC 3805 | Postal: PO BOX 491, Berwick VIC 3806 The Bugg Report has been compiled as a guide to retail, toys, licensing and other related matters. The views and opinions provided are based upon the views and opinions of its writers. In no way is The Bugg Report a factual guide to retail, toys, licensing and other related matters and does not take responsibility for how the information provided is used by its consumers.

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INGREDIENTS OF SUCCESS We interview Sandrine de Raspide

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THE EMOJI COMPANY We interview Marco Huesges

MONSTER JAM World leader in monster truck entertainment

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TWIRLYWOOS Innovative and inspiring entertainment

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BBC WORLDWIDE A portfolio of the best British Brands

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KING FEATURES Celebrating a century of success

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CARE BEARS We interview Janice Ross

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FREMANTLEMEDIA KIDS & FAMILY We interview Liz Burnett

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INGREDIENTS OF SUCCESS AN INTERVIEW WITH SANDRINE DE RASPIDE, COO OF SANRIO GMBH AND MR MEN LTD

In a strong start to 2016, the teams at Sanrio and Mr Men Little Miss have ramped up their brand building activity across EMEA and Australasia, bringing good old-fashioned comedy and kawaii to the public in a series of unprecedented grassroots activations and high profile collaborations.

What’s on the menu for the Sanrio Classic portfolio, Sandrine?

We’ll be tickling your tastebuds as a summer-long Hello Kitty pop-up café launches in London. Soho-based bakery, Cutter & Squidge, will serve themed afternoon teas in a secret garden and sell a range of limited edition merchandise and takeaway food items. Additionally, Florence will become the first European city to host a permanent Hello Kitty café:

the Hello Kitty Patisserie which opens in July. We hope that you will have a chance to visit!

The Italian Hello Kitty patisserie joins the Hello Kitty chalets near Lake Garda and Rome which are welcoming holiday goers for the first time this summer. As part of a three way partnership between Sanrio, Nestle Gelati Motta and ECVacanze, the idea has taken off with many weeks already booked up.

For a taste of something more savoury, Sanrio’s lazy egg character Gudetama is starting to sizzle with specialty retail, like Truffle Shuffle.

He is already a favorite with early adopters looking for something quirky and fresh.

How are you tapping Sanrio’s Japanese DNA to shape your brand building in Europe?

Kawaii is a key point of difference between us and our competitors.

Hello Kitty appeared at two cherry blossom viewing events in April, in the LVMH owned Jardin d’ Acclimatation in Paris and in Stockholm’s Kungsträdgårdens, where the iconic character appeared with cosplayers, martial artists and musicians to introduce people to this springtime Japanese tradition.

The cherry blossom theme continued at MCM London Comic Con (May 27th – 29th) with the debut of Hello Kitty’s Superhero Hanami: fans enjoyed a Hello Kitty themed Japanese garden, with photos opportunities by Mount Kitty, a Hello Kitty tori gate, building Sanrio avatars or even tending the Hello Kitty Zen Garden. The Superhero Hanami is touring Comic Cons in other key European cities over the next six months to surprise and delight lovers of all things kawaii.

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How important is the UK market?

Did we hear some Hello Hollywood rumours?

Very much so, given that Hello Kitty’s origin story has her place of birth as a suburb of London! We recognized the importance of this market and decided to take our brand back in-house, no longer working through a third party. It is key for us to tap into the energy and creativity of the U.K. market and having an office based in London Bridge for our commercial, marketing and design functions allows us to connect with British designers, bloggers and fans more easily.

Some initiatives that we’re doing in the UK will have a reach well beyond these shores: Tangle Teezer, for example, or Candy Kittens or the amazing bags and accessories collection we developed with Olympia Le Tan which has had so much positive coverage in the media.

The Hello Kitty movie is slated for 2019, so we’re a few years out from pre-production. Not much we can say at this stage, other than what a way to celebrate Kitty’s 45th birthday!

Speaking of Hollywood rumours, any plans for the Mr Men? We announced a short time ago that 20th Century Fox took an option for a Mr Men and Little Miss movie. So perhaps in the years to come, we’ll be seeing the adventures of Mr Happy, Little Miss Naughty and the rest of the gang play out on silver screens around the world just like Hello Kitty.

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Tell us why this year is special for the Mr Men and Little Misses?

Mr Tickle and friends are celebrating their 45th anniversary, and there’s not a wrinkle in the bunch, except on Mr Worry, of course! The celebrations kick off in the UK where we’re taking this iconic British brand back to its roots to joins forces with other Great British household names.

Mr Men and Little Misses are an ingrained part of the cities and communities, whether they grew up together or have just gotten acquainted. This belonging is clear across the areas where people gather, from Heathrow airport: where Mr Adventure enhances the family experience through all five terminals from kid’s meals through to soft play areas and bespoke merchandise lines; all the way into the heart of London by Tube: where TFL are using Mr Men and Little Miss as the faces of their new behavioural campaign across all forms of public transport. Later, we’ll even launch a Mr Men and Little Miss stamp collection with the Royal Mail, with a royal seal of approval from the Queen, herself.

Little Miss Princess couldn’t be more excited!

Are Mr Men Little Miss still relevant after 45 years?

Mr Men Little Miss is a classic brand! These fun and energetic characters still resonate with children the world over because the simple stories are so fun and engaging. In our heritage markets, we continue to be a top publishing property while we’re reaching new markets, too: launching Chinese and bi-lingual editions with Children’s Fun, and our first Bahasan editions will hit Indonesia later this year.

But we don’t take our audience for granted. We invest heavily in new publishing development, recently launching two new series, Everyday

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and Adventures (to great success!) as well as using our archive content to create new apparel, gifting and publishing ranges.

How do you keep the Mr Men fresh?

Our 86 personalities are as pertinent now as ever. Everyone has a Mr Grumpy or a Little Miss Fun in their life, and the appetite for Mr Men Little Miss seasonal and gifting ranges is strong, with new programmes this year in Debenhams, Tesco and Carrefour among others.

We love bringing our characters to life in different ways for our fans to enjoy and collaborations are key for this. From designers like Henry Holland and Olympia Le-Tan to mall and community events. This year we’re spearheading a series of street art initiatives at cool, yet family friendly events like Upfest in Bristol in the UK and Vivid in Sydney, Australia, where more than 16 street artists will infuse their favourite Mr Men and Little Misses with their own visions.

Where next for Mr Men Little Miss?

In Asia it’s full speed ahead. Apparel collections are ongoing at Baleno, Net and Chocoolate, and the promotions are plentiful with Esso, KFC and McDonald’s. We’ve recently kicked off a partnership with the Hong Kong Football Associations and the Mr Men and Little Misses will be appearing in seven mall events across Hong Kong following a food-Olympics theme!

And for 2017?

They may be busy jetting around the world celebrating this year, but Little Miss Busy and friends are already lining up lots of new activity and collaborations to keep Little Miss Naughty out of trouble in 2017, so watch this space…

For more information visit www.sanrio.eu

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BBC Worldwide BBC WORLDWIDE BOASTS A PORTFOLIO OF THE VERY BEST OF BRITISH BRANDS

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BC Worldwide boasts a portfolio of the very best of British brands, including some of the BBC’s most well-loved content, such as Top Gear and Doctor Who, and popular preschool brands including Hey Duggee and Go Jetters.

It’s a busy time for the Licensing teams globally - here, we take a look at what the UK and the Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) teams are up to this year.

The much anticipated new season of Top Gear has launched, airing on BBC Two in the UK from Sunday, 29th May and BBC Knowledge in Australia from Monday, 30th May.

Hosts Chris Evans, Matt LeBlanc, Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan, Rory Reid and The Stig have driven over 7500 miles, undertaken both on and off road challenges, tested the very latest

cars and filmed in nine countries across four continents to create the new series.

For the first time, Top Gear is accompanied by Extra Gear, hosted

by Rory Reid, airing on BBC Knowledge in Australia and BBC Three in the UK after Top Gear.

Filmed at the famous Top Gear studio, Extra Gear brings audiences exclusive new footage, interviews, specially recorded films and behind the scenes access to the world of Top Gear.

The series brings a host of brand and licensing opportunities, with a partnership already underway with Topline Global in Australia for a range of automotive accessories.

BBC Worldwide’s popular preschool brands continue to delight young audiences, with unique, engaging and entertaining titles such as Hey Duggee and Go Jetters.

Humour is at the heart of Hey Duggee, based around the Squirrel Club, run by a big, loveable dog called Duggee. The Squirrels take part in all kinds of activities, have adventures and earn badges for their accomplishments.

The show continues to perform strongly across both territories. In Australia, Hey Duggee has reached over 2.8 million Aussie kids to date, regularly delivering audience numbers of over 200,000 on ABC Kids, and reaching the top three highest rating broadcasts among the pre-school channels on CBeebies Australia.

In the UK, Hey Duggee has been a break out hit on the CBeebies channel and has had more than 22 million views on BBC iPlayer. After such a strong performance and great social media interaction, Hey Duggee series two will air in the UK later this year.

The brand has signed multiple license partnerships already in the UK, with master toy partner Golden Bear; Penguin publishers under the Ladybird brand; magazines and DVDs. In 2015 BBC Worldwide and mobile games developer Scary Beasties launched the first Hey Duggee pre-school app, which rocketed to number one in the kids’ app chart.

The official game Hey Duggee: The Big Badge and Hey Duggee: The Tinsel Badge has been downloaded over 150,000 times and a new app is in production for a summer 2016 release. Recent signings include outwear with

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Blues Clothing and underwear, nightwear and swimwear with Aykroyd TDP. In Australia, plush toys and character figurines have been a hit with young fans since launching last year, with much of the range featuring collectable badges, reflecting the rewards that the Squirrels earn in the show.

A brand new Clubhouse playset has been launched through distributor Jasnor, two new DVDs will be released through Roadshow; four new books will be published through Penguin Random House, and a melamine category will be launching later this year.

The first geography based pre-school TV series of its kind, Go Jetters has proved to be a hit with young fans on CBeebies Australia. The show also launched on ABC Kids in Australia in April, where it got off to a disco-grooving start, with consolidated figures making it the most watched kids program of the month.

In the UK, Go Jetters was an instant hit for the channel when it aired on CBeebies in 2015, consistently winning its time slot amongst all multi-channel broadcasters in the UK with over 7 million views on

BBC iPlayer. As well as Fisher Price and Penguin, consumer products for the brand also include magazines from Immediate Media and puzzles and games from Ravensburger, plus nightwear, underwear and swimwear from Aykroyd TDP and art, stationery and activity books from Blue Sky. World class partner Mattel is on board as the global toy partner for the brand, with toys launching first in the UK this summer, and Penguin Random House are set to release a series of books. Licensing opportunities for the brand are endless, so get on board the jetpad now!

The world’s longest running sci-fi series, Doctor Who, continues to be one of BBC Worldwide’s best-loved brands.

The show has a new cast member, with the recent announcement that Pearl Mackie will play The Doctor’s new companion, and a brand new Doctor Who spin-off series Class, written and created by award winning YA writer Patrick Ness, comes to screens later this year. Starring Katherine Kelly (Coronation Street) and exciting young new talents Greg Austin, Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins and Vivian Oparah, Class is set to shine a light on a whole new corner of the Whoniverse.

The hugely successful Doctor Who Black Milk clothing line has been nominated in the Licensed Apparel category in the 2016 LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards. The line of quirky, high-end, stylish and story-driven Doctor Who apparel was launched to much excitement last year, with five pieces selling out within minutes and Black Milk labelling the line as their “most successful launch ever”.

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THE EMOJI COMPANY - FROM DIGITAL TO PHYSICAL

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he Bugg Report was fortunate to spend some time with Marco Huesges, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Emoji Company during his time in Australia recently. Marco is an Entrepreneurial Businessman from Germany and on first impression he is extremely focused and clear on his goals and what he wants to achieve with his exciting new venture; The Emoji Company.

Asking Marco about his background, I was quick to learn that he spent 24 years in the Gaming Industry, where he obtained the licensing rights for properties from Warner Bros. and Universal to publish them. Amongst others, Marco has also worked with key brands such as Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones and Land Before

Time. Interestingly, his former company hosted a high profile gaming platform called www. mcgame.com in Germany where the company hosted content from large organisations including Electronic Arts. Television Networks and other media partners heavily supported this venture and the website continues its success to this day. Marco sold the service (www.mcgame.com) in 2014.

In 2013, Marco made a decision to embark on a long overdue vacation and booked a trip to Croatia. With the knowledge of using icons on his mobile device, he came up with the idea of creating a lifestyle brand featuring the look and feel of Emoji’s on the trip. As these types of “out-of-the-box” ideas develop, this all happened whilst he was relaxing

on the beach and the rest is history.

The idea was actually born whilst at his friends cafe by the beach; Marco’s friend still wants Marco to pay him royalties to this day!

Upon his return to Germany, Marco filed for trademark for EMOJI and looked into icon designs and surrounding platforms. He spent the next two years consequently preparing his market entry, developing the Emoji brand into what we see today. The result of Marco’s endeavour is a company with more than 3000 high-resolution lifestyle icons for commercial use.

His background has provided an understanding of the licensing business to develop functional style guides, commercial approval processes and protection

EMOJI FACT: THERE ARE 6 BILLION ICONS SENT EVERY SINGLE DAY

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THE WORLD OF EMOJI WITH MARCO HUESGES

mechanisms for his brand.

After some research, Marco discovered Licensing Expo in Las Vegas and he arranged to exhibit at the show as The Emoji Company last year (2015), after appointing his lead agent in Germany (Bavaria Media). Marco now has 15 agents around the world including Global Merchandise in the UK, Haven Licensing in Australia and Universal Music in Europe. The Company now has more than 110 Licensees globally. As is the case with many Consumer Products programs, Apparel is the lead category for Emoji, with many others emerging including Confectionery, Stationery and Automotive.

In Australia, Haven Licensing have successfully launched the brand with retailers such as Big W, Myer and City Beach. Marco sights the planning process as critical to the success of the business and has 7 staff working in his office in

Germany focusing on Approvals, Design and Legal. Increasing his team to 10 staff in the next 6-months is the goal. Marco was keen to make it clear that they operate in the physical world only, there are no Apps and as their motto states; ‘from digital to physical’ is his desire to retain full control over the brand.

Asked about the future, there are plans for an Emoji animated series and the company owns an entire brand family including emojiplanet, emojitown and The Emojis. Marco takes the view that with Emoji being a lifestyle brand for all ages it will stand the test of time and will become an evergreen property.

At 45 years of age Marco expects Emoji to outlive him and as products such as the Apple Watch gather momentum in the market so to will the Emoji brand as a way of life. As the Emoji brand develops it

is being considered for a number of promotional applications and for Clip Licensing campaigns on a global scale.

Marco will be at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas again in 2016 with an expanded booth for The Emoji Company. He aims to use this years event to share the development achieved over the past 12-months and to prove that the Emoji brand is here to stay. The plan is to meet with agents and partners to plan for the future and begin to build the next phase for the Emoji brand and implement the next steps.

It is worth mentioning that Emoji is a brand to investigate for your licensing program if your category fits the picture, so take the time to visit Marco and his team at Licensing Expo at Booth A122.

For more information visit www.emoji-company.com

EMOJI FACT: IT IS NOT A TREND IT IS AN EXPRESSION

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MEET US AT THE SHOW BOOTH NO. A 122

emoji® is a registered trademark. © 2015-2016 emoji company GmbH. All rights reserved.

www.emoji-company.com

For more licensing enquiries or more information, please contact WP Brands on: +61 3 9274 2900 or info@wpbrands.com.au or visit at www.wpbrands.com.au

King Features FOCUS FOR 2016 IS ON ICONS BETTY BOOP, POPEYE, FLASH GORDON AND THE PHANTOM

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elebrating a century of success in 2015, King Features continues to build and expand licensing programs, particularly for character brands Betty Boop, Popeye, Flash Gordon and The Phantom. Its storied portfolio of classic properties is fresher than ever, with high fashion collaborations, new product categories, original design themes and exciting entertainment initiatives.

Betty Boop is expanding her presence in high-end fashion through exciting collections from SupremeNY, Five Plus in China, FILA in Japan, and, in the new category of fitness apparel, from AW-Lab in Italy. In beauty, she has inspired a new fragrance from Jean-Paul Gaultier and a new makeup organisation collection from Z Palette. And, for 2018, original animation aimed at a new generation of fans is to be produced by France-based NORMAAL Animation in partnership with Fleischer Studios and King Features.

The Popeye brand continues to grow globally, through designer and brand collaborations such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Peter Alexander and Iceberg; fashion apparel via Joyrich, the Threadless Design Challenge tees, and motorcycle-themed apparel from Vanson Leathers (Japan). Rocket Games launches a social slots game; and CARD.com showcases prepaid debit cards in the U.S. For Expo 2016 King is launching a new themed initiative for Popeye based on his signature phrase and philosophy “Strong to the Finish” targeting health, wellness, sports and

fitness, building on existing relationships with Arkopharma vitamins (Europe), Taylor Farms (fresh spinach), Del Monte (canned spinach) and Popeye’s Supplements Canada. Recently, Popeye even appeared in an Australian commercial for the Menulog restaurant delivery service.

The classic 1980 Flash Gordon film has evolved into a cult classic, from the outrageous costumes to the anthemic theme song from Queen. Capitalising on that, King Features is developing a full merchandise program incorporating images, elements and slogans from the film. A complete design guide has been created and licensees are already on board including Boluga (app), Funko (pop vinyl), Biff Bang Pow! (figures) and Zynga (non-wagering online slots).

Focus at the Licensing Expo will be on apparel and giftware categories.

The Phantom (aka The Ghost Who Walks), the original costumed comic hero, celebrates 80 years in 2016 and licensees are eager to capitalize on the event. So far, the Australian contingent includes Australia Post who released a collectible stamp pack, Bradford Exchange targeting the direct response consumer market with an 80th anniversary medallion and limited edition print set, Frew Publication special edition comics, Funko Pop Heroes anniversary edition vinyl doll, Ikon Collectibles resin figure and Perth Bullion commemorative silver coins.

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Says Cathleen Titus, VP of International Licensing at King Features, “This is an exciting year for King, with so many initiatives underway. Stay tuned for some exciting developments!”

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Monster Jam® MONSTER JAM® CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT IN 2017

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onster Jam®, the world leader in monster truck entertainment returns to Australia for a multi-city tour, expands its national retail programs, and plans a global celebration for its 25th anniversary in 2017.

Monster Jam is the world’s largest and most popular touring monster truck brand. Entertaining over four and a half million fans across the globe every year, no other family entertainment brand matches Monster Jam’s action packed shows and breathtaking stunts.

The power of Monster Jam spans the globe with more than 350 performances every year and is televised in more than 200 countries.

Monster Jam will perform in over 20 international cities this year including first time events in Osaka, Japan; Frankfurt, Germany and Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fans that attend Monster Jam events enjoy unprecedented access to the stars of the show during the pre-show Party in the Pits. Each year, the three-day Monster Jam World Finals® event in Las Vegas, Nevada attracts fans from over 15 countries, including the Shaw family from Peachester, Queensland who won the 2015 BIG W® ‘Win a Trip to the 2016 Monster Jam World Finals Contest.’

Monster Jam will return to Australia in October for its third annual multi-city tour. Featuring seven full capacity crowd performances throughout the entire month, Monster Jam will visit Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney and feature fan favourite Monster Jam trucks including Grave Digger®, Max-D™, and Dragon™. Over 170,000 attended the Australian tour in 2015 making it the fastest selling international territory in Monster Jam history.

Australia has quickly become the top performing market for the Monster Jam brand both in live event ticket sales and retail sales. With the help of WP Brands, Australian licensing agent, Monster Jam’s roster of licensees offers a robust assortment of products. Feld Entertainment’s collaboration with Australia’s major retailer, BIG W, will bring exclusive Monster Jam products to over 180 BIG W store locations across Australia in 2016. BIG W will be the first to debut Pirate’s Curse™, this month, with

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merchandise by apparel partner, Caprice. The collection will include t-shirts, sleepwear, footwear, and accessories.

Preceding the upcoming October 2016 Monster Jam live tour, key retail activations will feature the largest assortment of officially licensed Monster Jam products in Australia. The product assortment will feature over 30 exclusive SKUs and span ten product categories including apparel (Caprice), accessories (Engelite), back-to-school (Licensing Essentials), bags (Caprice), bedding (Network Clothing), DVDs (Universal Pictures), footwear (Caprice), posters (Impact Rock), stationery (Hunter Leisure), toys (Mattel vehicles and playsets), and radio controlled vehicles (New Bright).

Monster Jam continues to win over more fans in new countries around the world and in 2017, Monster Jam celebrates 25 years of family entertainment. The year-long global celebration will center on Monster Jam’s appreciation to their dedicated fans. It will feature live event enhancements, fan focused special events, reflection on the history of the sport, and enhanced retail programs.

National Live Tour & New TV Episodes Return to Australia October 2016!

Visit us at Licensing Expo Booth #A214

For Australia and New Zealand licensing opportunities please contact: Lim Mi-Kyoung at lim@wpbrands.com.au For all other licensing opportunities please contact: Maya Kobray at mkobray@feldinc.com

www.buggreport.com.auŠ2016 Feld Entertainment, 19 Inc.

Care Bears THE BUGG REPORT CATCHES UP WITH JANICE ROSS FROM AMERICAN GREETINGS ENTERTAINMENT

I believe that the new series “Care Bears & Cousins” began to air on Netflix in November last year. How has the new series been received

by Care Bears fans?

Care Bears and Cousins, the new Netflix Original series is reaching our expansive fan base and connecting with a new generation of children who are discovering Care-a-Lot and all the bear’s magical belly badge powers for the first time.

Speaking of Netflix; how have the new online streaming services added to your existing distribution model for media?

Netflix is a great platform to reach Care Bears fans of all ages and leads our content strategy, which includes traditional linear TV internationally with top broadcasters. We are also making a big investment on YouTube - a growing platform where we can engage children with themed compilations on the Care Bears YouTube channel.

In addition to this, I believe that Just Play are doing the plush and figurines for Care Bears & Cousins.

Can you provide some detail on this and how these have been doing at retail globally?

Just Play has done a phenomenal job as our master toy partner and is introducing the Care Bears Cousins for fall ’16. This adds to an already successful toy line of the core Care Bears characters along with over 750,000 blind bags sold in 2015 in the U.S. alone. Turning to Australia, we are working with Funtastic who has introduced that market to the all new vibrant plush colour palette and expressive facial features which bring the characters to life.

Are there any exciting future plans that you are working on from a consumer products angle that you can share with us?

Care Bears is an evergreen brand with a multi-generation appeal so it’s exciting to have a diversified

consumer products program that appeals to babies, kids, young trend-setters and adults. We’ll see this in full swing in 2017 when we celebrate the 35th anniversary with a nostalgic program that will feature the original look from the 1980’s as well as a core program that reflects the style of the CGI animation.

There are many Care Bears Apps on the App Store and Google Play.

Are Apps still a major focus for you, in terms of keeping the Care Bears brand present in consumer’s minds?

Apps are a very important part of our brand strategy because we know it’s a relevant platform that reaches kids and parents and immerses them in a fun and entertaining Care Bears experience.

We are particularly thrilled about our upcoming app launches which include Care Karts racing game with PlayDate Digital, Rainbow Slides digital board game with Tipitap and educational apps for learning Spanish (with developer TiptiTom Tales) and American Sign Language (with developer Ink and Salt).

Care Bears appeal to so many age groups and especially from a fashion angle. Are there any upcoming events or new promotions to come?

Care Bears has collaborated with a wide range of partners from Spanish designer Krizia Robustrella to Sanrio’s Kiki & Lala to alternative fashion brand, Iron Fist. What brings these diverse partners together is the strong connection their fan bases have with Care

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Bears. In 2017, as we begin our year long celebration of the Care Bears’ 35th anniversary, fashion and collaborations continue to be a focus with a variety of apparel and lifestyle products ranging from babies, kids, tweens/young adults to style conscious moms.

Care Bears were part of the White House Easter Roll in Washington, D.C. last year. Will we see Care Bears appearing in any major events again this year?

We participated in the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2015 and 2016 and look forward to our annual National Share Your Care Day on September 9th. Care Bears will also be part of the Hamley’s Holiday Parade in November 2016 (UK) and keep an eye out for more news on surprise appearances throughout 2017.

Taking some time to browse your Facebook page it is clear that memes and humour are a huge part of your marketing; is this a key to appealing to Care Fans in the older age brackets?

Care Bears appeals to a wide range of audiences, the parents who grew up with them and the new generation of kids now experiencing Care Bears. Humour is a great way to connect the wider audience, keep the brand relevant in the pop-culture sphere and encourage sharing and growth. One way we connect with our social media centric fan base is with trending buzzworthy images. In fact, our social media has inspired us to create a series of style guide supplements capitalising on the popularity of sharing emotions through images: Care-mojis!

In this day and age, where there is so much negative news, it is really refreshing to see a brand like Care Bears provide light hearted humour and fun. Will this type of humour and fun remain a focus for Care Bears in the future?

Care Bears have been and always will be lighthearted, full of fun and focused on the values of caring and sharing. We’re looking forward to spreading more joy as we celebrate our 35th Anniversary in 2017 and reminding parents why they loved Care Bears and sharing that nostalgia with their children.

Thank you again for your time Janice, and we hope to speak to you again soon.

For more information visit www.agkidzone.com/care-bears

www.buggreport.com.au

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Las Vegas Licensing Expo - Edition 21

Twirlywoos TWIRLYWOOS IS INNOVATIVE, INSPIRING ENTERTAINMENT WITH SLAPSTICK HUMOUR

R

apidly becoming a preschool favourite, Twirlywoos is innovative, inspiring entertainment with slapstick humour encouraging young audiences to gain confidence in their perceptions of the world through laughter.

Silly, fun and full of surprises Twirlywoos is made by children’s TV specialists Ragdoll Productions and devised by Anne Wood, with input from early-years expert Professor Cathy Nutbrown.

Combining stop frame animation and live-action sequences the series features child-centric humour which encourages preschoolers to think for themselves. Through the show, young audiences are able to reinforce their understanding as they grow and develop, becoming active and inquisitive within their own lives.

The Twirlywoos are four small, bird-like characters who are inquisitive, enthusiastic and always looking to learn something new about the world. Ever curious, they seek adventure and fun wherever they go. Whether in the real world or on their big red boat, they love to hide, imitate and be surprised as they discover new things.

Twirlywoos launched impressively in the UK where it achieves a 54.8% share of 0-3 audience on CBeebies in the 9.35am slot and is currently the No.3 new preschool property (February 2016, NPD). The new

show launched in Australia on ABC Kids on 29 February at 3:10pm with strong ratings and a great response from parents. The series is currently airing on ABC Kids at 11.30am weekdays.

Twirlywoos was the most searched word on ABC website and it was against this backdrop that the ABC decided they would launch the first Twirlywoos toys via their online store in April.

Licensing activity in Australia continues to ramp up with Haven Licensing on board to build the consumer products program and appoint partners to bring the beloved cast to life. From May 2016, toys will hit shelves at major retailers including Toys”R”Us, ARL, Myer and Kidstuff from Jasnor the local distributor for Golden Bear. In terms of future launches, Harper Collins will publish the first set of books from July, followed by a next set of releases in September. ABC will also be releasing DVDs in September.

The fact that Twirlywoos has attracted so much interest from consumer and trade is a true testament to the enduring popularity and love for the brand.

For licensing opportunities, please email Sapienza Salerno, Business Manager at Haven Licensing at ssalerno@havenlic.com.au

Tom Punch, Managing Director, Haven said “Twirlywoos is an iconic brand and we’re excited to be building a compelling program with key licensing and retail partners. The response of preschool children and their parents to this series has been fantastic. We are very happy to be part of this superb brand and while it’s still early days for Twirlywoos, we are confident the property will be an absolute winner with pre-schoolers down under.”

www.buggreport.com.au

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available exclusively at Target

© FremantleMedia Limited MMXV

LICENSED TO THRILL

Join the Danger Network at Licensing Expo stand C196…

Liz Burnett Director, Consumer Products T: +61 2 9434 0722 E: liz.burnett@fremantlemedia.com.au

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Las Vegas Licensing Expo - Edition 21

BIG TIME FUN

FremantleMedia Kids & Family WE CATCH UP WITH LIZ BURNETT FROM FREMANTLEMEDIA AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

Can you tell us why the Australia & New Zealand markets are important to FMK? Are there certain brands that work well here?

Australia & New Zealand are key territories for FMK because we see great growth potential out here.

There is a big appetite for highquality kids and family properties with distinctive, positive characters and strong storylines - which have the potential to live off the screen, across multiple touchpoints.

Can you tell us a bit about your role at FremantleMedia Kids & Family (FMK) and your brand priorities for 2016-2017?

In my role as Director, Consumer Products, Australia & New Zealand, I am responsible for implementing the company’s licensing and retail strategies for its diverse and growing portfolio of brands in Australia and New Zealand. As part of this I identify key partners who I think are a great fit for us to work with to extend and develop the off-screen presence of our brands. And once a licensee or retail partner has come on board I manage the relationship between partners and oversee the successful implementation of our retail and licensing programmes, and related promotional and marketing activity, in the market.

Our current priorities for 2016-2017 in the Kids & Family space are cementing the success of the new series of adventures from the internationally renowned, British secret agent Danger Mouse and seeking further opportunities for the popular pre-school series’ Tree Fu Tom and Kate & Mim-Mim.

Danger Mouse is your latest smash hit. Can you give us an update on this most British of characters as the series rolls out globally?

We are absolutely delighted to report that the new, rebooted series of the classic Danger Mouse has caused a big stir in Australia & New Zealand with a successful screen debut in February on ABC 3 and on TV Four in New Zealand in January and a host of licensing and retail activity.

In toys, distribution partners have been signed with Banter Toys & Collectibles in Australia. Banter will launch their innovative toy range developed by master toy licensee Jazwares later in the year.

In publishing, Penguin Random House has secured the publishing rights for both Australia & New Zealand. Roadshow has snapped up the DVD rights for both territories, launching Mission Improbable, in May. Just Promotions will be taking the brand to shopping malls with meet & greets and in-mall activations.

Meanwhile Danger Mouse Classic, targeted at fans of the original series, is also available for adult licensing opportunities. Australia Post recently released a Danger Mouse stamp pack and Empire Apparel has signed with us for a range of outerwear - and there are additional deals currently in the works that we’re excited to announce soon.

FMK is renowned for its successful pre-school properties. Can you tell us about how your latest hits, Tree Fu Tom and Kate & Mim-Mim, are progressing?

Tree Fu Tom may be small but he has certainly punched above his bodyweight in Australia, achieving great ratings for the first two series shown on ABC2 and Disney Jr. With an eagerly awaited third series on Australian & New Zealand screens mid 2016, this success looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.

In October, a Tree Fu Tom toy range was launched from Jazwares.

The range was exclusive to ABC Shops and enjoyed lead front of house and online promotion, becoming one of ABC Shops’ top three performing brands during their Christmas campaign. The toys are planned to roll out to other retail partners through Funtastic in September 2016.

Kate & Mim-Mim has become an instant ratings success in every territory in which it has launched and Australia & New Zealand is no different. The series is currently airing on Disney Jr and is also set to launch on Channel 9 later in the year.

www.buggreport.com.au

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