Total Licensing Australia March 2023

March 2023

TERRY RUNYAN’S QUIRKY CATS

Creatif Licensing Corp has announced the debut of Quirky Cats, and other animal collections by designer Terry Runyan. Paul Cohen, president of Creatif Licensing Corp, says that Terry’s success is built upon her creativity and her 361k followers on Instagram. In Australia and New Zealand Ladelle Pty Ltd, Victoria, is producing tea ware including mugs, cup & saucer, tea for one, travel mugs, melamine trays, placemats, coasters, kitchen napery such as tea towels, aprons, oven mitts and potholders. Melbourne-based accessories label Erstwilder is bringing Terry’s designs to life as wearable art for the first time, with a range of limited-run and collectable accessories bursting with character. Marc Abrahams, Owner and Creative Director at  Erstwilder said  “The Erstwilder community love it when we shine a spotlight on talented artists who share a similar approach to the art of sparking joy. And this collaboration, both stylistically and philosophically, is a match made in heaven. The only challenge this partnership presented, given the breadth of Terry’s cute and quirky concepts, was deciding where to stop creating happy, wearable art!”

HAIRY MACLARY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS

Hairy Maclary celebrates his 40th birthday throughout 2023, with an anniversary campaign, including a raft of new licensing partners.

Since its first publication in 1983, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy has sold millions of copies worldwide, and has gone on to become a time less classic with children and parents alike.

In celebration of Hairy Maclary’s 40th anniversary, Penguin Random House ANZ has partnered both with new licen sees, as well as expanded ranges with current partners in Australia and New Zealand. New Hairy Maclary and Friends partners include New Zealand Post, who will be launching a limited-edition range of stamps and products. In addition, New Zealand Post, in partnership with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, will release a limited-edi tion coin. Additional anniversary partners include Design works, Macewen (NZ), Designer Bums, Basford Brands, Blue Island Press and Your Decal Shop (NZ).

Penguin Random House ANZ’s Senior Brands and Licensing Manager said ‘it’s an exciting year for our mischievous dog, Hairy Ma clary. We have a great range of anniversary plans, including new publishing, and a national promotion with our independent book stores.’

FUNKO EXPAND INTO AUSTRALIA AND NZ THROUGH BIG WHEEL TOYS AND LET’S PLAY GAMES

Funko Games, recently announced its expansion in Australia and New Zealand with distribution partners Big Wheel Toys and Let’s Play Games. These partnerships are the latest moves for Funko Games as it continues to grow its worldwide presence and connect more families and fans through immersive board game experiences.

“Regional partners like Big Wheel Toys and Let’s Play Games will be an essential component to our growth in the coming years,” said Deirdre Cross, General Manager of Funko Games.

“Both companies have a track record of strategic, sustainable growth across the Oceanic region and we’re confident that they’ll be able to help us bring the best quality game experiences to fans and families in Australia and New Zealand.”

The toy and games industry is on the rise in both countries. According to market  research firm Statista, the toy market in Oceania is currently worth $1.39 billion dollars (USD), and is expected to increase 5.68% annually through 2026.

“Over the past decade, board games sales in our region have grown extensively and I’m confident that Funko Games products will be a key component in the next stage of growth,” elaborated Nicholas Rappo, General Manager of Let’s Play Games. “Funko Games is a powerhouse creator of tabletop games experiences, and their products align perfectly with Let’s Play Games’ deep connection with hobby retailers.”

“Big Wheel Toys shares Funko Games’ passion for pop culture, entertainment, and all things fun,” said Cameron Stewart, the owner of Big Wheel Toys. “This is not only a fantastic opportunity for us but also for Australian retailers to support one of the fastest growing game companies in the world.”

ROYAL SELANGOR AND DISNEY 100

Royal Selangor are introducing a new Disney100-themed collection inspired by classic stories and characters with strong emotive musical moments.

As The Walt Disney Company cele-

brates its 100th anniversary in 2023, the collection includes Limited Edition pewter-casted figures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck from the nostalgic period of 1935 and 1937, re-

spectively.

Conductor Mickey takes his orchestra through their paces in 1935’s The Band Concert, Mickey’s first cartoon in colour.

Mickey is cast in pewter on a pedestal of composite resin.

FRED AND GRAZZA GO BANANAS!

The Fred & Grazza Go Bananas Live Show launching at the Australian Toy, Hobby and Licensing Fair is a 45 minute performance featuring Fred Gaffney, Australia’s legendary Licensing Agent and Grahame Grassby, the ABC’s former Head of International Licensing, recounting a collection of stories that happened along their way selling one of Australia’s most loved

and iconic TV shows, Bananas in Pyjamas.

Which American president has a Bananas in Pyjamas tie? Did B1 & B2 really get held hostage and put up for ransom in Moscow? Why were the Bananas told to move on by the police in London? These questions and a lot more will be answered as Fred and Grazza go bananas!

BIG YEAR FOR UNIVERSAL

Universal Products & Experiences is gearing up for a big year with massive film releases on the horizon. Illumination’s highly anticipated The Super Mario Bros. Movie will kick off the year on 6 April, the next chapter in the Fast & Furious saga – Fast X – will race into theatres 18 May and finally, DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls 3 will wrap up the year with a glitter-filled musical celebration on 30 November. Key toy partners will bring each release to life, including Jakks Pacific for The Super Mario Bros Movie; Mattel, JADA and LEGO for Fast; and Mattel and Moose for Trolls 3.

IMOGEN JOY’S DREAM JOB!

Artist Imogen Joy represented by UK agency Creative Sparrow has enjoyed some wonderful collaborations with top Australian brands in 2022. Imogen, originally from the UK, is based in Sydney, has a style which is imaginative, with a strong sense of story-telling. Imogen collaborated with top Australian Author Louise Park on her Grace series published by Berbay Publishing, a best-selling middle grade fiction series. Imogen has illustrated for Grace’s Escape and Grace’s Secrets to date and looks forward to an ongoing relationship with Louise and Berbay.

Imogen has also created a collection of greetings cards for quirky Australian brand La La Land, a home-grown greetings, stationery and gift brand whose colourful collaborations with artists have taken the market by storm.

The dream job came from Australia Post with a Christmas collectible stamp set collaboration designed exclusively for Christmas Island and sold throughout the territory. The collection shows Santa’s arrival at Christmas Island airport, a chief point of arrival for those entering the Indian Ocean locale.

Commenting on the collaboration Imogen said: ‘I couldn’t believe it earlier when I was approached by the wonderful design team at Australia Post to illustrate a special edition of Christmas stamps based on the beautiful flora and fauna of Christmas Island. It was a dream job and such a treat to see my illustrations on the shelves of outlets across the territory. This illustration journey is so diverse and rich and I’m glad that I’ve never given up on my dream along the way.’

Imogen and Creative Sparrow are excited to announce some further license collaborations in the coming months and look forward to growing Imogen’s profile across the region.

Powerhouse franchises will continue to deliver exciting new content. DreamWorks’ Gabby’s Dollhouse, which has consistently achieved a #1 kids TV show ranking for past seasons, will have three new season drops on Netflix. Master toy partner, Spin Master, will deliver three new major SKUs including Gabby Girl’s Purr-ific Pool Playset, Gabby Cat Friend Ship and an Advent Calendar. Caprice will continue to release new trend driven lifestyle ranges, Scholastic has expanded their publishing range, and new categories launch this year.

Universal will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic film, Jurassic Park – from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment – with major toy partners, Mattel, LEGO and Toy Monster releasing anniversary SKUs. 2024 shows no signs of stopping for Universal. Following the success of The Dragon King series on Netflix, everyone’s favourite panda Po will head back to the big screen with DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda 4. Fans will also be excited to welcome another addition to the highest-grossing animated film franchise with Illumination’s Despicable Me 4. Universal Pictures will also release Wicked during the Christmas season.

Merchantwise is a leading gaming, digital and entertainment licensing agency in Australia and New Zealand, representing some of the world’s best loved brands and developing compelling brand extensions and retail programs for consumers of all ages.

Merchantwise is part of the Merchantwise Group, a full-service brand agency headquartered in Melbourne, with offices in Sydney, Paris and Israel.

Merchantwise shares a sneak peek at the latest news and upcoming gaming and entertainment properties for this year.

keep the Minecraft game fresh to fans old and new.

2022’s Minecraft Live event was the best yet, showing fans everything to come from main game updates, to allowing the community to vote for new mobs to be added in the next game update!

Minecraft is a cultural phenomenon and the best-selling vid eo game of all time, with Microsoft having sold over 238 million copies across all platforms. Appealing to a multi-generational player base, the game has seen highs of over 141 million monthly active users, has reached over 1 trillion views on YouTube and is played in every country in the world!

The newest Minecraft title, Minecraft Legends is scheduled for release on April 18th, 2023. It will be a new action strategy game, where players lead their allies in heroic battles to defend the Overworld from the destructive piglins. Minecraft is experiencing incredible success at a retail level across AUS/NZ with products now cemented in all major retailers. BIG W, Target and EB Games are leading the charge across mass and specialty channels.

Two of the biggest 2022 launches across ANZ were in the sleep and stationery spaces, thanks to partners Smiggle and The Oodie.

Smiggle was blown away with the success of their Minecraft range. Products included stationery kits, pencil cases, backpacks and luggage, drinkware & lunchware, keyrings, alarm clocks and safes for fans to store their treasures in. Sales have exceeded expectations so much so that Smiggle will be launching a new range for 2023, so keep an eye out!

What started as a game is evolving into a true evergreen entertainment franchise, comprising of an education edition, consumer products as well as entertainment. With new worlds, biomes and characters to play and constant game updates, there is an infinite number of things to

The Oodie team were overwhelmed with the response to their Minecraft release of teen and adult Oodies and sleep sets. Minecraft shot to the #1 spot in adults and kids Oodies in the first launch week. In 2023 BIG W has become home to a number of world firsts for the Minecraft brand. Building off the incredible success of their first Minecraft digital experience, BIG W launched their newest experience, Minecraft Quest, for customers in January/February 2023.

When fans visited a BIG W store, there was a scannable Creeper display to start the Quest. Fans simply used their phones to scan the Mobs across the store, open portals and find the hidden gemstones inside. Find all 5 gemstones and collect a

Minecraft sticker pack instore - perfect for back-toschool fun!

The range features product from an array of local partners including LEGO (construction toys); Mattel (action figures, playsets and roleplay); Plan B (gaming accessories); Hunter Leisure (stationery); Harper Collins (publishing); and Caprice (apparel, bags, accessories).

Released on November 8th 2022, the game sold 2.5 million copies just one month after release.

Paramount have announced that a third Sonic movie is in the works already and scheduled for 2024, as well as a 2023 Paramount+ series starring Knuckles, voiced again by Idris Elba.

Sonic’s retail presence has expanded considerably in mass and specialty, with more and more retailers showing support. And with so much in the

The blue blur is back, hotter than ever before and taking over the entertainment space!

With a mind-blowingly successful movie sequel launch in 2022, catapulting it to the most successful video game movie of all time – Sonic the Hedgehog has cemented himself as a standout license for consumer products. Sonic is a $1B franchise and continues to be one of the most popular video game characters of all time.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2’s US $403 million box office success (and top 10 at the Australian box office for 2022), catapulted the brand into the spotlight.

Netflix’s new Sonic series, Sonic Prime, released on December 15th 2022 and launched the brand to new heights in the 3D-animation space. The series surged to #1 in Australia in the Kids category within 1 week of release, and was the #1 animated show on Netflix worldwide.

Sonic Frontiers is the latest Sonic video game to hit shelves.

pipeline, there is a lot of content to drive excitement for the Sonic space in the next few years!

Zuru Toys launched a Sonic-themed blaster in September 2022, with unprecedented success. It outsold their next-highest performing product, and was the #1 SKU of all licensed and non-licensed designs! They have four more Sonic-themed blasters coming in 2023.

Cotton On have released both kids and adult specialty apparel, along with their fantastic online and in-store ‘Game On’ campaign.

In the specialty apparel space, Threadheads have continued to bring style and flare for fans across their adult and kids apparel line.

In showbag news, Sonic continues to place in Bensons’ top 10 in sales Australia-wide.

New categories for Sonic in 2023 include Plan B for gaming accessories, Hunter Leisure for outdoor & sport, and Impact for puzzles and stationery.

Activision Blizzard® is one of the world’s most successful interactive entertainment companies. Its mission, to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment, has never been more important. Through communities rooted in its video games, the company enables hundreds of millions of people to experience joy, thrill and achievement. Activision Blizzard’s enduring franchises are some of the world’s most popular, including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, StarCraft®, Candy Crush™, Bubble Witch™, Pet Rescue™ and Farm Heroes™. The company’s sustained success has enabled it to support corporate social responsibility initiatives that are directly tied to its franchises. As an example, its Call of Duty Endowment has helped find employment for over 100,000 veterans.

Learn more information about Activision Blizzard at www. activisionblizzard.com.

2023 brings an exciting event for the license, celebrating Call of Duty’s 20 year anniversary. With incredibly popular launches for both game launches in 2022, this is an amazing opportunity for potential licensees to jump onboard with this huge brand.

Over the past 2 decades, Call of Duty® has cemented itself as one of the biggest games of all time. Since launching in 2003, the Call of Duty franchise has sold more than 400 million copies and is played in over 170 countries across the globe.

‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II®’ launched on October 28th 2022, and has been the biggest title launch ever for the franchise. In just 10 days, Activision made more than US $1 billion in game sales, making it the quickest CoD title to do so. This newest launch also boasts more than 1 billion games played since launch, the most successful beta campaign they’ve ever had and was the highest grossing entertainment opening of 2022.

In November 2022, less than one month after Modern Warfare II’s staggering launch, Activision continued the hype with the release of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0®. This is the franchise’s second instalment of their Free-to-Play title, with a lot of jam-packed content for fans to enjoy. In just 5 days, over 25 million players jumped in to play the game!

Ooga-Booga!

One of the most popular and iconic mascots to ever grace our screens is a small eastern barred bandicoot named Crash. With over 25 years of heritage, Crash Bandicoot® is as big as ever, and back like never before.

With its multi-generational appeal, Crash is enjoyed by over 14.5 million unique players and is loved by the Gen Z and millennial audiences, ranging from 18 to 40 years old. The resurgence of everyone’s’ favourite bandicoot is proving to drive the excitement of the next game instalment, Crash Team Rumble®, which was recently announced at the 2022 Game Awards in December. The team-based four-versus-four pits the beloved franchise’s cast of characters against each other as they compete to gather more Wumpa Fruit than the opposing team.

Global Master Toy partner, Headstart International, is delivering collectable figures, plush, radio control vehicles and diorama sets to key markets across the globe such as North America, Central and South America, Europe, pockets of Oceania. Streetwear specialist, ThreadHeads, is a Melbourne based print-on-demand

business who have taken on Crash, Spyro® and the Activision Classics brands, and launched an incredible range in 2022, with more in development for 2023.

Cotton On also had great reception to their Crash and Spyro ranges, with products ranging across kids and adult apparel and accessories.

rite amongst the gaming community, having received over 100+ game of the year (GOTY) awards by 2022, with millions of monthly players.

From October 2022, the universe’s second instalment, Overwatch 2® replaced its predecessor. With a diverse cast of old and new characters, with cross-play and cross-progression between PC and console, this release resulted in a whopping 25 million players joining the game in the first 10 days!

Fans will remember this adorable 90’s gaming icon, Spyro! He is one of the most top ranking video gaming franchises there is.

Gliding to popularity in the 90’s, this mischievous little dragon made his fiery return back in November 2018 with the compilation game: Spyro Reignited Trilogy®

Spyro is available across all platforms and with a surge in popularity, Spyro provides unique opportunities across mass and specialty retailers.

Activision Publishing has a long and storied history of creating some of the industry’s best video game franchises, including three of Atari’s top 10 bestselling games of all time. Merchantwise have the pleasure of representing iconic titles such as Pitfall!, Kaboom, Grand Prix and River Raid in Australian and New Zealand.

With the game releasing constant seasonal updates roughly every nine weeks and events to entertain throughout the year (such as Lunar New Year, Halloween and Winter Wonderland events featuring exclusive cosmetic items players can purchase or earn), there is a wealth of content to be consumed by fans and players alike yearround.

Blizzard have successfully launched a range of consumer products partnerships in the retail space. Designworks is currently developing an apparel range for the brand which is due to release in 2023.

Overwatch 2®, World of Warcraft, and Diablo are the perfect titles to round out a diverse Activision Blizzard offering under the Merchantwise Group portfolio.

Since its initial launch in 2016, Overwatch quickly became a player-favou-

World of Warcraft® is a massive online multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG) in which players around the globe assume the roles of heroic fantasy characters and explore Azeroth, a world full of magic and endless adventure. The game is often revered for revolutionising online social play, and the franchise has spawned multiple spin-offs and experiences, including a blockbuster movie, best-selling novels, board games, and remains an enduring pop culture phenomenon amongst millions of players worldwide.

In November 2022, WoW released their latest expansion, Dragonflight. This return to fantasy and adventure has been an absolute hit with everyone who has

played so far! With a vault of assets and 2024 celebrating the game’s 20th anniversary, there is a lot of opportunity coming up for WoW!

Diablo® is an action role-playing game series of angels versus demons, and takes place in the dark fantasy world of Sanctuary. As heroes, players traverse Sanctuary on a quest to slay the hordes of The Burning Hells in epic, fast-paced combat.

The Diablo franchise is considered one of the most influential of all time, with its unique, dark lore and action-packed gameplay centred around customisable character classes and gear.

Adopt Me! Is the #1 most played experience on Roblox and has been played over 31 billion times. Developed by Uplift Games, it focuses on adopting and caring for a variety of different virtual pets, which can be traded with other players in the game.

Players adopt and care for a multitude of pets which hatch from eggs, which they do in their virtual home. In the game, pets are grouped into 5 classes based on rarity, and there are hundreds that can be adopted, or purchased with the in-game currency, Bucks.

The game is family-friendly and per-

In June 2022, Diablo Immortal® launched the franchise’s first free-to-play mobile MMORPG and was met with great reception from players worldwide.

Diablo IV is scheduled to launch June 6th 2023. A brand new trailer was released last December to whet players’ appetites. With more than 10 years since the release of Diablo III, there is a lot of excitement for the next era of Diablo, so keep an eye out in the coming months for more announcements and release news!

© 2023 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision, Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Guitar Hero and Skylanders are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. © 2023 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are property of their respective owners.

fect for children aged 7+ to get together with their friends online in a safe, fun community, and learn about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

The developers release content updates every week including new pets, new outfits and furniture packs to decorate your home, to keep content fresh for players. With its approachability, cute visuals and fun ways to interact with friends safely online, it’s no wonder that Adopt Me continues to be an incredible success in the gaming space.

Jazwares is the master toy licensee, and has developed a range of toys featuring plush, interactive plush, and collectibles. Banter Toys will be distributing the line into retail from April 2023. Merchantwise currently is in the process of securing some of Australia’s leading category partners across apparel, accessories, footwear, homewares and bags with the aim to launch product at retail from July 2023.

Originally released in 2020, Fall Guys is a cross-platform, massively multiplayer, party royale game where players compete through escalating rounds of absurd obstacle course chaos until one lucky victor remains!

Communication via digital emojis is the ultimate universal expressive language – over 10 billion icons are sent daily through messaging and social media platforms.

In June 2022, the game became ‘Free for All’ across all platforms, and quickly passed the 20 million player mark within 48 hours, and 50 million within 2 weeks! With enormous growth for the game and the brand in just two short years, Fall Guys is the online gaming community’s hottest property in the licensing space.

Inspired by this phenomenon, the emoji company was founded in 2013 and by making huge investments into IP rights and content creation the emoji company built a global brand business and established emoji® as an iconic lifestyle brand worldwide. Today, the emoji® brand is registered in over 150 territories in up to 45 classes for goods and services. There are now more than 25,000 vectorized emoji® brand icons, designs, patterns and customized content pieces available for licensing and merchandising of any kind. In Australia and New Zealand, the brand continues to be popular with partners across a wide range of categories, from fashion from Caprice Australia and automotive accessories with Who-Rae.

In a Valentine’s Day 2022 special, The Oodie released a playful his/hers Oodie design, adopting the peach and eggplant emoji® brand icons. The wearable blankets were complimented with matching underwear and socks.

With regular updates including collaboration costumes, there’s plenty of opportunity to work with this incredibly vibrant, cute brand.

Big W is the key retail partner stocking our very own Moose Toy’s Fall Guys plush.

Looking ahead to early 2023 we are eagerly awaiting the release of emoji® brand´s latest partner, Sydney based bubble tea company, Gong Cha Tea. The emoji® brand will come to life in their 100+ stores, featuring in-store emoji® brandthemed activations, window and floor decals and a whole new range of exciting emoji® brand-themed drinks to enjoy.

Nappy Box Co launched a range of baby products in 2022 that include modern cloth nappies, swim nappies, smocks, wet bags, change mats and more!

2023 will be an exciting year for the brand with global activations as well as new artwork and assets specifically designed to highlight the brand.

Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver Based on the PlayStation Studios video game and with an all-star cast, this action-packed film is set to release in cinemas globally in August 2023.

In 2022, we saw new products from Hasbro, including a new Ghostbusters Clue, the Plasma Series Neutrona Wand, Plasma Series 2 pack figures as well as the Plasma Series Mini-Pufts. The new Ghostbusters video game – Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed from IllFonic, is where you can immerse yourself in the Ghostbusters universe as you protect or haunt multiple unique locations throughout. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is fun, family friendly, and allows for all levels of player ability.

Sony Pictures

Entertainment will expand on an incredibly exciting chapter of Ghostbusters history, with forthcoming theatrical and animated content in development, including a sequel to the smash-hit, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and two new offerings from Sony Pictures Animation – the first-ever Ghostbusters animated movie and a Ghostbusters animated series – both currently in development.

The iconic Ghostbusters franchise is supported with a broad, year-round program including an impressive roster of global licensees spanning apparel, sleepwear, bags, accessories, homewares, gifts, and more.

Australian Ghostbusters licensees include Designworks International (apparel, accessories, footwear and homewares), Park Avenue Foods (novelty confectionery), Thread Heads –print on demand and Cotton On.

In 2023, one of the most anticipated films from Sony Pictures Entertainment is Gran Turismo.

Buckle up for a theatrical ride

I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost

The Karate Kid movie in 1984 was a huge theatrical success for Sony Pictures and the TV series Cobra Kai has become one of the most popular streaming series .

The first season consists of nine episodes and premiered on January 15, 2023. It received acclaim from critics, who praised the performances, writing, production design, and score; several called it the best live-action adaptation of a video game. In January 2023, the series was renewed for a second season. Merchantwise will be seeking new opportunities across a wide array of consumer products, including apparel, accessories, gift and novelty.

Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid have both now become true pop culture icons. In January 2023, it was announced that Cobra Kai has been renewed for a sixth and final season. The final run promises to be “the biggest and baddest” season of all.,

Cobra Kai Australian licensees include Empire Apparel, Designworks International and Thread Heads with successful launches of apparel in 2022 and further releases in 2023.

In 2024, the legend lives on, as we celebrate 40 years of Karate Kid and a new feature film, which will be released in Summer 2024. Merchantwise will be seeking new opportunities across a wide array of consumer products, including apparel, accessories, home, collectibles and gift and novelty.

The Last of Us The new hit series is inspired by the post-apocalyptic award-winning game franchise. Following a global pandemic that has destroyed civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.

Legendary Entertainment is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences.

Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world’s most popular intellectual property, including the Monsterverse (Godzilla vs Kong) franchise, Dune, Enola Homes, Pacific Rim and cult classic film Trick R Treat.

The Monsterverse Expands

The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extra ordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

As a mature franchise, the Monsterverse continues its expansion with new content releasing in 2023 and 2024, with a new TV series and Monsterverse 5 in cinemas 15th March 2024.

The Monsterverse has a broad licensing program across a wide range of categories including toys, collectibles and apparel.

An Astounding Spectacle

Dune is an epic science fiction film that released in cinemas in 2021 to critical acclaim and achieving over $400M+ at the box office. The film received six Academy Awards, including best cinematography, best production design and best original score. Dune: Part Two is planned for global release in cinemas on 3rd November 2023, with new cast members arriving on the most dangerous planet in the universe, including Christopher Walker, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Lea Seydoux and Sheila Yacoub, The franchise will continue its expansion through television and videogames, including the Dune Awakening game which is releasing in Q4 2023.

Dune has a robust licensing program across all tiers of distribution and Merchantwise is seeking new licensing partners for this amazing franchise.

A creepy, darkly comic celebration of the scariest night of the year from writer-director Michael Dougherty Trick ‘R Treat takes the Creepshow/Tales from the Crypt approach to nefarious new depths with four interwoven tales set on Halloween night. The film introduces the fan-favourite character of Sam – a seemingly innocent masked trick-or-treater at first sight who is, in fact, a demonic pumpkin-like creature who enforces the rules and traditions of Halloween. Sam has become an icon of the Halloween season in a variety of licensing products, including dress-ups, collectibles, apparel, accessories and cosmetics. Trick ‘R Treat is a new Halloween licensing opportunity down under and Merchantwise is seeking new partners to join this pop-culture classic.

The epic battle between Kaijus and Jaegers captivated fans worldwide in the Pacific Rim live action movie franchise from creators Travis Beacham and Guillermo del Toro. Two of pop culture’s most perennial tropes, monsters and robots, collided on-screen like never before. The worldwide box office for the films raked in US$700M.

Pacific Rim continues in an anime series written by Craig Kyle (Thor: Ragnarok) and Greg Johnson (X-Men: Evolution).

Lost, alone and hunted by Kaiju, teenage siblings Taylor and Haley are forced to pilot an abandoned jaeger across a hostile Australian landscape in a desperate attempt to find their missing parents. Season one and two are now available on Netflix.

May Gibbs – Inspired by Nature

Iconic Australian author and illustrator May Gibbs continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of generations of Australians with her lovable bush characters, which hold a special place in the Australian consciousness.

Today, May Gibbs is a heritage fashion and lifestyle brand inspired by the Australian bush. With a unique licensing program of over 30 partners across publishing, apparel, bedding, homewares, fabric, toys, stationery, partyware and collectables, May Gibbs is proud to partner with leading Australian brands to bring the stories and characters to life for fans of all ages. Publishing is at the heart of the May Gibbs brand with

May Gibbs’ original books, Gumnut Babies and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie never out of print for over 100 years. Publishing partner Scholastic Australia continues to expand their catalogue of licensed May Gibbs storybooks for children, with May Gibbs becoming their third best-selling licensed property. Scholastic Australia have also begun publishing a newly reimagined range of May Gibbs’s classic stories and never-before published works, ensuring that every Australian child has the opportunity to experience these classic tales.

For the third year running, May Gibbs continued to grow at Big W, with apparel exclusive to Big W at mass, supported by other categories including publishing and hardlines. Regular apparel collections from Caprice Australia released across 2022, with further ranges scheduled for Easter and Winter 2023.

May Gibbs at Big W started in 2022 with a February Baby Week range. Launching with 10 SKUs across toddler girls, toddler boys and footwear, this was a successful start to the third consecutive year of May Gibbs apparel exclusive to Big W at mass. Further apparel ranges launched in time for Mother’s Day, with an adorable mini-me range for women, toddler girls and infant. The consistent print story allowed the whole family to match and celebrate the special mother figure in your life. May Gibbs featured once again in July Baby Week, across 10 SKUs for toddler girls, toddler boys, ladies, men’s and a minime sleep range.

Big W was the place to be for Christmas with May Gibbs. With a wide range of apparel, publishing, Christmas gifting, tabletop, Christmas

décor and social stationery.The apparel range featured a fun festive theme in a fam-jam matching set across ladies, toddler girls and infant. The Christmas hardlines range included 33 SKUs across décor, tabletop, gifting and wrapping. Plans for Christmas 2023 are already underway for an expanded range.

The May Gibbs and Spotlight Australia partnership continues to grow since its inception in 2021. In 2023 Spotlight will continue to be the exclusive home to May Gibbs sew and furnishing fabrics. The growing range of fabric designs have been eagerly embraced by Australian makers and crafters nation-wide, with home decorators loving the coordinating range of bedding, home décor and napery items. Spotlight will also be stocking compostable May Gibbs partyware in 2023. The program is supported with a strong marketing program across catalogue, digital and instore. May Gibbs Christmas also featured at Spotlight, with their own range of Christmas wrapping including gift tags, wrapping paper, gift bags, cards and baubles, and Christmas fabrics.

In exciting news, May Gibbs launched into two new categories with new partners in 2022. Journey of Something joined as a May Gibbs partner and shortly revealed a fantastic collection of jigsaw puzzles, cards, paint by numbers and sparkle art, targeted at both adults and kids. The range is widely available online as well as through independent gift stockists, and is May Gibbs’ first foray into the puzzle and game category. 2023 is already shaping up to be an exciting year with new products in development to further grow this collection. Urban Products released an everyday range of garden and home products. The garden range is the first of May Gibbs gardening products, with a range of planters and garden accessories perfect for any lovers of native flora. The everyday range also includes some home products, including mugs, bamboo serveware, travel mugs, glasses and more. A Christmas range was also available across 100 stores nationally, featur-

ing baubles, ornaments, Christmas tabletop and more. The updated everyday and Christmas ranges for 2023 are currently in development.

Fans of the brand are spoilt for choice with several speciality partners releasing beautiful new product ranges. The partnership with Walnut Melbourne continued in 2022 with brand new Winter and Summer children’s apparel and footwear collections released, including the popular swimwear line. The collection is now ranged in Myer stores nationally. The partnership will continue in 2023 with a Winter and Summer collection in development, and a family sleep collection to launch. Creative high-end Australian fashion brand Romance Was Born continues to release exciting new capsule collections for women and men, uniquely showcasing the art of May Gibbs. The beautiful range of personalised knit blankets from Namely Co combine heirloom quality pieces with May Gibbs original illustrations. The May Gibbs x Kip & Co collection will return in 2023 with a new range of bedding, apparel and homewares. Further brand-new ranges in development for 2023 include a baby personal care range, showbags, fashion accessories, reusable nappies, and more.

The much-anticipated new outdoor stage show of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, developed by Eaton Gorge Theatre Company, premiered at Centennial Park in September 2022. The weeklong show was then followed by performances in Wollongong and Bowral’s Retford Park, followed by an encore at Centennial Park.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – We’re Going to Catch a Big One!

Originally released in 1989, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is the beloved storybook of a family traipsing through the stunning English countryside to find a bear. The brand is now available for licensing in the Australia and New Zealand territory for the first time!

With rhythmical story-telling by Michael Rosen, and timeless watercolour illustrations by Helen Oxenbury, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt has enchanted children and parents alike with its story of perseverance, optimism and a love of nature.

Since it’s 1989 release, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt has sold over 14 million books worldwide, with 1.4 million of those copies having been sold in Australia alone.

Michael Rosen’s retelling of this iconic story has exceeded over 17 million views on YouTube. Due to the success of the book a 30-minute animated TV special was created.

Produced by Lupus Films (The Snowman and The Snowdog) & Walker Productions (Tilly and Friends), the special was enjoyed by over 8 million viewers at launch in the UK and has aired every year thereafter.

Available on Amazon Prime in the US since January 2017. Global sales secured on ABC (Australia), Canal + (France), France TV, SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), YLE (Finland), Japan (NHK) and Belgium (VRT)

For over 34 years, readers young and old have been swishy-swashing and splash-sploshing through the award-winning and much-beloved picture book. In 2024, Bear Hunt will be celebrating its 35th anniversary, making it the perfect time to launch a licensing program.

Caprice Australia will be leading the launch of the program, with Bear Hunt infant and toddler apparel program from July 2023. The licensing program for Bear Hunt has been

exceptionally popular in the UK, and is expected to follow suit in the Australia and New Zealand market.

Blinky Bill – The Original Aussie Larrikin

Created by Dorothy Wall in 1933, Blinky Bill is the original Aussie larrikin, and an instantly recognisable character across Australia. The 1990s saw Blinky Bill revived in a feature film and TV series that so many of us grew up with.

2023 celebrates some fantastic Blinky Bill anniversaries. It will be 90 years since the original publication of Dorothy Wall’s stories of the mischievous koala in the bush, and 30 years since the TV series graced our screens and a whole new generation fell in love with Blinky Bill.

2022 saw Blinky Bill collaborate with La La Land for a Christmas program at Australia Post. This fantastic range included Christmas décor, gift boxes, gift cards, melamine mugs, bowls, plates and trays. Calendars, storybooks and jigsaw puzzles also featured, along with Headstart’s adorable Blinky and Nutsy resoftable plush.

The plush is made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles and launched at Australia Post for the Christmas program.

Blinky Bill has partnered with Scholastic Australia for a publishing program, which also launched at Australia Post with a pack of four Blinky Bill storybooks and a Colouring Kit. Scholastic will continue with further releases into 2023, with a deluxe storybook and an Ultimate Colouring Book. Two further titles are in development including an adult colouring book and a storybook with jigsaw set.

Blinky Bill and Smiffy’s will continue to supply retailers with dressups. Blinky Bill costumes are available for August Book Week via Big W. Park Avenue Foods will launch new chocolate and confectionery this Easter.

In an exciting new venture, Blinky Bill will be featured at Christmas in Big W in 2023. The range of Christmas décor items will be available in-store.

In 2023, Blinky Bill continues to work with the Bob Brown Founda-

tion as the face for Koala conservation for the protection of native forests and koala habitats, after koalas were labelled as an endangered species.

Who Will You Magically Create?

Introducing Magic Mixies Mixlings from Moose Toys! Kids will love this incredibly cute breed of Mixie created, with a truly magical unboxing experience! Each Mixling belongs to a team with different magical powers which are unlocked using the included magic wand.

The range features four products including: Collector’s Cauldron, Tap and Reveal Cauldron, Shimmer Magic Mega Pack and a Magic Castle Playset. In addition to the five teams of Magic Mixies Mixlings figurines to collect.

The Magic Mixies Mixlings toy line performance has been strong at retail to date. Series 3 is in the works and Series 4 will launch at retail in 2024.

Moose has an extensive franchise strategy planned for Magic Mixies encompassing a true “Magic” play experience with toys, animated content, digital gaming, and publishing. There will also be an extensive consumer products program developed in partnership with Merchantwise.

Merchantwise has partnered with Caprice Australia Pty Ltd to launch a range of Softline’s products at retail from February 2023. This range includes the first apparel range in Big W. Merchantwise has also partnered with publishers, Hinkler Books and Scholastic Australia with a range of publishing formats including launching from June 2023.

Miraculous™ is an inspiring, high-quality CGI-animated superhero franchise set in modern-day Paris. The show follows Marionette & Adrien, constantly juggling their perilous missions as superheroes –Ladybug & Cat Noir - and the daily challenges of their teenage lives.

Elf On The Shelf – A Christmas Tradition

The Elf on the Shelf®:A Christmas Tradition is a fun-filled Christmas tradition that has captured the hearts of children everywhere who welcome home one of Santa’s Scout Elves each holiday season. When a family adopts a Scout Elf™ they receive the Scout Elf™, an artfully illustrated hardbound storybook and a keepsake box. For Christmas 2022, The Elf on the Shelf® core range has been extremely popular at Myer Giftorium, Kmart and a range of independents, distributed by PMG Australia and Merchantwise partnered with Vicinity Centres with Elf On The Shelf activations.

The television show rapidly gained momentum, turning Miraculous into a worldwide phenomenon and a global entertainment franchise. It’s vast community of viewers and fans can now engage with the brand on all major media platforms. The 5th season has just launched on ABC Me and Seasons 1-3 are available on Netflix. Miraculous has exceptional digital platforms – engaging with fans around the globe and ZAG continues to build the gaming content for Miraculous, including the Miraculous RP game on Roblox, achieving over 500M plays and fast becoming the #1 downloaded game on the platform.

The licensing program in Australia consists of Headstart (distribution for master toy), Caprice Australia (apparel, accessories, home), Bensons Trading (showbags), MJM Australia (puzzles and games), Rubies Deerfield (dress-ups and accessories), Wisdom Brands (oral care), and Happy Hair Brush (personal care). A new summer apparel collection launched in Big W featuring dresses and t-shirts, each with their own accessory.

The Australian licensing program managed by Merchantwise Licensing has been a huge success, with an array of products at retail including outerwear and sleepwear by Mitch Dowd, publishing from Hinkler Books, confectionery by Park Avenue and dress-ups from Rubies.

Christmas décor, drinkware and dinnerware, puzzles and games from Licensing Essentials continue to be popular over the Christmas season with ranges available at BIG W, Target and Kmart, along with an exclusive range of products at Coles.

Cotton On launched their first kids sleepwear range in November and Australia Post launched their second collectible stamp pack and postal numeric cover.

Released in 1993, The Wrong Trousers was the first film starring the beloved duo to win an Oscar and introduced fan favourite Feathers McGraw, a villainous penguin with ambitions to put Wallace’s inventions to criminal use. The 30th anniversary celebrations coincide with the production of a brand-new Wallace & Gromit film – the first

since 2008’s A Matter of Loaf and Death, which was the UK’s most-viewed TV programme of the 2000s with over 16.2 million viewers tuning in to watch. This brand-new, asyet untitled adventure will premiere exclusively on Netflix around the world. It is set for release in 2024. Also currently in production is an interactive, narrative-led, single player VR experience for the Meta Quest all-in-one VR headset. ‘The Grand Getaway’ will enable users to walk around, explore and get hands-on (or paws-on) within the world of Wallace & Gromit and truly be a part of the pair’s adventures for the first time.

Chicken Run –Dawn of the Nugget is the eagerly anticipated sequel to the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time and will be exclusively on Netflix in 2023. Like its predecessor, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a comedy action-adventure, and will have an extensive PR and marketing campaign for the launch. A new style guide is available and Merchantwise is seeking new licensing opportunities for this successful film franchise.

Shaun The Sheep has made the long overdue journey to visit his woolly cousins in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in December 2022.

With the rest of the Flock, and The Farmer in tow, Shaun and his pals have moved into Agrodome to spread some mischief and fun on the farm!

Agrodome and Aardman, the multi-award-winning creators of Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Gromit have joined forces to give Shaun the Sheep the holiday he deserves!

There’s no better place than Agrodome, 350 acres of lush New Zealand farmland for Shaun and the Flock to enjoy. With Shaun the Sheep themed activities, dedicated Shaun the Sheep screening sessions, character appearances and more, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Agrodome.

In 2022, Merchantwise was appointed as the Australian and New Zealand sub-agent for WildBrain’s beloved portfolio of brands, which includes Strawberry Shortcake,Teletubbies, In the Night Garden and Inspector Gadget. Merchantwise is working closely with WildBrain’s leading licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG, to further build each brand’s presence in Australia.

A Berry-Sweet Brand With A Rich History

WildBrain’s Strawberry Shortcake is one of the world’s most adored and recognised brands. Since her creation in 1973, with the release of a simple Valentine’s Day greeting card, Strawberry Shortcake has grown and evolved with new content, toys and experiences for every new generation.

Parents who loved her when they were young can now share a fresh new Strawberry Shortcake with their children through the all-new original WildBrain series Berry in the Big City, as well as through new toys, books, games, apparel and events. With an international pres-

ence that has generated over USD $4 billion in retail sales since its first launch, Strawberry Shortcake is a true character-brand phenomenon that is celebrated by kids and kidsat-heart worldwide.

The growing international consumer products programme features softlines and hardlines across mass, mid-tier and specialty retailers, including Walmart, Target, Hot Topic, Urban Outfitters and Forever 21. In 2022, following deals brokered by WildBrain CPLG, a range of adult fashion collaborations launched in the U.S., including with PACSUN, Unique Vintage, Dolls Kill and By Samii Ryan, alongside cosmetics ranges from Glamlite Cosmetics.

Expanding on the success in the U.S, in Australia, Big W, Jay Jays and Peter Alexander are already home to Strawberry Shortcake apparel and sleepwear. In the forthcoming year, Merchantwise aims to grow the brand in key lifestyle categories including fashion accessories, apparel and homeware, including products that bring the iconic sweet Strawberry scent to every room.

Cultural icons and fan favourites for 25 years!

Extensive social media touchpoints have also seen the Teletubbies become beloved icons for older fans, adored by celebrities and culture-setters around the world. As a lifestyle brand, Teletubbies continues to captivate audiences, and is a key player in global conversations on pop culture. Merchantwise expect to continue to build out anchor categories for fans of the series of all ages, focusing on apparel, accessories and collectibles.

The perennial bedtime favourite

WildBrain’s Teletubbies have been engaging and entertaining audiences across multiple generations for over 25 years. Seen and heard on broadcasters and streaming platforms around the world – including 29 highly popular YouTube channels on the WildBrain Spark network – Teletubbies offer hours of video and music content for fans of all ages.

In the Night Garden is an enchanting and captivating world full of fascinating stories, nursery rhymes, music and humour, which takes preschoolers on an imaginative journey of discovery and understanding. Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka have become a part of bedtime routines for many young fans across the globe. In consumer products, In the Night Garden is a top preschool toy property, offering a creative and playful world to draw inspiration.

Go Go Gadget!

The iconic detective, who has an impressive array of gadgets and gizmos, has gained a loyal fan base across the decades by defeating villains around the world with the help of his fearless niece, Penny. The beloved brand is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, for which Merchantwise is assembling a raft of limited-edition products across apparel and collectibles.

Representing many of the world’s biggest names in music for Australia and New Zealand, Merchantwise Licensing is the go-to for band merchandising and licensing.

ROMWE X ACDC – Back In Black, again

AC/DC is one of the world’s greatest pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll who were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 2003.

Producing 36 albums and selling over 200M albums globally,

AC/DC continues to be one of the most sought after music licenses in the world. Merchantwise brokered a deal with Singapore fast fashion retailer, SHEIN, for a special Back In Black collection of products which launched in November 2022. The range featured apparel, accessories, tech accessories and homewares.

Featuring Iconic Music Artists

In June 2022, Blackmilk Clothing released a second music apparel collection featuring an array of artists including Blondie, Billy Idol, Garbage, and Smashing Pumpkins, for their 90s music artists collection, with a variety of styles selling out in two days.

Easy Partners – Call Me

I’m Alive

New York based Easy Partners represents some of the world’s favourites including Blondie, Deborah Harry, Cheech and Chong, James Brown, Mazzy Star, Tori Amos and many more. In 2022, apparel partner Caprice Australia launched Blondie apparel in a range of mass retailers and will con-

tinue to launch additional styles in 2023. Austico Apparel, launched an exclusive merchandise range at Giftbox, featuring cult creators, Cheech & Chong. The products included, apparel, accessories and smoking paraphernalia.

Australian Licensing Committee (AOC) - Paris 2024 Licensing Opportunities

Australian’s love their sport and there is no bigger sporting event than the Olympic Games.

Australians have watched more than 4.6 billion minutes of Olympics coverage on 7plus, making it the biggest digital event in Australian TV history.

Ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2024 The AOC licensing program will see a wide-ranging and recognisable asset base become available for license, including official Olympic logos as well as the iconic Team mascot, the Boxing Kangaroo. The program will also incorporate specially created assets of Indigenous art commissioned for the Australian Olympic Team.

With a focus on building out a year-round offering for the program, Merchantwise will work with the AOC to develop and enhance the merchandise program for its annual Have a Go campaign, a national grass roots program designed to inspire Australians of all ages to participate in Olympic sports.

Licensing partnership opportunities are now open for discussion across a variety of categories including apparel, fashion accessories, sporting goods, toys & food as well as in ecommerce, location-based entertainment, and consumer promotions.

To discuss opportunities to be involved with the program please contact : Alexandra Warmoll at alexandra@merchantwise.com

Be sure to visit Jasnor at the Australian Toy, Hobby and Licensing Fair to see their collection of iconic brands and characters as they celebrate their 35th Anniversary in 2023!

Contact details: 1300 881 940 sales@jasnor.com www.jasnor.com.au

Claris and Bluey from Jasnor

Jasnor is a leading distributor and manufacturer of popular licensed toys and gifts, offering an extensive line-up of highly sought-after brands across multiple product categories which include pre-school toys, gifts for baby, infant feeding and mealtime, plush and seasonal collections. Their distribution and manufacturing portfolio includes Bluey, Pusheen, Play School, Disney Baby, The Wiggles, Beatrix Potter, Paddington Bear, Sesame Street and Pusheen to name a few.

lion copies sold worldwide).The series follows the rhyming tales of Claris, the chicest mouse in Paris, and her friends as they embark on adventures around the globe!

Partnering with exclusive Australian retailers, Claris came to life in selected stores from February 2023 and will be shared with the wider market at the Melbourne Toy Fair. The launch collection includes premium plush in two sizes, stationery essentials, accessories including a backpack and book bag, and feeding items including a gold cutlery set, 3-piece dinner set, drink bottle and lunch box, all featuring beautiful illustrations of the charming character.

This is just the beginning for the global merchandise campaign for Claris (which will also see Jasnor’s Claris plush, stationery and feeding items on the shelves of FAO Schwarz in New York in February for New York Fashion Week) – with a further line-up of new formats set to launch for second half 2023.

and includes seventeen wooden items covering role play, indoor play and outdoor play categories.

Retailers can select from an array of food playsets; traditional family favourite games such as dominoes, skittles and charades; and also promote outdoor sports play with a skipping rope, crazy golf game and even a cricket set in the launch collection.

Featuring familiar character art and fun references to favourite Bluey episodes,

Already famous for beloved book characters, in 2023 Jasnor is excited to partner with acclaimed author and illustrator, Megan Hess, to welcome another famous character – in the form of a pint-sized Parisian mouse called Claris - into their stable of iconic brands and characters.

In addition to a range of premium plush toys, Jasnor also holds the global rights to design and manufacture a collection of stationery items, accessories, nursery and feeding products, to bring the brave and bold mouse to life across a number of key gifting categories. The fashion-designer mouse has featured in five best-selling children’s books (published by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, with half a mil-

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have been appointed as a master manufacturing and distribution partner to bring the beloved Claris to life!” said Jasnor’s CEO James Thurlow.

“Each item is adorned with some extra special glamour – from pom poms to gold leaf detail to a gold Claris sew-in label and luxe fabrics. We are certain the range will be adored and treasured by Claris and fashion-obsessed fans across the world. We can’t wait to see what adventures Claris will take us all on next!”

On a different note, in partnership with BBC Studios, Jasnor is thrilled to launch a collection of wooden toys and games in Australia, featuring Bluey, her Heeler family, and crew of friends.

The new range became available in late January 2023,

the vibrant range is suitable for ages 3+, and the collection comes presented in easily recognisable Bluey-branded packaging.

The range - created by UK-based leading toy manufacturer 8th Wonder - is made from responsibly-sourced materials, with the wooden products certified by the FSC.

With further new product releases already planned for Christmas 2023, Jasnor is thrilled to finally have Bluey join its already stellar line up of popular merchandise for top-rating preschool programs.

By Philippe Guinaudeau, Chief Executive Officer, The BrandTrends Group

Philippe Guinaudeau founded The BrandTrends Group, a global full-service supplier of marketing research with a focus on brand, lifestyle, and attitudinal trends, that monitors up to 53 markets. With offices in Dubai, Guinaudeau has a unique global analytical perspective.

Guinaudeau has more than 31 years of marketing and analytics experience, and offers expert insight into understanding the durable goods markets worldwide, analyzing the retail landscape, understanding competition, consumer behavior and the brand line architecture, and strategy planning to help clients achieve the best results. He has lived on three continents and travels the world extensively, living and breathing the international marketplace.

Guinaudeau also has extensive experience in the toys and games, licensing and entertainment industries, with a particular emphasis in the North American, European, Australian, Latin American and Asian markets.

Widely regarded as a leading authority in his field, Guinaudeau is regularly asked to speak at industry events.

THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET PAVES ITS UNIQUE PATH FOR EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT

BrandTrends shares the Most favorite Entertainment brands in the autumn of 2022

The BrandTrends Group has unveiled some major findings from its most recent research, and some key facts can be extracted when compared to previous years.

Australia is a continent, despite its size, since it is not politically connected to any other landmass and has unique geological, cultural, and political traits of its own. It is frequently referred to as the “island continent” and is the smallest of the seven continents in the globe. Additionally, it is the largest island on the planet! Additionally, the country has a long history of entertainment, and Moose, the one and only toy company, is based in Melbourne.

Intense Competition in a Segmented, Fragmented Market

The 5 million children, aged up to 14, who are collectively familiar with over 211 entertainment brands is a testament to the vast exposure and brand competition in the market. Each demographic shows awareness of roughly 72 of the 211 brands when evaluated by age and gender. The market is significantly structured, as evi-

denced by the distinct gender divide, with brands catering to boys, girls, younger children, and older children. Although the market is well structured, only a small part of all brandsroughly 34% - are well known to both boys and girls. As a result, the market is also very fragmented.

Another striking element of the Australian licensing market is that girls aged 0 to 14 tend to be better served by targeted brands, since they specifically spontaneously cite 42% of all well-known brands. Girls typically have a broader knowledge of brands than boys do. With 1.7 times more distinct brands offered for girls than for boys, Australia has a far wider gap than any of the other countries BrandTrends tracks.

Where comic book superheroes rise, as in many other countries Australia has followed the global trends where the key sub-brands and characters of the major comic book franchises, such as Marvel and DC Comics, are given priority. Marvel continues to hold an 8.3 per-

cent share of the top mentions during the past four years. However, the brand initially dipped by 3 points during the pandemic period to return to its pre-pandemic level.

In contrast, the popularity of Avengers decreased from 2.7 percent in 2019 to 0.9 percent in 2022. The process of replacing the lower subbrands, such as Thor or the Avengers, is underway. In this Marvel universe, Spider-Man stands out as an important exception. This brand had significant growth among kids up to the age of 14, moving up to the sixth rank among the most well-liked brands among Australian kids.

A similar scenario occurred with DC Comics, though at a much slower rate, pushing the top franchise to reach 2.7% in 2022, at position twenty in the ranking.

Compared to other comparable markets, the Australian market has a number of interesting unique characteristics.

1. Strong Infant and preschool brands

First, the infant and preschool brand names are at the top of the market’s list of preferences. A clear indicator of this is the popularity of Bluey and Peppa Pig, Cocomelon, and Paw Patrol.And this isn’t because there aren’t enough brands in the market, which would force customers to concentrate on a small number of brands. Infants and preschoolers are familiar with just as many different brands as kids, teenagers, and even young adults. Therefore, the success of these brands is largely down to the way that Australians view families, which is quite encouraging for the markets.

2. The super power of LEGO

The second interesting aspect is the LEGO brand’s growing superpower,

which has increased steadily over the past few years to 17.4% (+6.8 percentage points in 4 years), even though LEGO was already the top brand. The fact that LEGO holds the largest leadership position for youngsters older than 7 years old is without debate. More than twice as many people favor LEGO over their direct competitors’ brands.

The preferred brands among preschoolers (ages 3 to 6) are still LEGO and Peppa Pig, though by a much smaller margin.

However, Bluey is unquestionably the only brand that infants in Australia like.

3. And the videogame brands are not successful...

Contrary to the general trend, videogames are not highly praised by children up to 14 years old in Australia.

Yes, the share of voice on Roblox increased, rising from 2.4% in 2019 to 4.0% in 2022. The only brand of that kind with this pattern is this one, though. For example, the preferred brand share in Australia was split by three for both Fortnite and Minecraft.

4. … but streaming sources are!

Netflix and YouTube both grew

significantly in the past 4 years. As of Autumn 2022, they are ranked seventh and tenth, respectively, in terms of preferred entertainment brands among Australian children under the age of 14.

Ownership and Licensing Opportunities

In general, the market in Australia is flourishing for goods with an entertainment license. The variety of purchases has expanded in terms of product categories and quantity (more categories, more products within each category), but it has also increased in terms of the amounts of new purchasers who do not already own a licensed product. Additionally, their desire for these things must be sated. Overall, this indicates that the market for these products will grow over the next year.

The Australian market paves its unique path for expansion and development Australia is a distinctive market for consumer packaged goods (CPG) products looking to secure entertainment licenses. With a strong presence of popular infant and preschool properties and a significant consumer demand for licensed products, this market has set its own unique trends.

The enduring popularity of LEGO and the absence of strong success for video game brands in licensed products presents both challenges and opportunities for brands.

For established brands, the Australian market offers the chance to expand their brand portfolio, launch spin-off products, and introduce new items to the market. However, it also requires the development of innovative and fresh concepts to remain competitive in the face of established brands.

For brands with lower market penetration, it will require greater effort to break through and connect with consumers in this highly competitive market.

NEW ZEALAND SERVES AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW NEW LICENSES CAN PENETRATE A MARKET

BrandTrends shares the Most favorite Entertainment brands in Autumn 2022

The BrandTrends Group unveils some major findings from its most recent research, and some key facts can be extracted when compared to the previous years.

New Zealand is home to the world’s largest flightless bird, the Kiwi, flightless making it a distinctive species among birds.

Also, New Zealand was the first country to give women the right to

vote in 1893. This was a significant moment in history and demonstrated New Zealand’s commitment to equality and democracy.

And what to speak about New Zealand if not speaking about rugby and their famous All Blacks. Indeed, New Zealand does have a distinctive and physical style of playing rugby that is often referred to as “Kiwi style,” and it is considered to be one of the best and most exciting forms of rugby in the world.

And there are a little more than 426,000 infants and preschoolers in

New Zealand!

In Autumn 2022, children 0 to 6 know 54 different brands, and the brands named change more and more depending on the child’s gender (and age!). Consequently, fewer brands cater to both genders.

Great success of Cocomelon in New Zealand!

Cocomelon dominates all other brands, including Australian hit Bluey, with a staggering 27% of the mentions as the preferred entertainment brand for infants and preschoolers.

ABOUT BRANDTRENDS GROUP

The BrandTrends Group is a global full-service supplier of marketing research with a focus on brand, lifestyle, and attitudinal trends as well as specializing on children, youth and families (but not only!).

The BrandTrends Group monitors up to 53 markets each year. Thanks to BrandTrends Group’s in-depth knowledge, expertise and unique, proprietary analytics, clients are able to identify the best opportunities in retail activation, consumer attitudes & behavior, competitive environment, and brand line design. The BrandTrends Group clients are renowned global companies, spanning from consumer package goods corporations, entertainment studios, retailers, and industry bodies.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Philippe GuinaudeauBrandTrends at philippe.guinaudeau@ brandtrends.com or visit www.brandtrends.com.

The brand’s success can be attributed to its excellent and captivating content, which is both instructive and enjoyable for young children. Children enjoy singing along to the catchy tunes in the colorful, upbeat videos. Additionally, by consistently updating its content and interacting with viewers on social media channels, the business has been able to keep a strong relationship with its audience.

Many families with small children in New Zealand have made Cocomelon a regular part of their daily routines and enjoy viewing its videos on YouTube and other websites. Overall, the Cocomelon brand’s preferences in New Zealand is evidence of the ability of excellent content to hold young audiences’ interest.

Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig, the challengers of Cocomelon in New Zealand, record similar performance

results. Of course, each brand has its own unique style and approach to children’s entertainment. But both brands share a commitment to providing high-quality content that is both fun and educational. Whether it’s through the exciting adventures of the Paw Patrol pups or the funfilled adventures of Peppa and her family, both brands have been able to keep young audiences engaged and entertained.

The Wiggles, the popular Australian brand, represents live performances.

The Wiggles’ 10th position in the ranking of the most favorite entertainment brands among kids in New Zealand is a testament to its longevity and continued popularity. The brand has remained relevant and beloved by young audiences for over three decades.

And The Wiggles have established themselves as a mainstay in the lives of many young children in New Zealand because to its catchy songs, entertaining characters, and captivating performances.

Ownership and Licensing Opportunities

In general, the market in New Zealand for products with an entertainment license for young children is booming. A significant portion of the top 30 most most popular brands report a positive consumer demand gap (where there are more intending to purchase a product with the brand on it than persons actually owning already a product). Overall, this indicates that throughout the course of the upcoming year, the market for these products will grow, naturally at the New Zealand level.

New Zealand serves as an illustration of how new licenses can penetrate a market despite its size and value

A number of fairly recent brands are already at the top of the most favorite entertainment brands among infants and preschoolers in New Zealand, as evidenced by the success of Cocomelon, Baby Shark’s inclusion in the top 10 most favorite brands, and Moana.

Yes, the scale of the market contributes to this phenomena and makes it simpler to achieve such a level of success.

However, their success is also a testament to the power of great content and the importance of being able to connect with young audiences in meaningful ways.

The competition in the children’s entertainment market is intense, and new brands must be able to differentiate themselves and offer high-quality content that resonates with young audiences. And brands that are able to do this are able to capture the hearts of young audiences and establish themselves as key players in the market.

These certainly did it!

PAW PATROL - A PAW-some 10 years!

Pre-schoolers around the globe have been ‘on a roll’ with PAW Patrol for the last decade as the heroic pups have continued to capture the hearts of kids, parents, licensees, retailers and key partners around the world.

The overall theme of PAW Patrol’s 10th anniversary is ‘One big celebration’ and that’s exactly what we intend to do. Being one of only a handful of pre-school franchises that have managed this incredible milestone, we’re immensely proud of PAW Patrol’s success to date and we’ll continue to build momentum with a full calendar of exciting activity to celebrate. From the franchise’s biggest year of content yet, to huge social media campaigns, retail partnerships and more, we’re ready to put our adorable rescue pups on centre stage this year.

It’s been a true collaboration with Spin Master, the creators of PAW Patrol, Nickelodeon and Paramount resulting in the success of building a global preschool phenomenon. Together, we’ve strategically managed PAW Patrol’s growth across all aspects of the franchise including fresh content, relevant themes, creative assets and innovative marketing, as well as a proactive licensing program and collaborative planning at retail.

PAW Patrol remains the #1 pre-school franchise globally and Down Under, PAW Patrol continues to dominate retail as the #1 pre-school toy property, bolstered by the support of over 40 Australian and New Zealand licensees.

PAW Patrol has a solid fan base with a staggering 90% awareness with Australian children aged two to five (Kidz Global, 2022). It regularly notches up three million monthly YouTube views, is the #1 pay TV kids show with an enormous 48.9% share in kids under five, and coupled with episodes on Nick Jr. and 10 Shake, reached more than two million Australians last year.

In 2023, we’ll see further growth opportunities as the brand enters its second decade and evergreen status. It will be a huge year for the hit pre-school property which includes a second feature film PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, all-new episodes with more action-packed rescue missions, plus the first-ever spinoff series, Rubble & Crew, centring on fan-favourite pup Rubble. We’re also diving into the year with a new content theme, Aqua Pups, which will premiere with four special episodes around Easter and welcomes Skye’s cousin and new pup, Coral, as well as ‘merpups’.

This commitment to fresh content for PAW Patrol combined with a coordinated and considered growth strategy, proactive marketing, and an exciting calendar of activity hitting key beats throughout the year, will ensure the franchise remains top dog in the eyes of kids and parents as we roll out ‘One big celebration’ for the 10th anniversary.

PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE IN CINEMAS SEPTEMBER 2023

A major moment for the franchise in 2021 that further deepened the engagement and connection with fans, was the launch of PAW Patrol: The Movie, a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures.

The first theatrical release for the franchise, PAW Patrol: The Movie debuted at #1 across 25 markets and took over $145 million USD worldwide at the box office ($205 million AUD). The pups are set to continue their adventures on the big screen, with a second movie looking to make another mighty impact at the box office.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie will see a magical meteor crash land in Adventure City giving the pups superpowers, transforming them into ‘The Mighty Pups’. It’s an action-packed superhero film with animation, characters and a storyline more powerful and enticing than ever before. This sequel is a female-led story centred on the brave and beloved girl pup, Skye. Bringing Skye to the forefront will help fuel the growth of our girls’ consumer products business.

The first PAW Patrol movie was the biggest Nickelodeon synergy campaign in our studio’s history, and we plan to top that for the sequel. Breakthrough creative will be everywhere, including exclusive content, broadcast integrations, and a media campaign that will be mightier than ever!

From a retail perspective, we have some huge movie campaigns launching later this year so watch this space for PAW Patrol to takeover the September school holidays!

Paramount, Nickelodeon and Spin Master are also gearing up for the release of the first ever spin-off series Rubble & Crew, an extension of the core PAW Patrol show focussing on fan-favourite Rubble, with new content scheduled for Australia in late 2023. The new series will focus on a construction theme that is set to engage our younger fans.

LEADER OF THE PACK

The retail strategy in 2023 for PAW Patrol will not only include celebrations around the 10th anniversary and movie sequel, but also maximise seasonal and retail event opportunities, closing gaps and keeping things fresh in market.

When it comes to Australia, PAW Patrol continues to dominate with strong growth across all categories in both boys and girls, including toys, apparel, accessories, publishing, homeware and back to school. And we continue to expand our collaborations with new and innovative partners with the likes of Oodie (sleepwear), Play Pouch (play mats), SMD (consumer electronics), Toy Monster (tablet holder) and Cool Pods (cooler Bags) – all of which have been instrumental in fuelling further awareness, growth and closing retail gaps.

It’s no surprise with its evergreen status that PAW Patrol is also seeing a huge appetite for CPG. Recently, we launched a new cheese snack selection with PRIMO, a range of healthier sausages and meatballs for kids with Flinders + Co and kids’ gummies with BH Fine Foods. Look out for more exciting and new partnerships as we gear up for the movie release in 2023. This year will also see a big focus on seasonal, stationery, health and beauty with expansion planned right across key retailers. Expect to see bold statements in-stores as we take our pups to new heights. Collaborating with our incredible partners has helped build the success of PAW Patrol over the last decade. And there’s still so much more to come in 2023 as we build on this momentum with a year-long celebration of ‘pup culture’ that will continue the currency and cement the longevity of this much-loved brand.

Their signature blend of high-stakes action, humour and brotherhood keeps consumers coming back for life - making it a truly multi-generational franchise with fans of all ages.

In 2023, the Turtles are heading to the big screen to debut a brand-new animated feature film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and introduce this franchise to yet another generation. Produced by Nickelodeon Animation and Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the man who brought us Superbad is a superfan of the Ninja Turtles and he has a black belt in telling coming-of-age stories in ways that resonate across generations.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM IN CINEMAS SEPTEMBER 2023.

Fans are already excited. Through a massive global theatrical marketing campaign, partnerships and promotions, this fearless foursome is back and better than ever!

We’re taking this lean, green, mean franchise to incredible new heights at retail. Playmates return as our master toy partner with an extensive range targeting adult collectors and kids aged 6+. Additionally, the ANZ licensing program for the movie will consist of best-in-class partners in over a dozen categories.

And fans of our heroes in a half shell can look forward to an actionpacked year full of surprises in 2024, as we celebrate 40 years of this iconic franchise. Cue some major global fashion collaborations, brand partnerships and activations. It’s going to be a total turtle takeover in 2024 as we boost our retail presence across every age, every aisle, everywhere.

SPONGEBOB BRINGS FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.

“Smart enough for adults, weird enough for kids: SpongeBob is TV perfection” – The Guardian.

SpongeBob SquarePants is synonymous with eternal optimism and wide-eyed innocence and that’s why this beloved franchise translates into diverse and fun products across the globe for all age-groups, including the young and young at heart.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. TOTAL TURTLE MAY-HEM.

For nearly 40 years, kids have been captivated by the butt-kicking, pizza-loving top-secret superdudes known as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

In 2023, we’re ramping up our activity as we prepare for the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants next year in 2024. As part of our year-long celebration, we’ll be rolling out a slate of fresh content, including a series of feature-length films, new TV seasons and so much more!

Locally, SpongeBob SquarePants is a fan-favourite animated show available to watch on demand on 10 Play, continues to air weekly on Nickelodeon and 10 Shake, and is of course an anchor franchise on Paramount+. On the ground, expect to see scaled marketing and PR activations as we hit key beats and pulse points throughout the year, giving fans the ultimate Bikini Bottom experience.

We’ll also be celebrating SpongeBob SquarePants’ anniversary across multi-tiered retail partnerships and campaigns, aligned to key moments in the consumer products calendar with a focus on the ‘whole family’. With over 250 style guides, from core branding to seasonal opportunities, there’s something to appeal to every fan as we focus on expanding our product offering in-store across apparel, accessories, home, health and beauty.

And fans just can’t get enough of everyone’s favourite sea sponge.

A SEA CHANGE TO TACKLE OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION

Ocean conservation and education has always been at the heart of SpongeBob SquarePants. In our bid to reduce ocean plastic pollution, we recently launched SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change . This multi-year global initiative will help turn the tide by funding global clean-up work, promoting sustainable products and educating millions of fans on how they can help protect the undersea home of all creatures – whether they’re a silly sea star or an optimistic yellow sponge. In Australia, we’ll continue to align with ocean conservation efforts with our Junior Citizens of the Reef program. Initially launched on World Oceans Day in 2019, the program promotes reef and ocean awareness to kids around the world through a series of marketing and influencer activity. Kids are encouraged to pledge their support by becoming a ‘junior citizen’ and taught simple everyday actions they can do to help protect the reef.

Aligning with our goal to make a difference, we’ll make a commocean in the retail space with new products that feature reduced single-use plastic and partnerships, across multiple categories including plush, secondary toys, fashion and accessories.

There’ll be a wumbo of marketing, activations and brand partnerships and it starts with a splash, but we need your help to turn the tide!

GARFIELD HAPPY 45TH PURR-THDAY!

The global awareness and popularity of Garfield continues to unlock fresh opportunities and propel this loveable, funny and unapologetic cat

to new heights and popularity.

This year, the most iconic cat in the business is celebrating its 45th anniversary. His unique ‘cattitude’ and ‘stress-less’ lifestyle has made him a beloved character for fans of all ages. Paramount is planning a huge celebration to kick off anniversary celebrations including a social media campaign, exciting new global fashion collaborations, and new limited-edition collectibles and products.

The cheeky and irreverent humour of Garfield, combined with his cute and cuddly nature makes him the purr-fect IP to deliver carefree, comfortable and body positive fashion style that spans genders and generations. In Australia, Garfield’s appeal has hugely resonated in categories across apparel, sleep, accessories and seasonal, with the successful launch of multiple retail programs across diverse demographics. In 2023, we will continue to grow our footprint into new categories like stationery, gifting and CPG to help fans around the world embrace their favourite feline.

Beyond 2023, is an all-new adventure for Garfield with all new content, same beloved cat – it’s time to settle into the couch beside our ginger feline friend and immerse yourself in the world of Garfield

EMILY IN PARIS

From the moment it debuted, Emily has taken not only Paris, but the world by storm. Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, this romantic comedy has become a global smash hit on Netflix and a fashionable brand. Season 3 of Emily In Paris launched December 2022 and quickly became the most popular show on Netflix in Australia and was the #2 Netflix TV show (English) globally. Season 3 was up 60% in viewership compared to the prior season. And it doesn’t stop there… season 4 has been greenlit! We know Emily is a viral sensation and an instant fashion icon. When the season first launched, her wardrobe and accessories drove massive online search traffic making an Emily In Paris consumer products program a sure bet.

Globally we’ve already launched several successful programs with high-profile brand and retail partners including global collaborations with Starbucks, My Beachy Side and Malone Souliers, to name just a few with more in the pipeline.

It’s going to be another big year in 2023 with retail activations, influencer partnerships and new product launches confirmed. So, let’s raise a toast to more glam and talk with us about an Emily In Paris consumer products opportunity!

YELLOWSTONE

Yellowstone is a Paramount series that has stampeded its way into one of the top global entertainment favourites. Unless you’ve been sleeping under a cowboy hat, you will have no doubt heard of the global smash hit series Yellowstone . In the US, it’s our fastest growing CP franchise and is also one of the most in-demand series in Australia since the Season 4 release!

Following its success, the franchise has expanded with spin-off origin stories 1883 and 1923 that has continued to secure new fans and deepen the audience engagement with this captivating retelling of America’s Western expansion. Both titles have consistently been in the top 10 most streamed shows since their release on Paramount+. Our consumer products program translates the appeal of Yellowstone’s rugged western aesthetic into a lifestyle brand for its growing legion of fans. Locally in Australia, there is high affinity and product interest for Yellowstone . In 2023, we’re planning to launch a raft of partnerships that bring Yellowstone to life across multiple retail channels.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

With over 100 years of iconic movie making, Paramount Pictures has produced some of the most popular and beloved films of all time.

Top Gun: Maverick earned over $1.4 billion USD at the box office globally and locally soared close to $93 million AUD making it the highest grossing movie of 2022 in Australia. It has also just passed Titanic to become the highest grossing film domestically in the studio’s history. To fuel the

franchise and take it to new heights, we’ll be focusing on activations at key seasonal moments such as Father’s Day and Christmas gifting. This year Grease is the word as we celebrate its 45th anniversary. Expect to see beauty inspired takeovers and scaled global influencer campaigns as well gifting partnerships. And in April 2023, Paramount+ will be launching a brand-new original series called Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies. This series takes place before the original movie and follows four outcasts who dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral dilemma that will change Rydell High forever.

With a library of thousands of titles at Paramount Pictures, including current favourites like Mission Impossible and classics such as Mean Girls and The Godfather, to name just a few, our nostalgia business is booming with iconic content from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. So reach out to us and find your next retail opportunity.

STAR TREK UNIVERSE AND PRODIGY

Star TrekTM now has a dedicated home in Australia on Paramount+ with all the iconic original content in one place for fans as well as five brand new series Star TrekTM is an extremely well-established title with Australian audiences aged 13 to 64 and the show consistently features in the top 10 shows on Paramount+. Each new series will be supported by heavyweight marketing ensuring existing fans and new audiences are ready to board the starship Enterprise and travel into space, the final frontier on Paramount+.

But Star TrekTM is not just for adults and in 2022, we launched our first ever kids’ spin-off show, Star Trek: ProdigyTM which provides the perfect entry point into the Star TrekTM universe. Season 2 of Star Trek: ProdigyTM will be coming to Paramount+ and Nickelodeon offering new consumer products opportunities for youth target markets.

We can’t wait to expand the global powerhouse brand of Star TrekTM into all ages and leverage exciting new consumer products opportunities with our partners.

Victoria Bitter partners with Tradie to bring VB to the work site

Introducing a 13-piece workwear range to reward hard working Aussies!

Victoria Bitter in partnership with Tradie has launched a new workwear line designed to celebrate the return to the worksite in 2023 and reward those getting the job done.  The collaboration between two brands beloved by Aussies has delivered a 13-piece tradie range including t-shirts, hoodies, jocks and the unmissable Ripstop pants and shorts. No longer restricted to tools down, hardworking Australians can now show off their love for VB onsite from sunrise right through to knock-off. The range launched in January in Big W and Mitre 10 stores, marking the first-time the hardware store has teamed up with a national beer brand.

working on one of the ‘Aussiest’ collabs ever to bring Tradie tough workwear to VB’s famed consumer base.  “Light weight and made with Ripstop technology, the workwear pants can handle anything you throw at it making it certain to be a favourite onsite for years to come.”

The VB x TRADIE workwear range is available in-store, starting at just $17.00, and includes the perfect fit for any tradie looking to freshen up their wardrobe for the return to work this summer.

Blonde, Carlton Dry, Melbourne Bitter, Crown Lager, Cascade Premium Light and Matilda Bay.

The stable of brands includes global premium brands such as Corona, Budweiser, and Hoegaarden along with their most recent additions: leading craft brands 4 Pines, Pirate Life and Balter. They are also leaders in innovation, with their diverse range including the non-alcoholic Carlton Zero, aluminium-only wine company Riot Wine Co. and Lexington Hill Cocktail Club. The company can trace their origins to the mid-nineteenth century when they first brewed Victoria Bitter and even earlier to the Cascade Brewery, which was established in 1824 and commenced brewing in Tasmania in 1832.

They employ more than 1,700 people at their six Australian breweries and various offices around Australia.

VB Marketing Manager, Marc Lord said, “VB’s foray into workwear is a natural fit for the brand which, for generations, has been intrinsically linked to rewarding hard-working tradies in Australia.  “The partnership has been seamless from conception through to production, and we can’t wait to catch-up with our mates at Tradie and toast the new workwear partnership with a hard-earned beer.”

Tradie Chief Executive Officer, Ben Goodfellow said, “It’s been exciting

This latest collaboration from Victoria Bitter  follows successful pairings with Volley, Rolla’s, Mr Simple, Budgy Smuggler and Culture Kings in recent years. However, VB’s resurgence through brand extensions has not been limited to youth fashion. ‘VB Thirst’ launched via Chemist Warehouse in 2020 was the fastest selling fragrance in Australian history and led to the release of ‘VB For Men’ last year, a comprehensive men’s grooming range perfect for the hard-working Aussie male.

Carlton & United Breweries is a proud part of the Asahi Beverages family. Carlton & United Breweries brews Australia’s most iconic and loved beers, including Victoria Bitter, Carlton Draught, Great Northern, Pure

Brand Collaborators. Category Disruptors. Product Innovators.

Asembl is the premier design, food & lifestyle brand extension agency in the Asia Pacific.

Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and led by Co-Founder and Managing Director, Justin Watson, Asembl brings new licensed product and service innovation to market, and brand stories to life.

Asembl attributes its success to its trusted relationships with brand owners, retailers and manufacturers, building long term strategic partnerships. Working with global brands, retailers and licensees, the passionate team helps to create millions of new touch points and occasions for consumers to be surprised and delighted by loved brands.

Offering an end-to-end approach, Asembl’s capabilities extend across strategy, brand management, retail engagement, product development, creative, contract administration, marketing, and digital media.

Asembl’s impressive portfolio of clients includes Coca-Cola, Diageo, Fleur Harris, Perfetti Van Melle, Ellie Whittaker and Unilever (Streets).

2022 brought yet another exciting year for Asembl - challenging, extending and innovating key brands and categories across food, soft lines and hard goods.

2022 Highlights: Chupa Chups in the Freezer

Chupa Chups’ first licensed food product in Australia made its debut in the freezer with Australia’s oldest family-owned and operated dairy companies, Bulla Dairy Foods in March 2022. Chupa Chups’ global best-selling flavour, Strawberry & Cream was brought to its creamiest and dreamiest life in ice-cream form for the first time featuring strawberry and vanilla ice-cream flavours with crushed candy and strawberry sauce drizzle. Launching into major grocery across Australia, it quickly became the number one licensed multi-pack in the freezer and gained extensive media attention with 78 million reach and Chupa Chups search word up +270%.

Chupa Chups’ adventure in the freezer was extended in October 2022 with the launch of the new Mixed Minis with three new forever fun flavours – Strawberry & Cream, Watermelon and Cola. The launch brought new innovation to the category, offering an alternative to full sized frozen products. The launch gained extensive media coverage reaching over 50 million.

Ellie Whittaker at Best&Less

In 2022, Australia’s next generation pioneer of iconic Aussie prints and designs, Ellie Whittaker secured a direct to retail partnership with Australian family fashion retailer, Best&Less with licensing agency, Asembl. Available in store and online, the Gold Coast textile

designer unveiled an exclusive suite of fashion and accessories featuring iconic Australian animals, landmarks, and fauna in Best&Less. Her first range featured six key prints across 65 pieces – Native Birds, Animal Instinct, Seascape, Beach Share, Weekend Palms and Gumdrops, each connected with a personal memory from Ellie’s childhood.

The promotional campaign received significant support from both Ellie Whittaker and Best&Less across socials, paid ads, edms, and in store windows and point of sale. In October, Ellie embarked on a road trip down the East Coast of New South Wales in her ‘Caravan of Colour’ – a caravan decaled with artwork from the collection, and the Best&Less x Ellie Whittaker logo lock up to celebrate the launch.

Fleur Harris

In 2022, Asembl began steering the global development of Australian artist, Fleur Harris. Driven by a passion for producing whimsical creations, Fleur Harris is a celebrated artist, illustrator and mother.

Fleur’s ‘Garden Party’ came to life through children’s apparel. Launching into David Jones, and online at the newly launched fleurharris.com in September, the 62 piece debut collection embodied Fleur’s values of quality, attention to detail, practicality and whimsy across dresses, skirts, tees, rompers and accessories. Charming hearts both big and small, the collection was perfect for twirling (or crawling) the day away, from playground the party.

The launch of the range was supported through paid and organic social media campaigns across @fleurharris_thelabel Instagram account, strategic edms, give aways, influencer gifting and a children’s styling suite event at David Jones.

Crafted from the heart to surprise, delight and ignite the imagination, Fleur Harris’ debut collection was one of many to come throughout 2023 and beyond.

range included candles, mood mist fragrant oils, tealights and melts – the very first time these childhood favourites were reimagined through fragrance. The launch received significant support through socials, edms, influencers, PR and amazing in store point of sale. The range didn’t last long, selling out their first drop in just 2 weeks!

Baileys x Sara Lee

Part cake, part booze, Baileys is the most pleasurable indulgence there is, and has been since 1974 and is the world’s no.1 liqueur brand. Sara Lee is a brand rich in history, holding the no.1 market position in frozen desserts in ANZ.

In November 2022, the delicious flavour of Baileys Irish Cream and Sara Lee’s decadent frozen desserts

Streets x dusk

Asembl partnered Streets’ childhood favourites – Bubble O’ Bill, Golden Gaytime, Rainbow Paddle Pop and Splice – together with Australia’s favourite home fragrance specialist, dusk for a dreamy creamy fragrance range.

Launching in August, the dusk Streets

came together to create two indulgent treats – Sara Lee Baileys Inspired Chocolate Pudding and Baked Cheesecake. Both desserts included a rich and indulgent sauce with the taste of Baileys. Launching exclusively into Coles in the three weeks leading up to Christmas the collaboration was the perfect grown-up indulgence!

If you would like to collaborate with bestin-class global brands, please get in touch:

justin@asembl-brands.com

www.asembl-brands.com

Get ready to party with Amscan!

2022 was incredibly exciting for the Amscan team and the product portfolio launched, and 2023 is shaping up to be even bigger!

2022 saw the launch of the amazing new party ensembles for Jurassic World, Disney’s Lightyear and Gabby’s Dollhouse, with the only thing more exciting than the incredible products that included everything from shaped character plates to innovative decorating kits being the evolution to sustainable product formats and sustainable packaging.

Sustainability is at focus front and centre for the team at Amscan, whether that means adjusting finer details such as ensuring their cake decorating picks are made from FSC paper, to adjusting all product that has been previously packaged in plastic polybags to FSC cardboard envelopes and boxes! These changes span across Amscan’s entire portfolio, including all new ranges and the transition of current ranges!

These achievements along with their future plans have led the Amscan Team to receive one of the highest honours from one of their key party partners, as they were awarded Big W’s Sustainability Supplier of the Year accolade! This is a brand-new award issued by the Woolworths Group for the first time in 2022, and the team were initially humbled to be nominated and then beyond proud to be the very first supplier to accept this incredibly important award.

Amscan will continue the next phase of their sustainability Journey in 2023, after signing up to a partnership with Terracycle in 2022 to deliver a balloon recycling program for all of the amazing latex and foil balloons in their range. These balloons are given

a second life after being returned to a Terracy cle x Amscan bin and transformed and reused for amaz ing solutions such as flooring in kids’ outdoor playgrounds! https:// www.terracycle. com/en-AU

2022 also saw the launch for Amscan of their BRAND-NEW animatronics range! Launching for Halloween, the team bought to life the dark creatures of Harry Potter with a 1.65m hanging Dementor, featuring light and sound. Along with Hagrid’s furry friend Aragog who can sit away quietly in the corner and spring to action jumping forward with sound, just from the simple action of getting a little too close!

Hidden in a castle deep in the woods, “Magic mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?” The Evil Queen was bought to life in two amazing Animatronics, firstly in the form of everyone’s favourite mirror with an illuminated face and talking animation, and secondly a 1.5m tall stand ing Evil Queen as an old hag, featuring light, animation and sound repeating custom recorded dark phrases for Amscan direct from Disney’s studios!

Tim Burton’s Jack Skellington also joined the party in animated door knock er form and also a 1.8m life-size character! Last ly accompanied by truly dark favourites in sitting doll form, Chucky and An nabelle. They may be small in scale but these two pint sized dolls may be the scariest of the lot.

After such an excit ing 2022, the team at Amscan are even more

2023! And speeding his way to the front of the pack for 2023 is Sonic the Hedgehog! Go. Fast. and that is exactly what Sonic is doing, as he joins the club of gaming licenses such as Super Mario and boy are they both zooming out the door.

Get ready to Wiggle because the new Wiggles range is getting ready to launch, as we welcome not only Tsehay the newest yellow wiggle but also Shirley Shawn the Unicorn! There is plenty of fruit salad to be shared on this new amazing range which has almost doubled in size from our previous range, Toot toot the Big Red Car is ready to make some deliveries.

Life is bubbles under the sea, and swimming into the Amscan warehouse middle of the year is our new Little Mermaid Range! Featuring beautiful watercolour pastels and gold accents, this nostalgic range in an Instagram dream. You will never have seen anything more wonderful in your entire life!

The nostalgia continues with a new May Gibbs offering coming later in the year. This wonderfully colourful offering provides great contrast to the current traditional May Gibbs range available, providing options for every lover of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie!

You can never have too much pink and the team at Amscan agree! Barbie is due to hit the big screen in July, and Amscan is excited to launch their brand-new Barbie range later this year. Taking a tradi tional approach to this exciting new range, it will be perfect for not only younger Barbie fans but who doesn’t love a Barbie Hens party. It’s time to live your dream with the ultimate Barbie party in 2023!

For those that prefer trains over dolls, our favourite trains are rolling into the

vourites are sure to be book week favourites for 2023, and not only do you receive a costume but also amazing book week accessories such as library cards and bookmarks! With multiple formats for characters including our sustainable costumes that come in out colour-me-in cardboard packaging, even the packaging is fun for the kids!

station later this year with the new Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go ensemble! This new range features the whole gang including Henry, Toby, Bruno, Edward, Salty, Kana, Gordon and everyone’s favourite little blue engine Thomas!

As we head into book week and Halloween the excitement continues. Roald Dahl costumes are now available including the beloved characters such as Matilda, Charlie and Chocolate Factory and BFG, these storybook fa-

Halloween will be here before we know it, and Amscan is excited to announce they will be launching their Adams Family costumes for this frightful event. Morticia, Gomez, Pugsley and Uncle Fester will all be there to dance dance dance the night away with none other than Wednesday! Available in an array of sizes, the Amscan team is beyond excited to include the Adams Family into their licensed costume portfolio that currently includes the pawsome pups from Paw Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Rugrats, Spongebob Square Pants, Blue’s Clues, Shimmer and Shine, Dr Seuss, Sesame Street, Trolls, South Park, Cobra Kai, Squid Game, Grease, and the iconic characters from Anchorman, Forrest Gump, Flashdance and Clueless!

Stupefy! What happens when you get a team of Potterheads around the table at Amscan? Coming for Halloween

2023 is a brand-new Harry Potter range. There is a buzz behind this new range that will take Potter Parties to the next level. Including decorations that allow you to transform your space into the halls of Hogwarts, a Marauder’s Map table cover, potion themed cups, goblets and even dark mark tattoos! The owls are dropping the invitations off in your letter box as we speak, so grab your Portkey and head to a Potter Party today.

With so much instore, is there really room for much more? Well, the team at Amscan say there is and still to come is the anticipated extension of the current Bluey range, so grab your chippies and sprinkles because Bluey, Bingo and the gang are ready to party some more in 2023! Trolls 3 is also hitting the big

screen November and Amscan are currently working on not only their best singing voices, but also bringing to life party and costumes for Poppy and her friends. And finally, to wrap up their year of Disney 100, Disney will bring more magic to the screens with Wish, plans are currently under secret lock and key because even miracles take a little time but watch for when the stars align and make a wish as you blow out those birthday candles at the end of the year!

Miffy ’s Global Explorations

Miffy’s creator Dick Bruna was born on the 23rd of August in 1927 ‘Year of the Rabbit’ which, in hindsight, was a curious coincidence. From humble beginnings dating back to 1955 his bookbased bunny miffy has evolved into the icon we know today.

Friendship, curiosity, uncomplicated fun and focus on essence are the cornerstones of Miffy’s world and continue to resonate with people from all ages and walks of life.

Colour your world with Miffy does not only refer to the colour palette used in Miffy’s original books but is a much more inclusive call to embrace the colour of the world in a broader sense.

Miffy’s world is about the uniqueness of each and every individual and leaving room for the imagination. The element of surprise and differences are embraced without compromising on quality whilst still making it accessible to all.

Australia and New Zealand have embraced Dick Bruna’s work since the 70s and continue to support the program through long-term media, publishing and licensing partnerships.

form. Bringing these ideas to audiences and to instil a love of art, as Bruna did over his lifetime, was done in collaboration with seven contemporary Australian artists.

Both long-term partners The Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Children’s publisher Hardy Grant continue to broadcast the television series and re-issue new book formats in combination with Dick Bruna’s original square book titles respectively.

Categories like plush, gifting and lifestyle are firmly established through collaborations with Jasnor and Rhino Rhino with extensions into other categories like gifting and flowers with Interflora Australia.

The recent partnership with Erstwilder has seen the creation of a collection of wearable art for anyone with a leaning towards nostalgia, adventure, and the innocence of their youth which nicely compliments the Miffy X Sarsparilly collection. This retro style collection is an expression and call to “Wear Your True Colours” which aligns with Miffy’s overarching colour your world theme.

Cotton On has launched a special Year of the Rabbit capsule collection available in multiple territories and supported by a dedicated social media campaign.

The global brand collaborations with Tommy Hilfiger and Mulberry are also leaving a big footprint through their physical and online stores where the Miffy limited edition collections have been made available.

Miffy was ‘born’ on 21 June 1955, when Dutch artist Dick Bruna first drew the character to entertain his young son whilst on a rainy seaside holiday in Holland.The series of picture books which followed used simple illustrations and rhyming text to explore the universal experiences of childhood, immediately

With some delay due to COVID, the first major Miffy exhibition recently visited Brisbane’s QUT Art Museum and Melbourne’s Bunjil Place Gallery. It evolved around concepts that Bruna and other artists have grappled with over the ages, including colour, line and

DTR partnerships are an indispensable part of Mericis’ efforts to share Miffy with as many people as possible and their collaborations with Peter Alexander and Cotton On have over the last few years seen multiple launches of well-coordinated male, female, baby, toddler, kids and adult Miffy collections. Not only do these collections perform well in their home territory but they also resonate greatly in Asia and Southern-Africa.

earning Bruna international critical acclaim as an author and artist.

68 years later, the Miffy books have sold more than 85 million copies, and are currently published in more than 50 languages. Merchandise is available across five continents and highly integrated business units in the fields of publishing, media and licensing support Miffy’s global explorations.

For more information about Dick Bruna’s life and work, visit www.miffy.com or contact info@mercis.nl

For the Australian and New Zealand Miffy licensing program please contact vincent.Jones@centaip.com

SPOTLIGHT ON CENTA IP

Florence Broadhurst is being brought back to life by Signature Design Archive.

Risk-taker par excellence, style maven extraordinaire, Florence Broadhurst’s most exhilarating legacy is a design archive making waves around the world today. Born in 1899 in Australia’s Queensland, the light went out on Florence Broadhurst designs in 1977 when she was tragically murdered in her studio. But this is where her legend begins.

Charismatically fearless from the word go, Florence Broadhurst (pictured) spent the roaring Twenties singing across the Far East’s colonial reaches and ran The Broadhurst Academy, a school of performing arts in Shanghai from 1926–27. In London in the 1930’s she became “Madame Pellier” a French couturier proud to dress the rich and famous. She moved back to Australia in 1959 as an aristocratic English lady; an entrepreneur, society figurehead and landscape painter. With every incarnation Florence became somebody new – new hair color, new accent, new history... even, on occasion, a new name. At the age of 60 she did it again, launching in Sydney her defining venture – an internationally-successful, luxury, hand-print wallpaper business. She announced she would “colour Australia” and in so doing she re-drew the world.

Years ahead of her time, Florence Broadhurst created hundreds of hand screen printed wallpapers and textiles.

Her archive grew to over 530 images ranging from tapestries to geometrics, florals, psychedelic and eccentric chinoiserie.

After her untimely death in 1977 and the decline in popularity of wallpaper in the 1980s, Florence Broadhurst prints had all but disappeared. Today, however, they are experiencing a resurgence in popularity thanks to the passion of Signature Design Archive, and she is stepping back on to the international stage with designs that speak to innovators in every field. Designs are licensed across a range of categories including wallpaper, homewares, limited edition art, soft furnishings, Manchester, toiletries, gifts, stationery, luggage, apparel and accessories, key collaborations include Kate Spade NY, Qantas and David Jones department stores.

Gail Mitchell, CEO of Signature Design Archive says “Behind each image is the woman herself, an endlessly restless spirit. Her eye was exquisite, her appeal fascinating, and her approach at times very naughty indeed. A revolutionary in design and business in her own lifetime and beyond, Florence is a role model for women whose inimitable work continues to inspire the world today. She is a life, an enigma, a legend and a legacy, but the story is not over yet.”

Based on characters derived from the Chinese hit series GG BOND, the 104 x 11-minute series of Kung Fu Pork Choppers introduces the team of interstellar super-swines of the Universal Hero League.

“This is a very PIG deal”, says Al Kahn, Founder and CEO of Crane Kahn. “We completely redid the series to build a show and a universal brand with global appeal aimed at boys 4-8. The mix of martial arts and out-of-the-world gimmicks and gadgets mirror a proven play pattern to create a world that kids will

relish and have lucky licensees laughing all the way to the piggy bank”.

Kung Fu Pork Choppers is building an extensive licensing and merchandising programme with all rights being handled by Centa IP.

Gail Mitchell, CEO at Centa IP said “Everyone we show this to just gets it! This is the ultimate comedy adventure and we’re sure kids will love it!”

Jetpack Distribution, has acquired the rights for two seasons of the CGI

animated comedy-action-adventure series (104 x 11-minute episodes) targeted at four to eight year olds. Jetpack began presenting the property at the recent Kidscreen and have already had interest in the series from TV partners worldwide.

The first three seasons of Kung Fu Pork Choppers, produced by Chinabased Winsing in collaboration with CraneKahn LLC, is currently airing on more than 100 channels in China, including CCTV and Kaku, where it’s the number one kids show with an audience of 700 million views across all online platforms. Winsing, the Chinese commissioning platform, has committed to at least 300 episodes, which will see multiple seasons of the hit series produced.

Centa IP are currently in negotiations for global licenses including master toy and publishing.

For more information on Florence Broadhurst or Kung Fu Pork Choppers, please contact Gail Mitchell at Centa IP, gail.mitchell@centaip.com

Photographs courtesy of Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Florence Broadhurst and the ‘Rectangular Lockup Logo’ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Signature Design Archive Pty Ltd.

© 2022 Florence Broadhurst. All rights reserved.

Australian creative consultant based in Melbourne who was asked to create the official mascots for the Australian Pavilion at Expo2020 Dubai.

Total Licensing

Australia caught up with Angela to find out more. For more information visit: angeladomenici.com

https://www.instagram. com/angela_domenici/

Creating the Australian mascots for Expo2020 Dubai

ambitious and innovative. The mascot and the design elements for the consumer product that we envisioned were created to have a distinctive and consistent visual link with the Pavilion design and colour palette. Many were based on physical elements within the Pavilion and provide a visual connection to its structure, other works on a more abstract level to represent aspects of the “Connected Optimism” and its the-

Mascots are fun, they are larger-thanlife characters that can engage in a way that no one else can. It’s hard to ignore a giant friendly creature at an event that welcomes you in.

for the Australian Pavilion at Expo2020 Dubai. How did you get involved in designing them?

I have built a career that spans across decades and continents delivering successful products and creative ideas for a number of high-profile clients, especially in the entertainment area. I like to think that I have built a reputation for the quality of my work and the relations I build with my clients led me to this opportunity.

I feel very honoured to have been chosen for the project. I have loved every step of the creative process from leading an incredible team to using all my skillset to bridge cultures and continents in order present Australia to the world. It has been a very rewarding experience.

The Australia Pavilion, “Blue Sky Dreaming” has shared with the world the Australian innovation, creativity and optimism. Those themes were interpreted by our mascot, Wattle, and her sidekick friend Jali.They represented the attributes of Australians: spirited, generous diverse, collaborative,

The brief wanted to have an instantly recognizable Australian character so the choice was almost obvious in this regard even if we did propose other options. My team and I did try to convey all this messages into a simple and yet not conventional koala. Wattle is now our koala mascot and embodies the spirit of our country. And just like our country, she’s imaginative, creative and collaborative. She is a schoolgirl with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She sees the future and she can’t wait to get there. She’s a dreamer and an optimist. A visionary. She likes to stare at the boundless, deep, star-studded night sky, connecting the stars in shapes and figures, dreaming of the future. Her drawings (that echo and multiply in the pavilion’s decorations) are rooted in the ancient cultures of the visionaries who preceded her. She has a special friend, Jali, a free spirited and curious butterfly that follows Wattle wherever she goes. Jali is the faithful and wise friend of Wattle. He represents the roots of our people. Jali means tree in the Bundjalung Indigenous language, and, like a tree, Jali is an old spirit that connects the above and the below. If Wattle is the Yang, Jali is the Yin.

Why a mascot?

The Australian Pavilion had the need to engage a large number of visitors including a young audience and a mascot is the obvious choice to do so.

Creating your own mascot gives your brand a friendly face, a character and a personality. It’s what sparks that emotional connection and that sense of belonging. When someone makes you feel that you are welcome and you belong, you normally decide to stay, and if it makes you feel like you are part of something, it becomes your tribe, opening the door to a long-lasting relationship with your brand, in this case with a country - Australia.

Where do you start to design a mascot?

The process for creating a mascot is the same as for every other creative process. The modus operandi evolves in three simple phases: Discover – Explore – Create.

You start discovering all there is to it, what has been done, what has worked and what has not, this is really a learning phase. Here you just have to learn and listen.

Then you move to the next phase and start exploring options. The exploring phase is where you invent, grow, take risks, search for styles, sketch, change your mind, start again, make mistakes, break rules and mostly have fun. Brainstorming is the core of creativity especially if you work with a team. This is where everybody contributes to it and it’s the beating heart of the creative process. It’s where many ideas come from and, at the end, you will save one or two of them.

The last phase, the Creating, is more technical. It’s where you transfer your ideas on paper. It’s where your images become real and where you discover if they work or not. If not, you go back to the previous phase, adjust and try again.

Creativity is subtraction, you need to clean the overload of information and ideas and focus on what difference you

can make. I start projects every time with the aim to have fun and try to put a smile on people faces by doing something great. Hopefully I succeed more than I fail.

It seems that Wattle and Jali have been able to just do that. They have welcomed over a million visitors in the pavilion, they made people smile and leave with the curiosity for a journey of discovery, to know more about Australia’s diversity, ingenuity and contribution through 60.000 years of innovation.

The merchandise in the pavilion shop was a great success. Retail experienced an unforeseen demand for all branded merchandise and all items sold out long before the closing time of Expo. This is thanks to a very detailed and comprehensive style guide designed for retail and with licensing in mind. When you have a mascot that represent your brand is always a very good idea to invest in designing a style guide that complements the design and allows your brand to spin off and open opportunities into many licensing categories.

Can you tell us about yourself?

I am an Italian/Australian based in Melbourne. I am a Creative Consultant with almost four decades of experi-

ence in entertainment, kids publishing, licensing, wellness and life style. I have spent most of my life on the move, from Italy to New Zealand, the Pacific Ocean, Indonesia, to Australia where I now live. From here I have been managing teams across continents and time zones for the last 20 years delivering projects to clients from all over the world. I help companies to create products that people want.

Meeting many different cultures and travelling has inspired me and I think that cross-pollination is one of the best ways to try solve problems and create something relevant and new. I am extremely curious about trends and consumer behaviours that reflect our fast-paced world. My work is just a reflection of what I like and my constant search for beauty and harmony. Clients that trusted me include big global corporations such as Disney, Mattel, Ferrari, AC Milan, Panini, Dubai Parks, all the way down to boutique and niche brands.

How did you start?

My background is graphic design. I had my own design studio in Milan and I used to mainly serve the music and children’s publishing industry. Coming to Australia forced me to close it and reinvent myself. When I arrived, I had a hard time to find my place in

Football Australia launches new CommBank Matildas

Fan Gear

Football Australia (FA) are carving out a new direction for their licensed merchandise ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign taking place in Australia and New Zealand in July 2023.

FA recently re-launched their online store (visit https:// shop.footballaustralia.com.au/) leading up to the FIFA Men’s World Cup with unprecedented success which is expected to follow the successful CommBank Matildas path this year.

FA’s exclusive licensing agent - Velocity Brand Management has partnered with leading brands to create a supporter program for Australian football fans that can live outside of the traditional stadium environment and into everyday life.

These include water bottles by Frank Green, mobile phone accessories by Casetify, along with handbag collections by Colette Bags and Lala Land and youth street wear by Tidwell.

the work space and funnily enough the Distinguished Talent Visa for my work achievements didn’t help. People seemed to be alarmed by it more than intrigued.

I found myself with a big hurdle to overcame and I did it by coming up with the idea of working remotely with my existing clients, which now seems obvious, but back then when smart working tools did not exist, no skype or zoom available, it was not easy and a very foreign idea for many. It was a different reality.

The constraints of the physical distance transformed into a beautiful gift and helped me grow and understand that I had no limits.

Learning that I could virtually cross borders offered me an unimaginable freedom and I have Australia to thank for this.

BLUE CHIP BRANDS CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY...

2023 marks the 20th year in business for Melbourne based brand licensing agency – Blue Chip Brands. The company is marking the occasion with new product launches for existing brand partners as well as being appointed to manage the development of the consumer products program for some new clients.

Expanding on the launch of golf carts in 2022, automotive performance brand Shelby has launched a range of e-bikes through a deal brokered by Blue Chip Brands. Mirroring the power and performance of the Shelby cars the new Shelby e-bikes were launched at the recent PGA Golf Show in Orlando. The bikes come packed with features including a 1000 watt hub motor, 20ah LG lithium battery, 7 speed Shimano gears, 20 inch alloy wheels, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes, gas shock rear suspension, adjustable air front

forks, LED headlights, sequential rear turn lights, LCD screen and five power modes. The bikes will retail from US$3,000-$3,500. Australian illustrator Steven Rhodes continues to flourish to the extent that Blue Chip Brands has appointed subagents in key markets to further maximise licensing opportunities. The Sharpe Company has been appointed to manage the development of the brand in North America and DtR for the EMEA region. A raft of new deals have been finalised recently including Ripple Junction,

chain Jay Jays. Both ranges were designed and delivered by licensee Bravado Australia.

Continuing the theme of classic licenses, Evel Knievel has landed a range of T-shirts with Australian lifestyle and denim retail chain – Jeans West through licensee Mitch Dowd Design. The range included 6 T-shirt designs for Summer with long sleeve tees due in store for the Winter 23 season.

Ata-Boy and Sellers Publishing in North America. In EMEA - Displate, Moonpig, EMP and Impericon have all inked deals and Blackstone Design has come on board and will be supplying apparel to Urban Outfitters.

Betty Boop is enjoying a resurgence in Australasia. Young women’s apparel was launched in the first quarter of 2023 with global fashion destination online retailer – Princess Polly as well as with youth fashion

Building on the launch success in early 2022 of LA Gear apparel and footwear with national retailer Big W, the LA Gear program has further expanded to into boyswear and girlswear as well as adding the eyewear, watches, back pack and headwear categories. One of the licenses that has recently joined the Blue Chip Brands portfolio is the University of Cambridge. The collegiate fashion trend has really established itself worldwide and there is no more iconic institution than the University of Cambridge which dates back to 1209. With global retail programs in place with brands such as Replay Jeans, Bershka and H&M the first Australian apparel is slated to be launched for Summer 2023.

Blue Chip Brands has also been tapped to develop a consumer products program in the region for Californian design and lifestyle brand – Killer Acid. Killer Acid represents the psychedelic work of artist Rob Coradetti. The style is a blend of head shop and punk rock and enjoys premium retail placement with retailers including Zumiez, Urban Outfitters and Pac Sun in the USA and Blue Tomato in Europe. The key focus will be to secure the core apparel partner to launch the brand in Australasia.

Toy Fair is Back!

The Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair is the biggest and most important event for the industry in Australia, attracting the biggest names in toys and thousands of attendees from around the world. And this year it’s back in person!

At this annual event, retailers and buyers are given their first look at the new toy, hobby and licensing products from suppliers such as LEGO, Spin Master and Mattel as well as some homegrown brand owners such as Moose, HeadStart International, Connetix and Mizzie the Kangaroo. Being the first physical Fair since 2020, this event is sure to be a not to be missed event with so many more reasons to attend, such as the new ATA Learning Hub and our Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment event. The Australian Fair will again feature their industry night at the Crown Palladium celebrating the products, licenses and people that make the industry go from strength to strength.

On the night, the Product of the Year and Licensing Awards which are both retrospective, will recognise many categories including Doll, Plush and Action categories for product and Overall, Boutique and Preschool for Licensing. A full list of categories can be seen on austoy.com.au. A new category for 2023 will be the Sustainability and Environmental award and this acknowledges those exhibitors who focus not only on the value of play but also the environmental challenges that we face. The ATA also have a few awards

that predict what is going to be favourite for both retailers and kids and these are the Judges Choice and Kids Choice awards. The latter, sponsored by Just Kidding, will have kids inspecting, testing and voting on what they think is hot.

Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment is a new and exciting addition to the Toy Fair. Hosted by the ATA and sponsored by LEGO Australia, the event will see five leaders in the industry tell of their journey that got them to where they are today. The event will be held on the 7th of March at 3.30pm, and will see speakers from Warner Bros, LEGO, Mumpower, NBC Universal and Mizzie the Kangaroo.

Seats are limited and each guest will be offered complimentary membership to Women in Toys Licensing and Entertainment, a global community working together to champion and advocate for the advancement of women through leadership, opportunity and education, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, physical or mental abilities.

This year ATA has also introduced a Learning Hub where they will be running various presentations throughout the Fair. These events include Reach Tomorrow’s Mums on TikTok from Mumpower, 2022 Toy Market Overview from NPD, a Session on Sustainability & The Future of Retail presented by the Retail Doctor Group. For more information on all these presentations please go to https://toyfair.joyn-us.app/agenda.

For more information regarding the Fair visit www.austoy.com.au or contact the Toy fair office Toyfair@austoy.com.au or +61 3 9320 2600.

Continued

SHOW HOURS

Sunday 5 March 9.00 - 1700

Monday 6 March 9.00 - 17.00

Meeting Place

Tuesday 7 March 9.00 - 17.00

Wednesday 8 March 9.00 - 15.00

ATA Learning Hub

A&O want to support retailers to the best of their ability. They have a solid range of adult party games which have proven very successful over the last two years. Bogans and The Rudest Game You’ve Ever Played are consistent top sellers with the pocket sized drinking games This Game Will Get You Drunk & Moist not far behind. Badly Described Movies was the first of their family friendly range released in early 2022 and is a must for all game stores!

2023 started with a bang! They have eight new Aussie-designed and produced family friendly games just released with more to follow in the second half of the year.  Gelato, Pizza Oven and Mad Hatter’s Tea Party are proving popular already with kids and families alike.

make the cut. Those that do demonstrate a commitment to designing and manufacturing unique, safe, and eco-friendly products.

Visitors can see new educational activity kits and skill training games from Headu, an expanded silicone toy offering from Bigjigs, the new Kingsley Kitchen from Indigo Jamm and the ever-popular Kinderfeets Tiny Tot trikes at Toy Fair 2023. They willl also be showcasing the new Apple Park Kids range, a cuddly eco-friendly collection of 100% certified organic cotton soft dolls. The first samples of the Kinderfeets outdoor games range will also be on display at Toy Fair

From March 2023 Axis Toys & Gifts will operate as Educational Wholesaler for Miniland rather than the Retail Distributor in Australia and New Zealand. The role of Retail Distributor will now be fulfilled by Modern Brands. This new strategy follows Miniland’s inter-

Exhibitor Preview

This year they have also partnered with Level Up Dice – an Australian luxury dice manufacturer. Their polyhedral dice sets are made from semi-precious stones or solid metals (aluminium and brass). They now offer their Glyphic Blind Bags and three unique retailer kits; which contain a selection of sets that are both beautiful and functional!

Artiwood is an award-winning educational toy company for big imaginations. They represent boutique global toy brands with an eco-friendly focus. In the last five years, They have grown threefold and been voted Supplier of the Year by industry peers. Their business model is simple. They search the world for brands that endorse their sustainable, heirloom-quality, philosophy at an affordable price. Very few

Awals Creations started in 1988 in New Delhi, India, devoted to the development of various educational and creative games and toys and preschool products. They believe that innovation is a never-ending process and through the latest technology, their team of experts ensures familiarity, safety & durability in all their products. The company manufactures latest, high quality, safe & affordable infant, preschool & children educational, wooden and plastic, creative toys and games. Their products are very reasonably priced and they aim to enhance children’s aptitude. They foster learning and development through creative play in children from tiny toddlers to school age years. Their toys aim to develop creative thinking skills, eye-hand coordination, spatial skills, grip and muscle control, visualization and social skills and abstract thinking. Intelligence enlargement of children and value of money for parents are our key guiding factors with which they endeavor.

national plan and aiming to cover both channels: educational and retail, in a more specialised way. Axis has worked with Miniland for over 15 years and are proud to have helped make the Miniland brand a household name. They will continue to support their chosen charities of Children’s Ground and Down Syndrome Australia which Axis Toys & Gifts donates 3.5% of sales proceeds to from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Down syndrome ranges since their launch in Australia.

The Outdoors is Yours is the motto of the word renown Berg Toys products. From karts, scooters, balance bikes, trampolines and play base

there are products to suit all, proudly distributed within Australia by the team at Berg Australia. Berg has been growing worldwide since 1984 and has based its brand on developing quality outdoor play equipment for the whole

family to enjoy. Having won multiple Red Dot awards with the world leading design team based in Holland customers will be assured only quality European products that will stand the test of time.

Bright Wonders is a market leading toy distributor specialising in unique and beautiful award-winning children›s toys, gifts and games from Europe. Australian owned, they have been successfully importing and distributing children’s toys throughout Australia since 2004.

terrain tyres, a tow bar and pull back action to make it more fun and thrilling for kids. These products will also be available in a variety of colours for kids to add to their diorama collection.

by classic Disney animation and films; Star Wars and new, launching at the Toy Fair in 2023, Marvel.

They focus on toys that are distinguished by their quality and inventiveness, as well as their ongoing play value.  Bright Wonders are committed to children and their development through play, and love toys that are long lasting and brands that are committed to an eco-friendly focus.

Their 12 European toy brands provide an extensive portfolio across many categories including baby toys, blocks, games, role play toys, educational toys, music, outdoor play, puzzles, puppets, STEM, plush, art & craft and vehicles. Market leading brands include Janod, Haba, Kaloo, Playforever, Lilliputiens, Baghera, Fiesta Crafts, Trauffer, Buttonbag,  Crafty Kit Co and Sozo. They are launching more than 100 new products at Toy Fair. This includes new toys from Janod, Kaloo, Lilliputiens and Habar.

Centy Toys India will be releasing two more models of its newly launched Trail blaster Ute series at the 2023 Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair. These new models will be the Police Blue Hawk Ute and The County Sheriff Ute inspired from the Australian Police and American County Police vehicles respectively.

All Ute model toys will feature openable doors, openable tail gate, rough

Sarabjeet Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Centy Toys said, “Toy is the one of the best medium to educate children about the role that a police plays in our Society in safeguarding its citizens on day to day basis. A toy also plays a vital part in the development of role play skills among young kids. We will also be adding more models later in the year to this series that are designed to reflect Australian outback adventuring culture and to make the products more relatable and playful”.

Cotton Candy Imports are developing their own products under the Sesame Street and Dr Suess licenses. Their in house design team has created some innovative products under these licenses,  with the highlight being Glitter Motion Lantern  and Infinity lighting products.

Couture Kingdom is an Australian company that brings licensed collections of vibrant and quirky jewellery in collaboration with some of the worlds most recognised and iconic brands. Couture Kingdom jewellery and accessories is for all ages inspired

Couture Kingdom is passionate about creating jewellery; Evoking a story within each design, there is heritage, an icon, and heart-warming inspiration for everyone. Bold and whimsical, or elegant and romantic, Couture Kingdom allows people to bring fandom, passion and expression into their everyday lives, no matter their age, style or destination.

Craft Nation is an Australian owned company based in Sydney.  Their mission is to create truly memorable, fun experiences for children through hands-on art and craft activities while they learn about the world.  Their craft kits are designed to introduce children to world culture in a fun and interactive way. Suitable for children aged 6 years+, the craft kits encourage children to explore new cultures and create original artworks inspired by a

country’s culture.  They hope the kits will inspire curiosity about the world and encourage conversations about diversity and acceptance.

Crunchyroll is thrilled to offer a wide range of licensed collectibles from renowned brands such as Good Smile Company and Kotobukiya. They are also lucky to be the official local distributor of Studio Ghibli merchandise and Ichiban Kuji kits from Bandai Spirits in Australia. Get ready to experience the hottest anime brands, from Chainsaw Man to Dragon Ball, all under one roof.

From buckets and spades, to trucks, cooking sets and blocks, the Dantoy range covers so many age groups.   Manufactured in Denmark, every Dan-

toy product carries the Nordic Swan Eco Label, meaning it complies with the world’s strictest requirements for plastic contents.

The newest line, Blue Marine Toys, is inspired by sand, water, and corals. Made from waste maritime materials including fishing nets, trawls and ropes, the raw materials are sorted into different types of plastic and

the solution is a great feeling!

Today, more than ever, it’s important to care about children’s future and the future of the planet and consider the environmental impact when choosing to buy toys for our kids.

That’s why, at Ekotoiz, they provide customers with high-quality, handcrafted, biodegradable, plant-based, all-natural rubber toys made with natural rubber from the Hevea rubber tree by tapping the milky latex extracted from the tree, which then becomes the primary source of natural rubber to produce our safe and beautiful all-natural rubber toy range.

new banner Lets Dress Up

colours, and then shredded, washed, and dried. It is then moulded into shovels, buckets, boats etc. The colours of the finished sand and water product is an exact resemblance of the recycled material it came from, which makes each piece unique and different.  All toys are packaged in re-usable, recyclable cardboard packaging.

Divisible by Zero’s Metal Earth range continues to grow and recent additions include Harry Potter Buckbeak & Quidditch Pitch. The company will have further additions following the Nuremberg Toy Fair.

The Ekotoiz approach to toys is vastly different to most commercial manufacturers in that they create authentic, eco-friendly products, sustainably made using non-toxic, biodegradable, natural rubber materials. Ethical and eco-conscious mums can take comfort in knowing that their purchase have helped stop plastic waste by buying natural rubber toys and being part of

Eventar/Madmia is an Australian based Kids Apparel company that specialises in the creation of unique and innovative Kids socks that come with Toys and Accessories. Their designs

Some exciting things have been happening at the Fairy Girls headquarters with a new website and new release products ready to order.  Their costumes are designed to enrich the experience of play. They love nothing more than to see the happiness their costumes bring to a little one and the confidence it builds in them as they create their own journey through imaginative play.

New ranges include playsets, occupation vests, mermaids, fairies, capes, sparkly high heels for kids, costume bags, wands, wings, garlands, book week costumes, skirts and their range of toddler costumes. Product is available for immediate delivery.

provide a splash of vibrant colours, evoking joy, and positivity. With an ethos of ‘Why fit in when you were born to stand out?’ Madmia is passionate about producing silly socks that are truly extraordinary! In the world of Madmia, matching crazy socks are boring, but mixing them with different patterns and bright colours is super cool! That’s why Madmia started by designing mismatched crazy socks in each pair sold, allowing their customers to style them in their own creative way.Their range comes in Baby, Toddler, and Kids/Teen sizes, although they can fit most Adults as well.  They have collaborated with global brands such as Barbie, LOL Surprise, Nickelodeon and Care Bears, with many more coming in 2023.

Fairy Girls are excited to be exhibiting at the 2023 Toy Fair under their

Funrise, Inc . in partnership with Paramount Consumer Products, has announced the release of a classic and movie-inspired Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line of toy cars. The new Funrise and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collaboration will include a sizeable assortment of die cast vehicles, rip cord, pull-back, gyro vehicles, playsets, and full-function remote controlled vehicles. The collection will feature iconic, fanfavorite TMNT characters, a classic TMNT toy style as well as a new movie-inspired take on the design with key elements from the popular franchise.  The range of TMNT toy vehicles will launch globally and will be available in major retailers Fall 2023.

For over 30 years, Funrise has been a global innovator and industry leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of toys worldwide. Their mission is to create fun for kids of all ages by building impactful brands through innovation, creativity and imagination.

Funskool is India’s leading toy manufacturing company promoted by the MRF group. Having commenced its commercial operations in the year 1988, the company has a state-of-theart manufacturing facility at Goa and Chennai. Funskool has been pioneering the concepts of quality and safety in toys and has been instrumental in raising the quality standards of toys over three decades. Funskool’s mission is to influence parents to spend on toys that enable every child to grow with quality toys that contributes to his/ her wholesome development. The company has one of the largest ranges of toys in Asia- pacific region. Creating a world of fun is serious business.

Hunter Leisure is a 100% Australian owned, 50 year old family enterprise commanding Australia’s most com-

es Minecraft, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Super Mario Bros, Sonic The Hedgehog Hunter Leisure’s world first Minecraft outdoor activities range features new BMX, Mountain bike, skateboard, scooters, helmet, basketball & soccerball.

Their leading stationery, craft activity and artistry collections include Back To School Licensed essentials as well as bespoke design inspired collections.  With successful Disney collaborations including Mickey Mouse & the recently released Winnie The Pooh Collection exclusive to Target Australia.

Ikon Design Studio has some spectacular upcoming new releases in 2023, as well as restocks of sell out items. Due to popular demand the range of Batman Batarang replicas is back – accurate metal replicas of Batman’s chosen weapon. Also forthcoming is the Wizard of Oz Wicked Witch’s Hourglass Scaled Replica, Kryptonite Desktop replica, and a range of Masters of the Universe statues. Unique gifting items such as 3D sculpted mugs and Liquid Glitter Tumblers are releasing in

prehensive range of leisure products including toys, bikes, sporting & outdoor, arts & craft, stationery, carnival, plush & nursery. Their customers include major retail chains, discounters, department stores, specialty, sports, wholesale, independent toy stores & online retailers throughout Australia & New Zealand.

Key toy brands include one of Australia’s oldest toy brands Cyclops celebrating its’ 110th Anniversary in 2013, Kaleidoscope, Hello Sunshine, Laser X, Smithsonian, Jada RC, Miko, Boneless, So DIY, Style 4 Ever.

Powerhouse cross category Licensed merchandise programs covering everything from stationery, arts & crafts activities, novelty, outdoor play, flip out sofas & showbags  featuring Bluey, Paw Patrol, The Wiggles, CoComelon, Peppa Pig, Disney Frozen, Harry Potter, Marvel & DC Superheroes, Star Wars, Barbie, Hot Wheels & LEGO, L.O.L Surprise, My Little Pony, Jurassic World. Plus 2023’s Hottest Licens-

first half 2023, with second half 2023 seeing further replicas and unique gifting items to be released across some of the most iconic movies and TV shows in history.

2023 has already started with a bang for Funko with ‘Funko Fair’ launching in January - a 3 week event with a myriad of new product releases each week! The trend will continue throughout 2023 with Funko releasing new Pop! Vinyl incarnations on a daily

basis across classic brands, movies, TV series, musical artists, anniversary celebrations, and more. Completely new product lines are being developed regularly and will be launching throughout the year – the excitement having already begun with the announcement of ‘Bitty Pop!’ (extremely miniature Pop! Vinyls).

2023 is set to be an exciting year for Jada Toys with a plethora of new product releases planned. For the first half of 2023 they have die cast vehicles, MetalFigs, Nano Figures, and figures across classic movie and TV brands and new release movies. Second half 2023 will see even more releases across these product lines.

Jasnor (see separate feature).

Since 1960 Jaspo has catered to the need of various sports players and companies as a manufacturer, exporter

and supplier. They deal with a comprehensive range of sports goods and are backed by a team of professionals that are linked to various sports companies in order to understand their requirements. Product is exported to Europe, the UK, Australia and the Netherlands and much of the material is sourced from China and Taiwan.

Jellystone Designs has been awarded the exclusive Australian distribution of GloPals. This range of light up sensory toys make water play magical. Users can transform their tub into a new kind of adventure with water-activated light-up sensory toys for bathtime. Further to the Glo Pals range, launching at Toy Fair 2023, is the Sesame

Street series of Glo Pal Character and Cubes.  The Glo Pals were inspired by a child with autism whose mother used the technology behind Glo Pals to help him overcome his fear of water. His story influenced the development of the Glo Pals characters and their mission to create a product that engages children in sensory exercises and brightens bath time.

Sesame Street’s initiative, See Amazing in All Children, aims to increase public awareness of autism, foster greater empathy and understanding, and provide support for the autism community. With this partnership with Sesame Workshop Jellystone are encouraging others to See Amazing in every child, and with the hope of promoting a world where every child is seen, valued, and loved.

Joey Games is a new independent game publisher making board games about Australia for kids and adults to play together. Designed by Phil Walker-Harding, creator of Sushi Go!, the games celebrate the peoples, plants

of all ages.

They design full sized but soft and safe building bricks and fake wooden planks as well as accessories like traffic cones, hard hats & high vis vests.

They also have collectible mini bricks, construction vehicle wall decals, large cardboard bricks (made in Melbourne) and more.

For over 25 years, Korimco has been the market leader in plush toys in Australia, delivering high-quality and innovative products to customers. With a focus on staying ahead of the latest market trends, Korimco has made a commitment to creating products that are not only innovative but also maintain wide market appeal.

They are highly innovative and design products for a wide age group. Gowi Toys is a 195 year-old company with a long history of making durable and colourful toys, specialising in beach toys and and vehicles.

LaQ Snap Click Toys have been loved in Australia since 2016. They are simple, yet highly creative and open ended building & construction toys. With only 7 different types of parts, LaQ building blocks enable an infinite possibility of 2D & 3D models. LaQ makes a unique satisfying “SNAP” sound when connecting parts - just like popping bubble wrap!  Invented and 100% made in Japan, LaQ building & construction toys are also used as educational toys in childcare,

and animals of Australia and help people build interpersonal and inter-generational connections. They integrate care for the planet into all their decision making, game design, manufacturing and supply chain partnerships and are taking every step possible to reduce our negative impact on the environment

At Toy Fair they will launch three new titles - Busy Beaks, a card game about Australian birdlife, illustrated by Sarah Allen, Scribbly Gum, a drawing game about Australia’s scribbly gum trees and Pass the Party Food, a co-operative game about classic Australian party food.

Kickbrick Toys make fun, creative, open ended construction toys for kids

Korimco’s latest product ranges, Adoptable World and Keeleco, showcase the company’s commitment to sustainability. These ranges are made from 100% recycled materials, including recycled polyester from plastic bottles, weighted glass beads and recycled paper hangtag. In addition to its emphasis on sustainability, Korimco is also dedicated to staying ahead of the latest market trends. New product releases such as Relaxeazzz, Squidglys, and Adorables demonstrate the company’s ability to design products that are not only innovative but also in line with the latest global market trends.

La Belle Toys is an importer and wholesaler of quality toys and gifts. They are the exclusive distributors of Fun Factory, Viga and PolarB Wooden Toys, and Gowi Toys from Austria. Fun Factory has a large range of wooden puzzles and educational products designed in Australia which promotes creativity and develops a fun learning environment. Viga Toys is a quality range of wooden toys with vibrant packaging.

primary schools and after-school care. Helping children learn through play, they are ideal kids’ toys for developing critical and creative thinking, concentration and perseverance through imaginative play and logical puzzle solving New product ranges for 2023 include the innovative ball and joint parts and cute new Animal / Marine products –as well as their massive Space Station display showcasing what you can do with LaQ.

Let’s Play Games is Australia’s premier distributor of specialist tabletop games. They offer a wide range of games, from classic board games to the latest and greatest in tabletop gaming. Their selection includes something for everyone, from families to hardcore gamers. They pride ourselves on bringing the best of the tabletop gaming world to Australia.

At Let’s Play Games, they have a team of over 40 dedicated employees working across New South Wales, Victoria

and New Zealand.The team comprises experts in the tabletop gaming industry who are passionate about bringing the best of the best to our customers. The company offers Australia’s largest hobby supplier of trading card games such as Magic the Gathering, Flesh and Blood, Dragon Ball Super, One Piece and Digimon, and accessories from Ultimate Guard, Dragon Shield, and Ultra Pro. The company is also the supplier of over 30 publishers, including bestselling titles such as Splendor, Stratego, Star Wars Legion, Funko Games and Marvel Champions.

Magic Door Pillows design, write and illustrate unique plush toy and picture book sets, which create magical bedtime experiences to be shared by kids and their caregivers.

A Magic Door Pillow appears on a

Parry. Products are available via magicdoorpillows.com.au and they are currently seeking a distribution and licensing partnership. Licensed characters would work exceptionally well in Magic Door Pillows. For example, ‘Winnie The Pooh’ in a Honey Potshaped Magic Door Pillow, or ‘Elsa’ in a Snow Flake-shaped Magic Door Pillow.

Thousands of children’s toys damaged in this year’s floods have avoided landfill and instead been recycled and repurposed to build roads and other infrastructure, in what is believed to be a world-first for the $156 billion toy industry.

Queensland business Mizzie the Kangaroo has become fully-circular by repurposing more than 2000 of its iconic orange natural rubber teething toys, and launching a new initiative whereby customers can post or re-

Moose Toys will be showcasing the what’s new from global phenomenon Magic Mixies, including the new Mixlings range and the new iteration of the Crystal Ball. Bluey will also be front and centre with a suite of new toys for 2023 – including a Bluey Hammerbarn Playset, Beach Cabin Playset and Beach Toy Range, and Bluey’s Escape Convertible, slated to hit shelves from the second half of the year.  Additionally, Moose will be sharing two new innovation sensations: Cookeez Makery and Little Live Pets’ My Puppy’s Home, each boasting first-of-itskind features.

child’s bed when they read the magic spell at the end of one of the storybooks. Inside each pillow lives a fairy, wizard, elf or some other magical creature who catches sweet dreams for the child who has brought them to life. Each pillow glows-in-the-dark and has a magic mailbox, which a child uses to communicate with their new friend. They can request special dreams by writing letters or drawing pictures of what they would like to dream about and mailing them through the magic mailbox.

They are a family business run by husband-and-wife team, Daniel and Jayne

turn their used products to the business for recycling. The award-winning products, pulled from the company’s flooded warehouse, found a new home with Pearl Global, a pioneering Australian company committed to solving the global waste tyre problem. Mizzie the Kangaroo founder Sandra Ebbott described the partnership between the two Queensland companies as “perfect”.

More than 12,000 units of Mizzie the Kangaroo’s educational books, puzzles, music boxes and teething toys worth $330,000 were destroyed in February when water tore through its Brisbane warehouse. Thousands of its bright orange natural rubber teething toys were covered in mud, rendering them unsuitable for sale. Having built the company with a firm focus on sustainability, Mrs Ebbott couldn’t stand the thought of them going to waste, so on top of dealing with the clean-up, she has spent the past six months trying to find a second use for them.

Cookeez Makery is an oven-themed playset that lets kids mix and make “dough” to create their new sweet-scented best friend. And, in a “history in the baking” moment, after popping the “dough” in the oven, a plush version of the character magically comes out warm to the touch. There’s a plush puppy, bunny or kitten to cuddle and they’re deliciously scented with either bread or cinnamon.This special new best friend even makes sweet sounds when squeezed and hugged.

Little Live Pets’ My Puppy’s Home is a one-of-a-kind DIY playset that kids and parents assemble together and holds all the excitement of bringing home a new puppy. It comes with everything needed to build a new home for a surprise, interactive plush puppy, including a kid-safe plastic hammer and plastic screws, and a flat pack of four walls with a door, floor and roof.When construction is complete, fill the water bowl and watch as paw prints appear at the entry.

Pink Poppy is popular and treasured by children the world over! It is synon-

ymous with make-believe dreams and magical memories fit for a Princess!  As an iconic children’s fashion brand, Pink Poppy aims to excite, enthral, and open the imaginations of young girls. Uniquely and carefully created visions of princesses, mermaids, ballerinas, unicorns, butterflies and fairies are just a few signature themes!

Pink Polly’s diverse and quality-made product ranges include fashionable dress ups, party costumes, fashionable hair & jewellery accessories, wands, tiaras, wings, coordinating handbags, Tea sets, baking sets, cooking sets, and collectable gifts including our well-known musical jewellery boxes, LED changing lanterns, snow globes, novelty toys and much much more! Pink Poppy’s brand portfolio continues to grow with wellknown license brands including Disney Frozen, Disney Princess, Disney Toy Story, Disney Junior Minnie, Mattel Barbie, Mattel Polly Pocket and just released Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris by international fashion illustrator Megan Hess

Kate and Kate are two Aussie mums who created the Play Pouch - the original and best interactive play mat and toy storage bag in one. They were both pregnant with their third babies when the idea for Play Pouch arose and with toddlers by their feet and babies in their arms, they started Pouch Australia.   Their vision was to create products that make life a little less hectic and

a lot more fun for families around the world. Their hard work, grit and perseverance is paying off and they are delighted to partner with some of the biggest toy brands in the world such as Mattel (Barbie, Hot Wheels, Little People, Thomas & Friends Play Pouch), Paramount (PAW Patrol Play Pouch) with more partnerships to announce in 2023.

They are also very proud to launch their latest collaboration with Surf Life Saving Australia + The Aqua Pouch - The ultimate water-proof mat and beach bag in one! The SLSA Aqua Pouch comes with coastal themes on the outside and SLSA safety messages on the inner.

Rhino Rhino is the exclusive distributor for Rubbabu, Miffy plush, WWF plush, Mr Maria, Nobodinoz, Bombol,

and entertainment for kids. Key categories include food and drink (lunch boxes to sipper bottles), Art and Craft (silk crayons, acrylic markers, stickers,

Nuuroo, BT Chaps, Picca Loulou, Maison Deux and Jaclyn & Matisse. They are excited about this year’s Lunar Year of the Rabbit, with Miffy plush and Mr Maria’s Miffy nightlights and Maison Deux’s Miffy rugs.

New for 2023 is Rubbabu 100% pure natural rubber foam sensory and STEM learning toys; Nobodinoz – Made in Europe, this popular French and Spanish brand features quality decor and family lifestyle products; Nuuroo – This new Danish kids brand creates practical everyday products such as bibs and muslin wraps from eco-conscious materials; Bombol – Innovative and award winning baby products such as the portable Pop-Up Booster Seat and Foldable Blast UV disinfector; and BT Chaps –

A new collection of traditional animal plush toys with a quirky twist.

Scoobies aim to mingle education

foil painting, diamond painting set, magic stamps), school supplies (school stationery), toy and Tech items (magnetic toys and fidget toys), and activity sets (eco-friendly DIY construction sets, doodle books and magnetic writing books).

Sustained Fun develops toys focused on climate change and reducing rubbish. Their brands are EcoSplat Reusable Water Balloons and Wild Fixes jigsaws and all products are grounded in S.T.E.M. and M.E.S.H. principles.  EcoSplat Reusable Water Balloons love water fights but hate single-use water balloons. Single-use water balloons produce over 3.2 billion pieces of rubbish each year. EcoSplat is changing that with reusable water balloons: more fun, no rubbish. Each EcoSplat reusable water balloon replaces more than 3,000 single-use water balloons. From back gardens to the vast depths of the oceans, wild places are absorbing carbon and helping to fix the climate crisis.  Wild Fixes toys take kids on world-wide adventures meeting people and wild places making a difference to climate change! Developed by an ecologist and a marine biologist, Wild Fixes is grounded in S.T.E.M, carbon neutral and designed for long-lasting fun. The first Wild Fixes product is a jigsaw puzzle:  Whale Poo and CO2 - discover how whales are essential in fixing the climate crisis through a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle with search and find and storytelling prompts.

Ty is the largest and most recognizable plush brand in the world. Represented in 151 countries, with over 300,000 doors of distribution and over

$1 Billion in annual sales. Their Toy Fair booth will feature their newest collections of Beanie Boos, Beanie Bellies, Beanie Babies, Squishy Beanies, and Beanie Balls.

Beanie Boos have hundreds of thousands of videos on Youtube, over 8 Million results in Google, and hundreds of Beanie Babies have increased in value from $5 to $100,000+ on eBay.

2023 is set to be an exciting year for VTech Electronics. The leader in infant, toddler and preschool toys, VTech are renowned for developing high-quality educational toys that enrich children’s development through fun, smart play. This year they are set to release a series of CoComelon vehicles and playsets as part of their iconic Toot-Toot Drivers range. This range will feature vehicles and playsets based on the popular TV show, CoComelon. Children will be entertained for hours while learning letters, numbers, animal sounds and more!

Children can drive around with their

and phrases that immerse children in a world of pretend play. Explore JJ’s world with two playsets based on the CoComelon show including, the Toot-Toot Drivers CoComelon Treehouse Track Set and Toot-Toot Drivers CoComelon JJ’s House Track Set and ride around the track set on the off-roader and launch down the ramp with the Treehouse Track Set and join JJ and his family & friends for lots of fun with the JJ’s House Track Set.

Tin Toys offer a unique experience in terms of aesthetics and action. There is no other medium which can give an experience like this.

Because of the laborious process, tin toys are expensive but offer a much better play value.

At Welby Impex Pvt. Ltd., they are able to make toys as per specific designs so that children around the

ucts! At this year’s Toy Fair they will be highlighting their new range of Super Mario, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney 100th Anniversary, and the hottest TV and movie licenses.

favourite CoComelon characters with the Toot-Toot Drivers CoComelon Vehicles and explore cause and effect by driving JJ & Cody over the picture on the included track piece.

The SmartPoint track piece lets JJ & Cody play more songs, sounds

world can cherish them along with their parents.

Some of the finest, most expensive and most sought-after toys today are made from tin. The range is hugely diverse, covering friction and clockwork– cars, trains, planes, boats, spinning tops, fairs and animals.

Welby Impex is a family-owned company employing around a hundred workers. they make toys, collectables and souvenirs using tin plates and complex mechanisms.

Winning Moves, who brings to life family favourite games such as Monopoly, Cluedo, Guess Who?, Pass the Pigs, Top Trumps, Top Trumps Match, WHOT! and many more, are blasting into 2023 with the hottest new prod-

Yay4Play Educational Kits are the perfect tool to help children build the foundational skills they need to excel at school.

These kits are ideal for parents and teachers to help 3-6 year old’s develop their problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, language and numeracy.

The kits are based on the Six Bricks method which is endorsed by the LEGO Foundation.

It’s the perfect resource for Family Day Care Centres, After School Care and Early Childhood Centres who are looking for exciting, new tools to unlock unlimited potential in children.   Kits are available in different sizes and include activity sheets, games, social and emotional bricks as well as bricks in six colours for more than 100 activities to suit children of all abilities.

FIVE YEARS OF BLUEY A Preschool Prodigy

Pre-schoolers achieve some pretty major milestones in their first five years; they taste their first food, say their first word, learn to crawl, walk, swim, dance, ride a bike - all before their first day of school. Australia’s most beloved preschool show, meanwhile, has achieved some impressive milestones of its own…

pre-schooler — is a phenomenon that Australians can be immensely proud of. With so many achievements already in the bag, 2023 is set to be another year of success and celebration.”

And it may only be March but already BBC Studios Kids and Family, Bluey’s co-commissioner and global distributor, has announced a number of new activities.

Following on from the insane success of the first Bluey album – which landed at number 1 in both the Australian ARIA chart and the Billboard’s US Kid Albums chart – the Bluey: Dance Mode album will be released on April 21 on CD, orange vinyl and streaming services. The first single from the new album, also titled ‘Dance Mode’, is out now with more highlights on the upcoming album to include The BeeeeeOOP Walk, Rain (Boldly in the Pretend) and Cat Squad

In the five short years since launching on ABC Kids in 2018, Bluey has won an International Emmy, two Logies, an ARIA and a BAFTA, spawned over 1000 different products and a live stage show, was the USA’s 8th most streamed show overall in 2022, and even appeared as a 16-metre high balloon in New York’s annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade - watched by over 50 million.

Kate O’Connor is Australia’s Head of Licensing and Brands at BBC Studios, which heads up Bluey’s commercial activities, and says: “There’s no doubt that Bluey — just like a plucky little

Due to significant demand, Arnott’s once again partnered with BBC Studios to bring new larger share packs to snack aisles throughout Austral-

Crazy Golf and even a Cricket set in the launch collection. And there’s more to come from Moose this year, including new playsets, figurines and more inspired by the world of Bluey, including episodes such as ‘The Beach’, ‘Hammerbarn’ and ‘Escape’. New playsets will be released in the second half of the year.

Meanwhile, overseas, Bluey has recently inked deals with TOMY and 8th Wonder, and Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show’s 150+ venue US tour is now in full swing, following its debut at Madison Square Garden in November. With more episodes of Series 3 coming this year, plus multiple exciting collaborations with iconic Australian and global brands to be announced soon, Bluey’s fifth year is sure to be one to celebrate!

ia– so there are even more Bluey biscuits to go around. The new share packs are a larger 150g pack, perfect for sharing, and join the current individual multipack range (consisting of eight individual packets), that were so popular, they almost sold out when they launched in 2022. Jasnor recently launched a collection of 17 Bluey wooden toys and games in Australia, including an array of food playsets; traditional games such as Dominoes, Skittles and Charades; and outdoor toys like a Skipping Rope,

WARNER BROS SET TO CELEBRATE 100 YEARS

Warner Bros. Discovery recently kicked off its global centennial campaign - Celebrating Every Storyahead of the Warner Bros. Studio’s 100th anniversary on April 4, 2023. Over the next 12 months, this milestone birthday will be celebrated across consumer touchpoints with special programming and content, exclusive products and home entertainment releases, a dedicated programming page on HBO Max, omni-channel social media campaigns, live events and screenings, and fan-focused activations around the world.

Commenting, David Zaslav, Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “The name Warner Bros. is synonymous with entertainment, and we are honored to be celebrat-

ing this iconic studio’s centennial and the rich heritage that stretches back to the four brothers who founded it in 1923. Over the past 100 years, Warner Bros. has created some of the most recognizable and beloved films, TV shows and characters ever made, and has been the place for impactful storytelling that both defines and reflects our culture. We are excited about our company’s bright and dynamic future and, as we embark on its second century, to continue to tell the kind of great stories that entertain, inform and inspire audiences around the world.”

The company plans to commemorate and celebrate the anniversary via programming, Warner Bros Home Entertainment, HBO Max, Consumer Products, Experiences, Studio Tours, Global Experiences and Social Media. Among the centennial programming and content highlights are: A threepart documentary on the history of Warner Bros. from WB Unscripted Television to debut on HBO Max; programming marathons and special episodes across Warner Bros. Discovery’s 40+ domestic networks and international channels; archival interviews airing on Extra from the series’ 29 seasons of Studio set visits, red carpet premieres and junkets; a year-long focus on classic Warner Bros. films on TCM; partnerships with various community organizations to help recruit and identify filmmakers to be a part of a short-film project paying homage to some of Warner Bros.’ most icon-

ic films; and centennial branding and events connecting fans to the Studio’s TV brands, franchises and characters. From apparel and housewares to toys, collectibles, publishing, retailers, and food and beverage companies, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products is partnering with some of the world’s most powerful brands to mark this milestone.Throughout 2023, Consumer Products will present several exclusive centennial activations with key partners, including Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, Funko, Mattel, New Era, Running Press, and more. Additionally, a new line of products will be unveiled featuring the Looney Tunes, a cornerstone of Warner Bros.’ history, taking center stage as the ultimate superfans dressed up as other legendary WB characters from fan favorite franchises such as DC and Wizarding World.

In terms of experiences, the company will present several live events and experiences to fans around the world throughout the year, including a Candlelight Concert Series across 100 cities including Los Angeles, New York, London, Toronto, Melbourne, Paris, Singapore, Milan, São Paulo and Mexico City;

The TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood in April will celebrate key films and major talent from Warner Bros. Pictures’ history, including Casablanca, the 50th anniversaries of  The Exorcist, with director William Friedkin in attendance, and Enter the Dragon, and world premiere restorations of East of Eden and Rio Bravo.

And, finally, omni-platform engagement is a major component of the Centennial Celebration. To allow fans of all things Warner Bros. to get in on the celebration, bespoke themed campaigns will roll out across social media, including This Day in History, Backlot Journeys and 100 Iconic WB Moments, as well as mashups with top-tier IP, activations at live events, user-generated content, photo ops and filters, and more.