Total Licensing Autumn 19

Autumn/Fall 2019

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123

Regular Features

CEE/Russia

Comment.......................................................................... 8 Global news....................................................................10 Cover Story: Rainbow Debut 44 Cats...................123 Legally Speaking...........................................................170 The Licensing International Page.............................172 What’s On....................................................................174

State of the market.......................................................87 Saks enter Russian marketplace................................92 Made in Russia...............................................................93 Growing world of 0+ Media.......................................98 What’s new in the market.........................................100 Russian news................................................................103

Europe

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UK 18

112 87

The latest from Mondo...............................................34 Magic Light Pictures......................................................38 Ferly - engaging audiences...........................................40 Interview: Ann Micaud..................................................44 SEGA line-up for BLE...................................................46 Miffy - the world of a child.........................................48 Fundamentally Children...............................................50 Brand Licensing Europe Introduction.................................................................... 51 What’s on show this year........................................... 52 Major announcements from Smiley..........................74 Bulldog expands portfolio...........................................76 New brands and collaborations from TF1...............79 Santoro - A Gorjuss Extravaganza.............................80 Peppa Pig is 15 - and still growing.............................82 Outfit 7 - a decade of fun...........................................84 It’s a Bing thing!..............................................................86 Russell Dever talks The Little Prince......................110 Spain Market overview.................................................112 Kids brands in Spain............................................113 El Ocho update....................................................114 New from Iberia..................................................117 Planeta Junior latest............................................120 Reach for the Moon...................................................129 Chef Club - Cooking up a storm............................140 Xilam at BLE.................................................................142 From Black Mirror to Peaky Blinders.....................144 Licensee Lookbook - showcasing licensees..........154 MIPCOM and MIP Junior preview...........................167

North America Seabelievers debuts at MIPCOM...............................30 Herschend heads to BLE and MIPCOM..................78 The World of Spin Master.........................................133

Worldwide Nostalgia - a mega trend...........................................105 Nickelodeon - Every aisle, every age......................129 What’s hot in kids’ trends.........................................146 Breaking barriers in Experiential Licensing...........148

Asia Robocar Poli goes global...........................................127 Beyblade Burst.............................................................136 Licensing Japan celebrates 10 years........................138 China Licensing Expo.................................................164 6

Visit Total Licensing at Brand Licensing Europe A182 and at China Licensing Expo E2T12

Co-Publisher Francesca Ash francesca@totallicensing.com

Co-Publisher Jerry Wooldridge jerry@totallicensing.com

Editorial Director Rebecca Ash becky@totallicensing.com

Business Development Manager Jo Cassidy joanna@totallicensing.com

Office Manager Helen Bowerman helen@totallicensing.com

Japan Agent Roger Berman, ZenWorks rmb@zenworks.jp

TOTAL LICENSING LTD 4 Wadhurst Business Park Faircrouch Lane, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6PT UK Tel: +44 (0) 1892 782220 Fax: +44 (0) 1892 782226 www.totallicensing.com enquiries@totallicensing.com

© 2019 Total Licensing Ltd All illustrations are reproduced by permission of their owners. No part of this magazine may be copied or quoted without permission from the Publishers first. Total Licensing Ltd does not warrant or assume any legal liability for the accuracy or legality of contents, images or advertisements submitted to the magazine. Opinions of the contributing writers are their own and do not reflect the opinion of Total Licensing Ltd. Printed in England

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I know we’ve said it before, but we really are 2018, Disney released 10 movies whilst Netfliving through a massive time of change in our lix debuted 93. With Fox under Disney control, industry. Who would have thought, twenty five Disney can add some large-scale projects such years ago, that much of what we watch would as the upcoming Avatar sequels to its slate, effecbe controlled by tech companies – in particular tively pushing out a major release each and every Netflix and Amazon. And we would have so many month. different viewing options. It’s almost impossible Disney relies on blockbuster movies and stagto imagine life without smartphones or tablets gering box office returns. Netflix relies on sub– and yet the iPhone wasn’t launched until 2007 scriptions. On the cinema side, Disney’s domestic and the iPad in 2012. box office share was an extraordinary 26% last This revolution in communication and entertain- year. Fox, as a separate entity, had the fifth-largest ment has been part of the fuel for so many merg- share at 9.1 percent. Put the two together, as they ers and acquisitions within the entertainment are now, and they command 35% of the total doindustry over recent years and, it seems at the mestic movie market. moment, this shows no signs of slowing down. In How does this impact on the licensing industry? the last ten years, Disney has acquired Marvel in Well, consider that ten years ago there was Mar2009 and Lucasfilm in 2012. Added to their exist- vel, Lucasfilm and Fox. And today, all of that has ing portfolio, this understandably gave Disney a consolidated into one. The implications are enorhuge boost, bringing with it the Marvel Universe mous. With a powerhouse the size and shape as well as the all-powerful Star Wars. of Disney, competition is difficult. And, it makes But that, seemingly, wasn’t enough. This year’s movie licensing by anyone, other than Disney, alDisney acquisition to buy most of 21st Century most impossible.

Fox for an eye-watering $71.3 billion adds com- In the end, the battle lines are drawn between panies such as Fox Searchlight and cable channels Disney and Netflix – one a traditional entertainFX and National Geographic as well as Fox’s TV ment company that produces record-breaking production company – which owns The Simpsons movies. The other is a tech company that is gen– most of Hulu, a library of classic films stretch- erally not interested in theatrical releases but ing back 80 years and, most crucially, the rights gains subscriber loyalty by offering a wealth of to Marvel’s X-Men and Fantastic Four who will, different, and convenient, viewing options. without a doubt, be added to Disney’s Marvel And, of course, if all of this wasn’t enough for cinema universe. the industry to deal with, the US has escalating This recent merger, probably tariffs in an ongoing battle with above all others, even includChina. And for Europeans we DISNEY vs NETFLIX have Brexit….or not! In theory ing AT&T’s $85 billion takeover of Time Warner, is viewed by this comes to a head at the end many as strengthening Disney’s hand against the of October. In reality, there’s every chance the streaming juggernaut and a sign that Disney are deadline will be extended yet again, or revoked preparing to take on Netflix and any other tech entirely. Or we may come out without any joint giant planning to muscle into the entertainment agreement. Any of these options could happen. business. Of course, Disney is also launching its For the licensing community this just continues own streaming service. Disney+ will be focused the uncertainty that has plagued the entire Brexit on film and television content from their studio issue since the referendum in 2016. and television companies.

One thing is for certain, however, and that is that Original films and television series based on new BLE will take place in October. Total Licensing and existing properties are also planned, includ- will be there, as always. And we very much look ing content from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, 20th forward to seeing many of our friends and colCentury Fox and National Geographic. The new leagues in the aisles over the three days. service will complement ESPN+ and Hulu as part of Disney’s strategy. This is where the difference Francesca Ash Jerry Wooldridge between studio and tech company comes in. In Co-Publisher Co-Publisher

With Thanks to this Issue’s Contributing Writers: Gregory Battersby Julia Bostanova Martin Brochstein

Jed Ferdinand Valentina Koursanova Maria Rogozhina

Marina Semenekhina Alice Yang

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LION KING AND TOY STORY 4 ENTER TOP TWENTY FILMS OF ALL TIME Disney’s The Lion King has seen off all competition to continue its number one reign at the UK and Ireland box office.The film, which uses pioneering filmmaking techniques to bring the characters to life in a whole new way, was number one for 24 consecutive days following its release on July 19th, the longest any film has spent at number one this year.

Additionally, Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 4 overtook Incredibles 2 to become the second biggest animated film ever in the UK.The result means the Toy Story series dominates the top of the all-time animation chart with numbers one and two. Toy Story 3 is still the biggest grossing animated film of all time in the UK and Ireland with Pixar now holding the top three animated films of all time.

Both films have now entered the top twenty films of all time with The Lion King taking £59.9m becoming the 19th biggest film ever in the UK and Ireland with Toy Story 4 becoming the 20th with £58.7m. Disney still have the top five films of the year with Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, Toy Story 4, Captain Marvel and Aladdin all taking the top spots in the ultimate UK and Ireland box office 2019 chart.

IMG TO LICENSE SUPERDRY British fashion brand Superdry has appointed IMG to develop a strategic licensing programme which will extend the brand into select new product and lifestyle categories. By negotiating licensing partnerships, IMG will help Superdry to broaden its portfolio of licensed products which may include luggage and travelrelated items, personal accessories, consumer electronics and sporting goods, all reflecting Superdry’s brand ethos.

Founded in 2003, Superdry is a globally recognized brand renowned for its distinctive designs blending vintage Americana with Japanese-inspired graphics.

Characterised by quality fabrics, authentic vintage washes, unique detailing, world leading hand-drawn graphics and tailored fits with diverse styling, Superdry is one of the fastest growing brands of the decade with a geographically and demographically diverse customer base.

Julian Dunkerton, CEO, Superdry, said: “We look forward to working with IMG and partnering with other brands as Superdry enters the next stage of its growth. IMG’s extensive licensing experience with fashion brands makes it the ideal partner and we are excited to explore creative opportunities that best resonate with Superdry’s brand.”

Matthew Primack, SVP of Licensing, IMG, commented: “With an instantly recognisable identity and a powerful brand personality that embodies fun and individual empowerment, we see many opportunities to apply the Superdry style and philosophy to products of relevance and we are delighted to be working with the Superdry team.”

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NEW CEO FOR DHX DHX Media recently announced that Eric Ellenbogen has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. Ellenbogen succeeds Michael Donovan, who has stepped down as CEO. Donovan has also stepped down as Executive Chair and will continue to serve on the Board as Founding Chair. Donald Wright has been appointed non-executive Chair.

“We are delighted to announce that Eric will lead DHX Media in fully realizing the value of our extraordinary media assets,” said Wright. “Eric brings fresh leadership and a clear vision to our Company, as well as a 30-year track record of creating significant shareholder value in the media space.

In the nine months since he has joined our Board, while also serving as a strategic advisor, he has worked closely with our senior leadership team and gained a deep understanding of our Company. Given his broad perspective and decades of relevant industry experience and success, we are confident that Eric will be able to move the Company forward from the getgo as CEO. We thank Michael for his many years of leadership and vision. As founder of DHX Media, Michael has played a significant role in building the Company into the global entertainment force it is today. We are pleased that he will remain on the Board.”

INDIAN AGENT FOR LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB Dream Theatre in India has been appointed to develop the licensing business of Liverpool Football Club in India and South Asia covering Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

Liverpool Football Club’s association with Dream Theatre will give football fans in India access to a licensed range of products across categories that include apparel, sporting goods, apparel accessories, gifts and novelties, eyewear and other product lines in the lifestyle sector.

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TROLLS WORLD TOUR LICENSEES ANNOUNCED In anticipation of DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming theatrical debut for Trolls World Tour, in theaters April 17, 2020, Universal Brand Development announces an expansive, global toy and lifestyle program featuring world-class licensees and first-of-its-kind partnerships.

A vibrant wave of color, music and glitter will soon take over retail as Trolls World Tour spans every major category from toys to lifestyle collections.

Hasbro will be returning as global master toy licensee and will be joined by first-time partner the LEGO group. Just Play, TOMY, Build-A-Bear Workshop and KIDdesigns also are on board as returning licensees, as well as Crayola and Disguise Costumes, among others. Highlighting dazzling new characters and musically diverse worlds, the collections are filled with hair-play and innovation.

Inspired by a vibe bursting with happiness, the Trolls lifestyle program will include multi-category collections for both girls and boys. From apparel to footwear and accessories to luggage, bedding, furniture and more, partners include: ABG Accessories, Accessory Innovations, Baby Boom Consumer Products, BBC Footwear, The Bentex, Group, Centric Brands, Delta Children Products, Hybrid Apparel, Franco Manufacturing, Hallmark, Handcraft Manufacturing, Mad Engine and Zak Designs and more.

The robust publishing program will offer storybooks, activity books and early readers as well as novelty formats such as sound books and Busy Books. Returning North American publishing partners include Penguin Random House, Bendon, Phidal, Phoenix and Readerlink. International publishing partners include Egmont, Topps, Hachette Livre, Editorial Planeta, Centum Books, Mondadori, Panini, EDEL and Scholastic.

In the food and beverage category, key partnerships are anchored by top household names including General Mills, The Kraft-Heinz Company, PEZ Candy USA and Ferrara. Rounding out the program, health and beauty licensees include such marquee brands as Bayer, Centric Beauty LLC, Colgate-Palmolive, Conair Corporation, Johnson & Johnson and The Crème Shop.

DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls World Tour lands in theaters worldwide Spring 2020. Toys and lifestyle collections will begin retailing on January 1, 2020.

THE DAY HENRY MET...?

The Day Henry Met…?’ is continuing to build a publishing and licensing programme. In Italy, licensing agent, Team Entertainment, has made new deals with Di Costa SpA based in Sicily. Di Costa will launch a selection of chocolate Easter Eggs with premiums. A publishing deal with a major Italian company is currently being finalized which will mean that a range of books and activities will soon be in Italian bookshops.These deals come hot on the heels of a kiosk deal with Teaser Lab who will launch the first activities and colouring books, in kiosks throughout Italy shortly. The Day Henry Met…? airs on Nick Jr in 178 countries and Rai YoYo in Italy, who will soon launch Season 3. The 4th season is in production and will be completed in October. The series airs on Free TV broadcasters and on SVOD platforms, with 5 SVOD platforms in China including,Youku and iQIYI.

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CARTOON SALOON From award-winning shorts to feature films and TV series, Cartoon Saloon has carved out a special place in the international animation industry, earning four Academy Award nominations plus Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy nominations.

Another busy year for the Kilkennybased animation studio has seen a couple of movies in production, plus a development for the company with the launch of its own Licensing and Merchandise Division in May. Headed up by Brian Tyrrell, the aim is to seek licensing partners for upcoming properties across all consumer product categories.

BLE sees the launch of a new film based on the popular pre-school series Puffin Rock, featuring an adorable family of puffins and their laughter-filled adventures on a beautiful Irish island. With the series currently available on SVOD, Cable, and Terrestrial, and translated into 25 languages, interest in the movie – due for release in summer 2021 – should be high. For older children, families and animation fans, 2D movie Wolfwalkers – like Cartoon Saloon’s noted earlier films The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea – uses Celtic folklore as a window into our contemporary world. Set in a time of magic and superstition, it tells of a young girl training to be a wolf hunter, who comes to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last pack of wolves. After saving a native girl she discovers the mysterious Wolfwalkers and is transformed into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

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NEW BEAUTY RANGE FOR COSMO Cosmopolitan, the world’s largest young women’s media brand, and prominent beauty company LUXE Brands recently announced the launch of the Eau de Juice fragrance collection. The partnership was brokered by IMG, Cosmopolitan’s global licensing representative.

Available exclusively online today and at Ulta Beauty locations across the U.S. in early August with an international roll-out planned for early 2020, the collection of four scents are crafted by renowned perfumers at Firmenich.

“It’s been said, a women is not fully dressed without her perfume and for Eau de Juice we collaborated with our friends at Luxe Brands, and our talented editors to curate and inspire a range of scents that speak to her every whim and fancy, allowing Cosmo girls of all ages to add a little extra to their daily routines,” said Steve Ross, global chief licensing officer and head of brand development for Hearst Magazines. “And considering the fact that Cosmo readers account for one third of all beauty spending in this country, this is a perfect brand extension,” he added.

Beyond the fragrance itself, Cosmopolitan’s ethos is captured through the unique pop-art inspired packaging. Enlisting the help of Brooklyn-based design team Powershovel, the patent-pending design for Eau de Juice collection is served up in four shades—from metallic gold to millennial pink, glossy white and soft touch blue. Actress Ashley Benson is the face of the collection’s campaign.

“As an entrepreneurial company, LUXE Brands prides itself on engaging in strategic and innovative partnerships to connect with consumers around the world in the beauty category,” says LUXE Brands CEO, Tony Bajaj of the collaboration.

“Our latest venture in business with Hearst Magazines expands our footprint within the industry; we couldn’t be more excited to have the legacy and heritage of Cosmopolitan behind us.”

PROMOTION AT BRAND CENTRAL Brand Central recently announced the promotion of Lexi DeForest to the position of Licensing Director.

DeForest, who has been promoted from Senior Licensing Manager to Director reports directly to Brand Central CEO Ross Misher.

In her expanded role, Lexi will become part of the senior management team of the agency playing a vital role in business development, client acquisition and managing many of the agency’s top clients.

Since joining the agency in 2016, Lexi has identified, secured and managed many successful licensed partnerships with leading brands within Brand Central’s portfolio of clients including Tyler Ninja Blevins and the Loaded portfolio, Tapatio, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and more.

“We continue to nurture the amazing talent we have at Brand Central and we are proud to recognize the substantial contributions that Lexi has brought to the agency over the past several years,” said Ross Misher, CEO of Brand Central.

AUSTRALIAN APPAREL DEAL FOR SESAME STREET 2019 marks the 50th Anniversary of Sesame Street, with Australian kids having grown up with Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, Grover and the rest of the Muppets for literally generations!

To celebrate, Haven has once again collaborated with Peter Alexander for a capsule of womens, mens and kids pyjamas and accessories – even for dogs!

Featuring the tag line “I was raised on the Street”, the 55-piece collection features Peter’s take on heritage artwork of the beloved brand’s most familiar and iconic characters.

“The execution of this promotion is exceptional and we are so excited,” said Yvonne

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King, Director of Haven Global. “’I was raised on the street’ marks the fourth collaboration between Peter Alexander and Sesame Workshop and once again Peter and the team have brought a completely different look to the collection. We might be celebrating Sesame Street’s 50th Birthday, but this range is definitely about be-

ing playful and keeping young at heart, and that’s what the Muppet family is all about”.

“Hanging out with the Muppets on Sesame Street a number of years ago is still one of my all-time favourite memories and it was a lot of fun having them on set again for this campaign,” said Peter Alexander. “ It’s exciting to be able to share in the celebrations of 50 years of fun on the Street and bring to the whole family my latest collection”.

The collection is available in-store and online now while stocks last.

Fans can look out for more celebrations for Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary around Australia over the summer.

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NEW BROADCAST PARTNERS FOR RICKY ZOOM Excitement for the launch of new preschool animated property Ricky Zoom cranked up a gear recently as Entertainment One (eOne) announced that Nickelodeon in the U.S. joined a top tier line up of partners launching the first series in September.

A growing list of global FTA, PAYTV and VOD platforms have lined up to debut eOne’s latest preschool property across multiple territories, including Super RTL (Germany), Clan TV (Spain), Gulli (France), RAI (Italy), Youku (China), andDiscovery Kids (Latin America) with further deals in the pipeline.

“The US will play a key role in the rollout of Ricky Zoom around the world” said eOne’s Monica Candiani, EVP International Content Sales, Family & Brands.

“Securing a broadcaster of this calibre in this crucial market is a reflection of the high quality animation and storytelling that people have come to expect from an eOne show and we’re delighted to strengthen our long standing relationship with Nickelodeon.”

As anticipation builds for the broadcast launch, eOne is also readying the release of the brand’s first official app which will launch in line with broadcast dates to give fans the opportunity to engage with the characters between episodes. Ricky Zoom: Welcome to Wheelford will feature lots of fun mini-games and interactive playgrounds so kids can explore the new and wonderful world of Wheelford.

WOW CLOAK RECEIVES WALMART ACCOLADE The Wow! Stuff Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak in partnership with Warner Bros.

Consumer Products was selected by kids for Walmart’s Top Rated by Kids toy list leading into the 2019 Holiday season.

The Wizarding World inspired garment, available for purchase online at Walmart and reaching shelves in October, makes it look like anyone or anything disappears using only a smart device. Although the Invisibility Cloak has only recently launched, the Wow! Stuff team is thrilled to have received recognition on their new must-have item having been awarded the Innovative Toy of the Year at Sweden’s Toy Awards, the Gold Award at the UK’s Independent Toy Awards and now securing a much-coveted spot on the Walmart Top Rated by Kids toy list. The magical illusion costume comes with a one of a kind authentication code that allows users to unlock the power behind the Invisibility Cloak with the free downloadable Wow! Stuff app for both iOS and Android devices. While wearing the Invisibility Cloak illusion costume you can recreate iconic scenes from the Harry Potter series! The Invisibility Cloak features authentic patterning seen in the films and a green silk style interior.

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SMIGHTIES ON AIR Herotainment recently announced that their animated series, Smighties (39 x 7-minutes) will be expanding its global distribution network with a raft of new deals and partnerships, bringing Smighties to Korea, Southeast Asia, China, Russia, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Vietnam and North America.

Smighties boasts an Emmy-award winning writing team and musical composer and centers around the small and mighty heroes from a magical land who save the day with teamwork, friendship, and fun. The characters are relatable and inspiring heroes for kids with their empowering message that you can be small, and still dream big.

Smighties, which premiered as a digital series on YouTube will now be broadcast on Korea Telecom, South Korea’s largest telephone company. The animated series will also be premiering on Iflix, the leading SVOD channel in Southeast Asia. The show will stream in North America across the Future Today/Happy Kids network on Roku and other digital platforms as well as on Amazon Prime. Toon Goggles will also feature Smighties across its kid-friendly broadcast and digital channels in North America, reaching 50 million homes.

Co-CEO for Herotainment, Wade Teman, said, “We created Smighties with a global audience in mind and believe that our lovable characters and uplifting storylines will delight kids and families everywhere.”

These new distribution deals build on Herotainment’s recently announced partnership with Animaccord, creator of the highly-successful Masha and the Bear franchise with over 30 billion views worldwide, for Russia, CIS, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Baltics and the Middle East. Herotainment has also signed a distribution deal with UYoung Media to broadcast Smighties on Mango TV in China, and a distribution and licensing partnership in Vietnam with POPS Worldwide who operates the number one kids network in the region with over

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ATF ANNOUNCES KEY SPEAKERS The Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) 2019 today announced the first round of Keynote speakers for the ATF Leaders’ Summit on 3rd December.

Themed Streaming the Future, this year’s event seeks to reflect the spirit of Asia’s dynamic content industry and its bold step into the future, with prominent C-Level speakers shedding light on opportunities and strategies moving forward.

China and India are the economic powerhouses of Asia. Similarly, they play a pertinent role in shaping the region’s entertainment content market. At the forefront of the content industry in these countries are iQIYI and Reliance Entertainment.

Founded in 2010 and under the leadership of its founder and CEO, Gong Yu, iQIYI has grown to become China’s largest video and entertainment platform both in terms of user base and viewing time. In 2017, Gong announced his aspiration for iQIYI to become ‘a technology based entertainment giant that brings fun and joy to people and their families.”

Today, the company is an entertainment empire with a wide spectrum of products and services. In late June 2019, the company further announced that it will push harder into overseas markets such as North America and Japan after hitting a milestone of 100 million paying subscribers.

Over in India, Reliance Entertainment has been making waves, with Group CEO, Shibasish Sarkar, at its helm. A media and entrtainment industry veteran, Sarkar’s experience spans across multiple verticals including gaming, films, television, animation, digital content and new media platforms. His work at Reliance has seen him establishing and scaling business operations, driving sustainable growth by forming key alliances, managing stakeholders, talent partners and cross-functional teams. Prior to his role at Reliance, he had been with Viacom18 and Disney-UTV. Commenting, Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director of ATF said, “We are excited to feature such influential keynote speakers to give us a glimpse into the future of the industry as ATF marks its 20th edition this year.”

ODDCATS RETURNS TO BLE Oddcats!, the winner of License This!

(Character and Animation category) at Brand Licensing Europe 2018, will be returning to exhibit with a stand at the event this year.

Oddcats! is a fun and friendly preschool brand created by illustrator Zara Picken. Cute, colourful and a little bit quirky, the Oddcats are always working together and exploring something new in Oddlandia.

The distinct stitch-style designs are ideal for use within books, apps, toys, clothing, and stationery.

A brand new Oddcats! website has just been launched at www.oddcatsworld.com, showcasing new images and a range of concepts ready for licensing.

Zara Picken, Brand Owner, Oddcats!: “I’m really excited that I’ll be able to attend BLE. It’s going to be great to officially launch the Oddcats! brand in October.

My hope is that BLE enables me to meet people with the same enthusiasm and belief in the brand who can help bring the characters and their world to a wider audience.”

THE NEXT STEP LAUNCHES WITH THEMED WORKSHOPS Boat Rocker Media’s The Next Step is the UK’s best loved reality dance drama for tweens, The Next Step follows the trials, tribulations and triumphs of A-Troupe, a group of dancers at the Next Step dance studio. And iconic London dance studio, Pineapple, kicked off the events with a series of

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The Next Step themed workshops which have been an amazing success, leading to Boat Rocker extending its partnership with Pineapple.

Featuring music and choreography from the series, the workshops sell out soon after going on sale, often before they have been advertised, with waiting lists for many classes. New dates for the rest of the year were added to the original Easter/half term classes due to this incredible demand.

Attendees have waltzed in from as far afield as USA, Malta, Lebanon, Hong Kong and France, reflecting the show’s global appeal and demand for related activity.

Additionally, the classes boost sales of tie-in product and generate strong social media activity.

Debbie Moore, OBA, MA Chairman and CEO, Pineapple Holdings Ltd said: “This is a wonderful collaboration for

Pineapple and The Next Step. It’s so exciting having the TNS workshops at Pineapple and seeing the kids so full of energy and enthusiasm. It’s the perfect licensing partnership for us.”

The show is a constant ratings topper on CBBC, and several cast members flew over to Liverpool to take part in the BBC’s Summer Social event this August.

The brand-new The Next Step Live – Absolute Dance tour is about to hit the UK, featuring nine dancers from the television series. The tour gives fans a chance to get up close and personal with The Next Step cast members, featuring solos, duets, trios and group numbers choreographed to popular hit songs, along with original music from the show. Due to high demand, six matinees have been added to the original 14 dates in highcapacity venues in major cities.

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BETTY BOOP IN MUSIC TIE-IN King Features Syndicate, recently announced the J-POP Diva Ayumi Hamasaki’s Betty Boop themed merchandise for her tour ‘ayumi hamasaki Trouble Tour 2019-2020 -misunderstood.”

Ayu’s version of Fleischer Studios’ owned Betty Boop was created just for her and the tour merchandise.

The designers worked closely with Fleischer Studios and King Features for months to create the new design, which has similar features to the original it-girl, but Ayu’s version has blonde hair and a ponytail.

After the design was finalized, Ayu went on to create each piece of her new tour merchandise, which in-

cludes Betty Boop T-shirts, pants, a towel, and a bag.

These select pieces are part of an official collaboration with Betty Boop, and made possible with the support of Copyrights Asia, the licensing agent for King Features in Japan, and its licensee Rainbowworks.

Ayumi, along with her dancers and some of the audience, wore the specially designed Betty Boop T-shirts during a

performance on one of the biggest music programs in Japan broadcast on Fuji TV in July.

“King Features has a robust licensing program in Japan and has partnered with many artists, music bands and sports teams in the territory,” said Carla Silva, VP and General Manager and Global Head of Licensing for King Features.

“We are excited to continue this tradition by Betty Boop-ifying Ayu and bringing her playful style to her fans in Japan and around the world.”

CHANGE OF FORMAT FOR KAZACHOK EVENT After the past three tricky years, licensing professionals are wondering about existing plans; reconsidering their business models and banking on new partnerships.

Nowadays properties must work

twice as hard to exist and stand out.

In a world where buyers, and children in particular, are turning away from traditional media buying patterns, the Francocentric licensing market is shrinking. On the contrary, the entertainment business at large is thriving.

Indeed content purchasing is developing quickly.

Digital platforms (music/movies) and multi-device are sprouting up all over, clearly changing the way kids and teens use TV. The T.A.K.S.I. survey (Truth About Kids’ Social Influencers) conducted by Junior City in October 2018 showed that 59% of 7-18 year olds daily visit YouTube. 9 out of 10 go on YouTube at least once a week - that means almost all of them!

They’re in the habit of watching between 7 and 10 different channels, whether they’ve subscribed to them or not. Furthermore, ultra powerful communities are developing (gam-

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ing / K Pop / sports fans, etc). The BrandTrends survey, unveiled by Kidz Global in May 2019, showed how the best brands’ growth in 2019 vs. 2018 are properties coming from sports and video games that attact large fan communities: Kylian Mbappé +19 points, Fortnite +11 points, FIFA World Cup +9 points or Paris Saint Germain +7 points.

At a time when the world is changing incredibly fast, when all the old models need to be reconsidered, and the licensing market is shifting, Kazachok has decided to position its Forum completely differently. Partnerships between brands and content, are everywhere. The Kazachok Forum is taking this into account in order to expand partnership opportunities.

First of all, in terms of licensing and product offerings, these need to be showcased even better. Secondly by helping companies to identify partners who can create great Premium brand content partnerships with them - and for them.

Nowadays, brands and their advisors are seeking every kind of sponsorship, co-branding, licensed advertising, and collaborative options. During the twoday Forum, CoBrandz Paris will showcase everything that encompasses trademark at large, including products as well as licensed advertising. Co-

Brandz Paris will also include content with entertainment, brand content and major themes such as: sports, music, movies, gaming (including e-sport) marketing influence, social media platforms, etc.

And in the Collab’ section, fashion, luxury, design and endorsement. And last but not least: the Co-branding section with brand-to-brand deals, shop in shop, retailtainment, etc.

The goal is to offer the French licensing market a new event that will trigger new advertising campaigns, great products and great opportunities in the French and European territories.

In addition to the Pitching Sessions, there will be a showcase of the brands present at the fair, and subjects that are meaningful to advertisers. Visitors will not only gain better understanding of the licensing market thanks to master classes, surveys and feedback but also be able to access the first entertainment and licensing network.

Licensing and retail partners will again be there as well as numerous new visitors such as advertisers and their agencies in search of content.

This new approach will allow combining audiences, being in synch with the licensing market’s evolution, and identifying new business solutions.

For more information, contact Nathalie Chouraqui nc@kazachok.com +33(0)1 55 95 00 25

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SONY NAME HASBRO FOR GHOSBUSTERS Sony Pictures Consumer Products recently announced that Hasbro has been named the master toy licensee for Ghostbusters worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, Hasbro will create a wide variety of toys inspired by the franchise and its entertainment properties globally designed to appeal to both fans of the original franchise, and a new generation of Ghostbusters around the world.

Hasbro’s Ghostbusters line will be available in 2020, aligning with the promotion of the highly anticipated new Ghost-

busters movie that is slated for Summer 2020 in the U.S. The upcoming product line marks a return to the Ghostbusters franchise by Hasbro. From 1986 to 1991, Kenner, which is now part of Hasbro, created and marketed The Real Ghostbusters toy line, with many of the original developers from Kenner still working with Hasbro. More recently, Hasbro collaborated with Sony Pictures to create the Transformers Generations Collaborative: Ghostbusters Mash-Up Ecto-1 Ectotron which is currently available for pre-order exclusively at GameStop and HasbroPulse.com.

Additionally, a Transformers / Ghostbusters crossover comic series is now available from IDW. These collaborations honor both brands’ 35th anniversaries this year.

“As we build up to release our new Ghostbusters film next year, it was a natural choice to work with Hasbro to develop an all-new line of toys that not only celebrates the new film but also brings us back to the roots of the original film and toy line,” said Jamie Stevens, Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures Consumer Products. “Hasbro has a proven track record of working with well-known IP to make a variety of high-quality toys and figures that appeal to people of all ages and we are excited to leverage this expertise to bring new product experiences to Ghostbusters fans around the world.”

ACTIVISION BLIZZARD CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARIES Activision Blizzard is celebrating two major milestone anniversaries this year -- the 40th anniversary of Activision Publishing and the 15th anniversary of the iconic World of Warcraft.

For Activision Blizzard Consumer Products, the company is committed to providing new opportunities for gamers to express their passion for stories, characters, and leagues and immerse themselves in every way possible. ABCPG celebrates gamers through its best-in-class relationships that allow numerous ways for fans to engage with their favorite properties.

Activision Publishing has leaned into the strong consumer and fan demand for retro properties by reemerging iconic characters like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. These fan-favorites appeal across generations and have leapt from screen to life through our world-class relationships - including partners like Funko, GameStop, Rubber Road and more. Activision Blizzard is excited to provide its diverse and passionate audience with these fan-favorite characters through such products as apparel,

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collectibles, homeware and more that allow them to embody the spirit of each fabled franchise.

On the Blizzard Entertainment side, World of Warcraft is gearing up to celebrate its 15th anniversary that coincides with the launch of World of Warcraft Classic edition. The company has been delighted to see Azeroth brought to life in so many ways through consumer products including apparel from UNIQLO and HLA, and partnerships with Dabao, NetEase

and Thermos. Additionally, to commemorate fifteen years of adventure and camaraderie, in cooperation with multinational book publisher Scholastic, Blizzard recently announced the third installment of the World of Warcraft Traveler book series, aimed at young readers, which is due out later this year.

“Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group is dedicated to honoring our players’ love for these iconic franchises through licensed programs, some of which are present at Brand Licensing Europe.

Through products from our worldclass licensees like Funko, Bioworld, Rubber Road and many others, our fans can fully celebrate the reemergence of these characters in their everyday lives, whether new to the fandom or experiencing our games for the first time. We’re excited to bring our community a wide variety of consumer products to showcase that excitement.” – Steve Young, President of Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group.

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9 STORY BRING CLIFFORD TO BLE Clifford, the hit, international Scholastic property is back, and 9 Story Brands is excited to bring Clifford to BLE! The eagerly-anticipated Clifford reboot series, launching on Amazon and PBS Kids in December 2019, will also be supported by an expansive licensing and consumer products program. Further, a brand new global publishing program will follow the series launch to continue the brand’s global publishing success, with more than 134 million Clifford books in print across 20 different languages. 9 Story Brands will be handling the brand globally outside of the US. The new series will include 39 x 22-minute episodes featuring Clifford and his best friend Emily Elizabeth, new friends, new imagined adventures, a new art style, and an original song in every episode.To add to the excitement, for the first time ever Clifford speaks to Emily Elizabeth, adding a new, engaging aspect to the series and allows for new exploration of Clifford in consumer products.

With a new animated series, publishing program and licensing opportunities in 2019, and a live-action Clifford The Big Red Dog Paramount Pictures feature film premiering in 2020, Clifford is back, and bigger than ever!

BBC STUDIOS LICENSES THE WATCH BBC Studios has announced that it will retain all licensing rights to The Watch.

The BBC America original series is based on Sir Terry Pratchett’s wildly popular Discworld novels, which have sold more than 100 million books worldwide. Representation of the series includes all licensing rights across merchandise, gaming, publishing, and live events.

The (8 x 45) series is produced by BBC Studios and Narrativia for BBC America. It has been written by Simon Allen, and is executive produced by Hilary Salmon, Ben Donald for BBC Studios and Rob Wilkins for Narrativia. Richard Stokes) also joins the team as executive producer.

The Watch is a uniquely anarchic, and thrillingly entertaining procedural police drama inspired by the legendary ‘City Watch’ subset of “Discworld” novels.

This disruptive, character-driven thriller centres on Terry Pratchett’s misfit cops as they fight to save a ramshackle city of normalized wrongness from both the past and future in a perilous quest.

Commenting on the new signing, Rikesh Desai, Licensing Director, Consumer Products at BBC Studios, said, “The Watch is an exciting addition to our slate and one we’re proud to be representing. We’re looking forward to the series launching next year and to working with partners across the merchandise, gaming, publishing and live events industry.”

The new Watch series is currently in development and is due to launch in sometime in 2020.

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AUSTRALIAN STEVEN RHODES PROGRAM EXPANDS The consumer products program for Australian based graphic artist and illustrator, Steven Rhodes, continues to develop via deals brokered by the brand’s licensing agent - Blue Chip Brands.

The collection of nostalgic designs that feature a twist of darkness are already a major success in the USA through youth retailers such as Spencer Gifts and Hot Topic and is set to expand into new territories and new product categories.

Pyramid International has inked a multi-territory deal to develop a comprehensive range of products including wall art for North America and an array of wall art, giftware and stationery for the rest of the world.

Australian based apparel company DFM Australia has been appointed to manage the apparel and accessory rights across Australia and New Zealand and launched the first Steven Rhodes T-shirts through local retailer Zing this past September.

Blue Chip Brands CEO, Anthony Harvey commented, “It’s fantastic to be representing an Australian brand owner and particularly pleasing to be involved in making Steven Rhodes consumer products available in so many other markets worldwide.

The appointment of Pyramid International and DFM Australia provides a really solid foundation of core categories on which we can build the program.”

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SHAUN THE SHEEP: FARMAGEDDON

EMOJI PHONE GRIP

As Aardman gears up for the global release of the much-anticipated feature film sequel Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, the team will be heading to MIPCOM to present some new series based content.

Morph and his pals are back in a new 15 x 5 minute series of adventures which will take him farther afield, around the studio, and sometimes even into the outside world.

Shaun the Sheep Series 6, comprising 20 x 7minutes is directed by Tom Parkinson. The new series keeps the pace of the much-anticipated feature film sequel ‘Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.

Alongside their own content slate, the Sales and Acquisitions team continue their distribution of Pop Paper City a new 3D preschool craft adventure series comprising 52 x 7 minute episodes. The series focuses on a group of unique friends who live in the capital of a stunning and endlessly peculiar paper world.

Finally, Happy the 52 x 7minute series from Paper Owl Films will be on show. On top of the normal difficulties of being a pre-schooler, Happy is prickly, smelly and has fleas… so if he can make a friend, anyone can!

The newest, breakout phone grip accessory on the market, Cool Grips with Air Pop Technology by Fabpops, features signature emoji brand icons.

The Cool Grips are available now for pre-order and will launch across multiple retailers and college campuses starting this Fall.

Brokered by Retail Monster, the emoji company’s United States licensing agent, the collection features some of the emoji brands top rated and lively icons partnered with the world’s first magnetic phone grip accessory.

Louis Fabec, CEO and Founder of Fabpops, said, “Fabpops brings technology and practicality to the next level with a magnetic functioning phone accessory built for ease and comfortability.

It’s been a pleasure partnering with emoji® - The Iconic Brand and allowing personality and style to blend with everyday use.”

“We are excited to showcase our emoji® brand icons in a new way via this new technology! Fapops is bringing expression and personalization to cell phone accessories with the biggest and best library of icons and we are happy to be a part of this new innovative product line!” Marco Hüsges, CEO and founder of the emoji company.

LEGENDS SIGN AS RUGBY WORLD CUP PARTNER Rugby World Cup Limited, via their licensing agent IMG, recently announced the appointment of Legends International, an industry leader in global planning, sales, and hospitality as the official retail partner and operator for Rugby World Cup 2019. The event is being held from 20 September – 2 November 2019 in Japan. The world-class sporting event -the second largest global sport event will be hosted in Asia for the first time.

Legends will operate 73 official merchandise stores across the country. All 12 host cities will have retail stores at the venues and in their respective Fanzones.

The store operations will empower fans to cheer for their favourite team with merchandise featuring all 20 participating unions, exclusive event memorabilia for men, women and children as well as a large range of official licensed products.

A Megastore will serve as an official flagship store and will be located in the newly created Shinjuku Odakyu Park in front of the world’s busiest train station in Shinjuku, center Tokyo,The store will be open until 20 November.The Rugby World Cup 2019 Megastore will stock the widest selection of Rugby World Cup 2019 merchandise available, that includes replica game jerseys of the 20 participating unions in the competition and other apparel, towel mufflers and other cheering goods, and small commemorative souvenir items. During the tournament, the Webb Ellis Cup, which is awarded to the winner, will also be on display there as well as match updates in real-time.

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Visit Total Licensing booth A182 at BLE

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PUKEKO UNVEILS PUBLISHING DEALS Pukeko Pictures has unveiled deals with top international publishers on its new CGI picture-book preschool series Book Hungry Bears (52 x 11 minutes) as well as details on ten brand new picture books to feature in the TV series. The slate of new

books was developed by the company’s Chief Creative Officer and acclaimed writer Martin Baynton, who also created the series.

In broadcast deals, TVNZ and ABC Australia have signed up to air the preschool series that is co-produced with Canada’s Breakthrough Entertainment and Hengxin Shambala Kids in China. Book Hungry Bears has been commissioned by Canada’s TVOkids and TFO, in association with Knowledge Kids.

Publishing partners that have come on board to supply picture books

for inclusion in Book Hungry Bears include: Scholastic Canada; Pajama Press; Kids Can Press;Tradewind Books; Inhabit Media; Editions D’eux; Owl Kids Books in Canada. Pukeko Pictures has also signed deals with Macmillan Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Children’s in the US; Walker Books and Child’s Play in the UK; Harper Collins in Australia, and Gecko Press, Duck Creek Press for NZ as well as two Martin Baynton books from Scholastic NZ Why do you Love Me and Daniel’s Dinosaurs.

In addition, Pukeko Pictures’ own slate of ten original picture books have been written and illustrated by a group of accomplished and award-winning creatives to feature in episodes of Book Hungry Bears to cover themes for the TV series that were hard to source - themes such as acceptance of diversity and the transient nature of things and blended families.

Pukeko Pictures’ Chief Creative Officer Martin Baynton said: “Children’s love of stories and pictures books is universal, as well as being an important step in development, and sharing the reading experience with grown-ups or peers helps kids form bonds and facilitates emotional learning. This show brings together my love of compelling narrative and passion for creating content that supports kids in their emotional journeys as they make sense of the world around them.”

ODDBODS IN BELGIAN PROMO Oddbods, has partnered with retailer SPAR in Belgium, on a six-week promotion giving fans the opportunity to earn exclusive Oddbods merchandise when they shop in-store. The multiplatform campaign will run between the 29th of August and 8th of October in all 113 stores across the territory. Consumers who spend €10 in store, will receive a free Oddbods pack, including one Oddbods OmniMagnet and one stamp. Once eight stamps have been collected, shoppers can purchase an exclusive Oddbods plush toy for an additional €5.There will also be an Oddbods Collector Album available. Over half a million OmniMagnets plus tens of thousand plush and Collector Albums are expected to be given away and purchased. In a deal brokered by CPLG Benelux & Megapromotions Worldwide, SPAR Lambrechts will be throwing its weight behind the promotion with in-store POS, window decals, printed leaflets and social media activations.

One Animation will also be supporting the initiative with a geo-targeted digital campaign, leveraging their huge digital presence to ensure that their fans are aware of and looking for the promotion in store.

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CHARACTER MIX LAUNCHES NEW DIVISION Character Mix, a licensing agency based in Argentina, has been working throughout the region for 16 years, representing major brands.

In recent years, the licensing market has been going through a difficult period. Understanding the business cycles, trends and the pace of change, especially in their territory, is vitally important.

As a result, Character Mix decided to focus on where they visualize concrete business opportunities.

Based on this premise they have developed a complete new concept, emphasizing flexibility in licensing agreements. They will be offering a practically ad-hoc business model for each licensee or partner. They believe that despite the crisis there are always opportunities if the proposal/ property is interesting for potential licensees and for consumers.

A new business unit has been created – Character Mix Toys – with the objective of creating international toys.

Their first venture is based on a llama – which has become a fashion icon in the same way as unicorns were.

Character Mix has created Muy Chulas, a group of friendly llamas, accompanied by their friend Churki, a cactus. The property is aimed at girls aged four to fifteen.

Slime Fury is targeted at the boys market aged five to eleven and the first product will be a playset.

Finally, Character Mix have a unisex property aimed at preschool and called Chuekos based on the concept of Russian Matrioska dolls.

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SeaBelievers, Ecotainment Genre-Defining Animated Series to be Showcased at MIP Jr. Global All-Star Award-Winning Industry Vets Unite for Musical Environmental-based Adventure That Encourages Little Kids To Do Big Things

For more information contact: Brien P. Arone Founder and SeaEO SeaBelievers (941) 724-1368 brien.arone@seabelievers.com

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SeaBelievers, the first-ever animated ECOtainment musical adventure that encourages kids to save their Earth today for tomorrow, will debut to buyers and industry executives at MIP Jr. The 52x11 minute SeaBelievers episodic series, in association with Ocon Studios and set for December 2020, stars a forward-thinking crew of diverse characters on a mission to empower big positive change.

“We’re defining a new genre of ECOtainment as we set-out to empower kids to make a difference now to help protect our planet,” said Brien Arone, SeaBelievers Founder and SeaEO. “Like Greta Thunberg and many of today’s young children who know kids must be the wave of change, SeaBelievers are right by their side, introducing real-life issues affecting our oceans, and how every individual can make a difference. Along the way, kids are educated in a fun, super positive way.”

Arone enlisted a top-notch creative team to bring a global approach to the series including animation from Seoulbased Ocon Studios, writing and show runners from North America’s Emmywinning Baboon Animation and music composition from Irish/US-based Emmy-winner Rich Dickerson. Altogether, the team boasts 28 cumulative Emmy awards.

From climate change and pollution, to saving endangered sea creatures, encouraging conservation, harmony with

nature, and the belief in every child’s ability to make a difference, the SeaBelievers creatively find solutions and other means to solve problems. Each animated episode empowers kids on a relatable adventure. Whether in the sea or on land, the positive SeaBelievers characters - complete with their distinct seaweed hair seashell nose, sea-colored eyes and webbed hands and feet - sing songs like “Be Kind,” “Think Again,” “Change The World,” problem-solve and take action around key environmental issues.

Arone continued, “The SeaBelievers property is built on redefining the good-vs-evil stereotype, by making our characters informed-vs-uninformed, and by lifting audiences up and not putting them down. From the content and its messaging, to the animation and consumer products, SeaBelievers believe in the basic good found around us; even the antagonistic characters will possess the ability to redeem themselves.”

The industry has already acknowledged SeaBelievers mission. MIP Jr. organizers encouraged the property to be involved in the show’s opening night event as they share a commitment to highlighting the importance of sustainable development, especially in regards to the protection of the planet and its oceans. MIPTV launched an initiative earlier this year to support the UN’s Sustainable Development

Goals Media Compact, which sets out to advance awareness of sustainability issues among the media and entertainment companies.

Additionally, SeaBelievers is a member of 1% for the Planet, a global organization that connects businesses, individuals, and nonprofits, empowering all to drive big, positive change. On Earth Day 2019, SeaBelievers was front-andcenter at the White House to chat with over 30,000 children about how they were celebrating the day and protecting the planet.

SeaBelievers is inspired by the SeaBabies property of the 1990s that celebrated the environment and inspired children to care about the future of the planet, the fun, innovative property included toys, costume characters and live shows. They visited the White House to celebrate Easter, marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and toured New England where they presented choreographed 30-minute shows that integrated dancing, music, and promoted environmental awareness among children.

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KONAMI SIGN BOARD GAME LICENSE Konami Cross Media NY recently announced that it has signed licensing agreements for board games based on the Konami video game titles, Contra and Bomberman.These are just some of the exciting new deals Konami Cross Media NY is signing as it builds its cross-media strategy.

“We are pleased to welcome Blacklist Games (in conjunction with Kess Co.) and IDW Games as licensees to our rapidly growing slate of partners helping us expand the consumer products for our gaming brands, Contra and Bomberman,” said Jennifer Coleman, Konami Cross Media NY’s Vice President, Licensing & Marketing, in making the announcement. “We hope fans will love the fantastic and compelling game play the board game versions will offer from these two Konami titles. This is just the start of the different engagement points we plan to develop in order to create a truly robust experience for Contra and Bomberman fans.”

Targeting a North American launch in Spring 2020, Blacklist Games is developing a cooperative board game based on the original Contra video game, with tactical, card-driven game play and detailed miniatures of the famous heroes, enemies, and environments from the iconic video game. Contra gained its notoriety through its run and gun-style action and trailblazing multiplayer cooperative gameplay. Initially debuted in 1987, the Contra library has several titles across multiple platforms.

IDW Games has licensed the global rights to develop Bomberman-branded board games, card games, puzzles and collectible pins.The board game will launch later this year. Bomberman was originally launched in 1987 for NES as an action videogame. The newest version, Super Bomberman R, launched in 2017 exclusively on Nintendo Switch and is now also available on Xbox and PlayStation 4.

NAT GEO RANGE FROM SPEARMARK Spearmark has announced that it is to produce a range of lunch ware for children on behalf of National Geographic for the UK market.

The range includes bottles, lunch bags, sandwich boxes, plates, tumblers and cutlery. All the items in the range will use minimal packaging and all are designed to encourage reuse in line with National Geographic’s Planet of Plastic? initiative, a multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic crisis.

Arriving at retail in autumn/winter, the items are aimed at a core target audience of primary school children and gift givers. They are expected to be available in supermarkets and major department stores as well as online.

The designs are inspired by a number of themes that National Geographic

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has been expanding throughout its consumer products for children during 2019, including Amazing Animals, STEM and Space, and Explorers-inTraining. These themes are reflected in designs showing dinosaurs, astronauts, planets, mountains and maps, or amazing facts about the natural world like the depth of the Mariana Trench and the height of Mount Everest.

Helena Mansell-Stopher, Director Consumer Products, Publishing and Retail, National Geographic Partners UK, said,“These colourful and practical items are perfect for the back-to-school and Christmas seasons, combining flair and style with National Geographic’s commitment to exploring and understanding our planet and its history.”

LEAD UK LICENSEES FOR PETER RABBIT Penguin Ventures in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products, recently announced the lead U.K. licensing partners for Peter Rabbit 2, the sequel to 2018 box office success Peter Rabbit, from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation.

The new movie will see the return of Peter, his sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail and cousin Benjamin as they embark on a high-energy adventure, meeting some new characters along the way. The first Peter Rabbit movie grossed over £268M ($351M USD) at the global box office in 2018.

Penguin Ventures, acting on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd (Beatrix Potter’s original publisher and the home of Peter Rabbit and the Beatrix Potter brand) has secured high calibre licensees in key product categories for the upcoming film, Peter Rabbit 2.

Rainbow Designs is confirmed as plush licensing partner and will be releasing a series of plush including additional characters that feature in the new movie whilst Whitehouse Leisure will be producing a range of leisure plush. World of Confections is confirmed for sweets whilst Solent has been signed for personal care which will include tissues and a dental range.

Lead publishing partner Puffin (part of PRH Children’s) will launch a range of tie-in book formats whilst Phidal will be renewing their licence for the popular Busy Book format. Redan will be producing a one shot magazine.

For apparel, Aykroyds & Sons and TDP Textiles will be producing nightwear for children and adults and swimwear plus underwear for children; TV Mania will be launching a range of children’s daywear and Smiffys will be creating a series of dress up options. Dinoski will be launching a ski suit and thermal wear and DNC will produce a range of homewares.

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The Mondo Group is one of Italy’s leading production studios.

Total Licensing caught up with Matteo Corradi, Mondo’s President and CEO, to find out more.

How did Mondo TV begin?

Matteo Corradi, CEO Mondo TV Group: Mondo TV began 50 years ago. Our founding president, Orlando Corradi, started acquiring the rights to animated cartoons from other countries for distribution in Italy and Europe. Mondo TV’s own productions, notably television series based on Disney’s copyright-free movies, followed some years later. In the year 2000 the company was listed on the stock exchange. By that time it had a vast library of about 2,500 episodes of many shows, the sale of which is still a massive source of revenue.

For some years Mondo TV has repositioned itself in terms of Italian animation. When and how was this change of emphasis born?

Matteo Corradi: Our new direction took shape four years ago, when we decided to enter into large international co-productions working on important IPs belonging to third-party companies, all strategic players in the sector. The aim was the creation and distribution of content worldwide

Matteo Corradi

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accompanied by a solid licensing programme. The integration of our Licensing & Merchandising Division into the business model has meant that the company today is a major player in its field in Europe; the group is now ranked among the top five European majors, with four listed companies, assets of over 60 million euros and a debt of zero, a situation that allows long-term investments to be made.

When was the need to change the group’s business model perceived?

Matteo Corradi: It happened around the time of the 2008 crisis that hit the entire industry, following which many competitors were absorbed by larger companies. We understood that in order to remain competitive we had to become solid from a financial point of view; this explains the stock market listing of the subsidiaries (Mondo TV Suisse, Mondo TV France and Mondo TV Iberoamerica). The listing on the stock exchange made it possible to enhance and monetize company shares that had, until then, had an unexpressed value. But that wasn’t all. The birth of new forms of use of content and the growth of digital media were well under way by then. We realized that new opportunities were opening up linked to the exposure of brands on a variety of channels; in particular we knew we had to strengthen our efforts in merchandising and in facilitating the development of toys and other products connected to it.

How has your organizational structure changed in recent years to be able to address and support this development?

Matteo Corradi: The organizational structure has undoubtedly changed over time. We have brought in new people, or developed new managerial skills, to boost our performance in content sales and the development of merchandising and, in particular, our toy partnerships. We have strengthened our executive production arm: today it has about ten project managers who can follow up to 25 projects a year at the same time. We have also created a pre-production hub in the Canary Islands which takes advantage of a favourable local tax regime.

This means creative development of IP can be almost entirely European, from scripts to final mixing, with pre-production in the Canaries and post-production in Italy. That said, we have outsourced much animation to Asia thanks to a strategic collaboration with the Chinese company York Animation – also listed on the stock exchange – with which we have made many of our leading productions.

Co-production is another growth area, incidentally. Robot Trains is a coproduction with the Korean group CJ E&M; YooHoo to the Rescue is a co-production with Korea’s Aurora World; and MeteoHeroes, launching in 2020, is a co-production with Italy’s MOPI, a leading meteorological forecasting centre.

TOTAL LICENSING However, the partnership with York Animation goes far beyond the production of content; Invention Story, co-produced with York Animation, is being aired on China’s CCTV from 1 October. That means that, for the first time, a property is positioned to launch in the Chinese market and then move into the European market, where negotiations with broadcasters are already under way.

What are the goals you set for yourself in the medium to long term?

Matteo Corradi: We have a number of goals. We want to create a Europeheadquartered multinational that penetrates all markets, with particular focus on strengthening our reach in the Germanic and Anglo-Saxon territories, something we have already started doing through a major strategic cooperation agreement with German company Toon2Tango GmbH & Co. KG., the new kids and family entertainment venture founded by television and movie industry legend Hans Ulrich (Ulli) Stoef. Our Licensing & Merchandising unit is doing well but has a lot of room for growth. Most importantly perhaps, we aim to maintain our reputation as a company with a strong credit rating thanks to a high

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level of assets, the absence of debt and a cash availability that allows us to work with our own resources.

Can you tell us what your flagship projects currently are? What plans can you reveal for 2020?

Matteo Corradi: Mondo TV boasts a very broad and diversified product portfolio, both in terms of content and target audience. This will continue. Our projects are innovative and reflect emerging trends. We want them to stand out from the vast quantity of formulaic IP that crowd schedules and shelves.

In addition, with digital entertainment a hot topic these days, we are responding by integrating new crossplatform IPs for tweens and teens.

One such is House of Talent, the Web Series, which brings together over 20 teen influencers – in a real house!

They face tests of their talents in different areas such as cooking, science, fashion, music and more at specified times.Viewers can check them out on YouTube on any device whenever they like, to see how they are coping.

Another flagship project is MeteoHeroes, which deals with the highly topical issue of climate change and arrives next year. There’s also the Original Netflix animated series YooHoo to the Rescue, whose world premiere on Netflix was in March, with linear television launches across five countries soon afterwards. In Italy the series debuted on April 1 on Frisbee, where the audience numbers were impressive.

Then there’s Robot Trains, whose second season aired on Cartoonito

on 11 February (a third season has been greenlighted).There’s also Invention Story. Hard on the heels of its launch in China, Invention Story will soon appear in Europe, beginning with Italy where we are close to finalising a partner and broadcast date.

Last but not least, there’s another first for the group: our first third-party representation of a non-broadcasting property – and, to date, a very successful one. Feisty Pets, a line of innovative soft toys created by the US company William Mark Corporation, has quickly become an international phenomenon. Mondo TV has been appointed sub-agent by the global master agent Surge for the development of the licensing programme in Italy and Iberia and has already sealed a number of important deals.

You have developed a 360° approach to your business –from the scouting of new subjects, to the production phase, to broadcast sales and even the management of licensing activities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of controlling the entire process?

Matteo Corradi: I see only advantages.

Having an organizational structure able to operate on a 360° basis allows us to optimize the delivery of a production based on the sales timetable of broadcasters and licensees. That timetable helps to guide the writing of the script, the television positioning, the identification of the master toy partner and the development of the entire licensing programme.

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MAGIC LIGHT PICTURES An exciting, action-packed year for Magic Light Pictures saw the BAFTAwinning and Oscarnominated creators of family entertainment and brands moving management of its UK licensing in-house.

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A tremendous year of celebration for The Gruffalo’s 20th anniversary involved a wide range of activity, including a commemorative 50p coin issued

by The Royal Mint which exceeded expectations; over 60 million stamps with Deutsche Post in circulation in Germany; character celebrations at Chessington and events at Forestry England locations; and a pop-up shop in Covent Garden. The licensing programme also saw a sold-out clothing range from Cribstar; the launch of healthy snack biscuits with Organix; and a new collaboration with Baby MORI. Sainsbury’s have also created Gruffalo Christmas jumpers with profits going to Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day campaign.

In Australia, The Gruffalo Spotter Trails and associated AR app launched in April on the Gold Coast, with another three quickly following and more in the pipeline. Also in Australia, sleepwear giants Peter Alexander launched a range of Gruffalo pyjamas and loungewear for all ages.

Leading German museum the Historisches Museum der Pfalz in Speyer launches a major new interactive Gruffalo exhibition in December, running for six months. Featuring exciting activities and original artwork, it will enable families to immerse themselves in the world of Der Grüffelo and also explore other Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler books. Also in Germany, one of the country’s most well known children’s museums, the Explorado Duisburg, is hosting a special Gruffalo weekend for October 5-6.

Rounding off the year, a Der Grüffelo promotion will feature in 10,000 Tchibo outlets in GAS. In the US, Room on the Broom is the #1 picture book during Halloween and to capitalise, we are building a focused licensing programme based on its popularity.

The Snail and the Whale, the latest Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler animated festive family special, premieres on BBC One this Christmas, with Aurora launching a range of tie-in plush.

At BLE Magic Light are introducing their charming new preschool brand Pip and Posy. With a 52 x 7’ series currently in development, this sweet story of friendship and understanding is based on the hugely popular, million-selling story books written and illustrated by multi award-winning illustrator Axel Scheffler. Featuring the co-

lourful adventures of forgetful rabbit Pip and impulsive mouse Posy, it is packed with warmth, humour and sympathetic understanding of the little dramas of young children’s lives.

Magic Light are forming part of Beyond the Book, the new publishing feature at BLE in the Publishing Pavilion, with a Deep Dark Wood themed product display. In addition, joint Managing Director Michael Rose will be appearing on an animation panel in the Wednesday keynote session.

After BLE, Magic Light Pictures will be heading to MIP where they will be looking forward to talking to buyers about their two latest projects - the half-hour family special The Snail and the Whale and their adorable new preschool series Pip and Posy.

Magic Light Pictures are on stand D342 at BLE

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Engaging audiences and creating media franchises Ferly is an entertainment company with its roots in Rovio, where many of the key executives were closely involved in the success of Angry Birds.

Laura Nevanlinna, CEO of Ferly - (which means wonderous or marvellous in Old English) - talked to Total Licensing and explained their business in more detail.

Can you tell us something about the background to Ferly?

Laura Nevanlinna: Ferly is an entertainment company based out of Helsinki, Stockholm, Vancouver and LA specialising in brand development through licensing, apps, publishing, animation, film and TV. Our chair, Mikael Hed, is the co-creator of Angry Birds. Our three co-founders and most of our team are the people responsible for building its global success in licensing, consumer products, animation and publishing.

What are the objectives of the company and what will you be working on?

At Ferly, we’re in a unique place to create media franchises.We have both the content and brand development teams in-house working side-by-side with Ferly Agency, the licensing arm of the company. So, it’s really creativity and business joining hands.

Due to our background with Angry Birds (Rovio), we specialise in digital distribution which allows us direct access to eyeballs and helps us build an audience with our new brands. We don’t need to rely on somebody else to broadcast and distribute - in some ways we have our fate in our own hands when building brands. Further, over the last year we’ve really put a lot of effort on building a Ferly Agency – a boutique licensing agency for the Nordics representing brands for our local markets in licensing and publishing.

Can you tell us something more about Ferly Agency?

Ferly Agency is a boutique licensing and publishing agency with its’ feet on the ground in Helsinki and Stockholm as well as in Vancouver. We represent a carefully selected portfolio of brands, but we are also constantly looking for new brands which could resonate well in the Nordic markets.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve built strong relationships with local licensees and retailers in our markets, as well as a vast network of global sub-agents, so we are in a unique position to represent brands both locally in the Nordics as well as globally.

For publishing we work depending on the available rights and territories and have lots of experience in building and managing worldwide publishing programs having represented Angry Birds for publishing globally for many years.

Also, Asian territories are another strong market for us in both licensing and publishing, due to the networks we have there.

Which brands are you representing right now in the Nordics?

We are about to announce a very exciting representation with a very successful global brand’s owner having the best-selling toy brands worldwide to reinforce our already strong portfolio of clients such as Masha and the Bear from Animaccord, and Winx Club from Rainbow. We also represent local brands from the Nor-

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dics such as CupOfTherapy and have had great success taking these brands global.

How do you see the licensing business in the Nordics? What are some of the current trends?

Licensing business has flourished in the Nordics for quite some time already, but recently we’ve seen increased interest towards licensing from many companies that might not have considered licensing their brands before. Toy brands are also doing well, and some local heritage brands keep making consistent results on licensing year after year.

One especially interesting category is the rise of the audiobook platforms.

Scandinavians like to read and now they are consuming book content in an audio format. We at Ferly don’t only see these platforms as a good source of royalties, but an excellent tool for creating awareness and building brands, as who wouldn’t want a deeper engagement for their brand with the local fans and audience.

Lastly, one should never look at the Nordics as a single territory. We have five similar, but at the same time very different countries within the Nordics with strong local licensees and retailers. If you want to build a long-lasting licensing program in the Nordics, this is something that cannot be missed. A truly Nordic licensing program should consist of a mix of multi-territory licensees mixed with local specialists.

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THE ANGRY BIRDS FLOCK TO BLE! This year is a big year for Rovio Entertainment, developers of the world renowned Angry Birds IP. Not only is The Angry Birds Movie 2 currently playing in theaters around the world (not to mention being the highest rated video game movie ever, according to Rotten Tomatoes), but this year marks the tenth anniversary of the Angry Birds brand. The first Angry Birds game launched on iOS devices on December 11, 2009, rocketing to viral status and spawning a brand that continues to draw tens of millions of active users to its games and animated

content, ten years later.

To celebrate the occasion, Rovio has enlisted the services of award-winning advertising firm, Droga5 (New York), to head up what is to be an unforgettable 10th anniversary celebration.

Taking it back to the core of the Angry Birds characters with their trademark humor and irreverence, the theme of the campaign will be “Bring Your Anger,” and will call on people all over the world to channel their anger and use it for good – often in unexpected ways.

Rovio has many more exciting surprises planned for the big anniversary, not least of which being a partnership with athletic footwear company, K-Swiss. The birds will be lending their faces to the K-Swiss Classic VN shoe in two striking new designs coming to market later this year as a limited edition run.

The custom kicks will pay homage to the evolution of the Angry Birds characters who have undergone quite a lot of changes in the last ten years, as they have flown from mobile

devices, into licensed products, animation, and hollywood movies.

Beyond footwear, the evolution of Angry Birds characters will continue into next year with the release of an all new long form animated series. The series, produced by Cake Entertainment, will follow the core Angry Birds flock in their formative teen years in the setting of a summer camp, and will present a unique visual style, never before seen in the Angry Birds world. The series will be accompanied by its own style guide, which will provide plenty of inspiration for licensing partners to create some fantastic products around the new IP. Also looking to the future, exciting innovation from Rovio is impacting on the traditional licensing world, with the augmented reality app Angry Birds Explore linking - using scannable codes - physical consumer products to the digital universe of Angry Birds, offering cool AR experiences. At BLE 2019 this is showcased in the planned Gaming Zone.

More information about the 10th anniversary celebrations will follow in the coming months so stay tuned to Rovio and Angry Birds channels, and stop by the Rovio booth (B140) to learn more!

TOY FAIR SELLS OUT GREENHOUSE AREA Toy Fair 2020 will take place once again at Olympia, London, from the 21st-23rd January 2020.

For exhibiting and sponsorship enquiries, please contact the Toy Fair team on 020 7701 7127 or email Rebecca@btha.co.uk.

You can also follow Toy Fair on Twitter @ToyFairUK to keep up to date with all the latest news from the show and its exhibitors.

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Toy Fair’s commitment to supporting new toy companies in the Greenhouse Area goes from strength to strength for 2020, having already sold out the space for next year’s show.

The Greenhouse Area is dedicated to smaller, start-up companies looking to cement their place in the toy industry.

The Greenhouse Area gives smaller exhibitors space in the main hall alongside other, well known brands such as LEGO, Character Options, Asmodee UK, TOMY, Bandai,Vivid Toy Group, Orchard Toys and VTech plus many more – who are all returning to Toy Fair. For Greenhouse exhibitors, this prime location provides an opportunity to network with industry leaders, discover other brands on a similar journey to their own and meet

with the country’s top retailers and licensors.

The Greenhouse Area has proved to be a launchpad for previous exhibitors such as Eduk8 Worldwide,The Elf on the Shelf, Insect Lore and Bigjigs, who have seen such success that they have moved out of the Greenhouse Area, becoming an established brand, and now exhibit on the main floor of the show.

The community feel of the Greenhouse, which welcomes both firsttime and returning exhibitors, is favoured by many who choose to return to the area year upon year.

Since the expansion of the area in 2018, which saw an increase of 80sqm to the Greenhouse, exhibitor demands have flourished with 47% new

exhibitors and 53% returning exhibitors. Exhibitors in the Greenhouse Area for 2020 include WOW Toys, Green Bean Collection, Risk & Rewards Board Games, Jumini, Rainbow Eco Products and Paper Engine Ltd. Returnee Rachel Lowe, of Rachel Lowe Games and Puzzles, enjoys the prime location of the Greenhouse Area. She said: “I love the Greenhouse Area as it showcases new releases and it has a real community feel. As a creator of board games and puzzles, which are mostly licensed products, I have new releases at every show, so this is a perfect location for Rachel Lowe Games and Puzzles.”

Elsewhere on the show floor, Toy Fair has a small number of stands remaining which are selling out fast.

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Interview: Why do you attend BLE? Ana Micoud is Founder of The Wizards Consultancy and heads up Cottonwood Media’s licensing activities. Here she outlines why Brand Licensing Europe is an important show for the company and what she predicts for this year...

How many years have you been attending BLE? I have been attending BLE for 14 years.

I’ve always enjoyed this show for its concise trends highlights, international attendance and easy access.

What is your main purpose for attending this year, and key objectives?

My main purpose is to present the new content and IPs created by the talented Cottonwood Media production studio and identify relevant partners (in particulier Agents & Licensees) to collaborate with Cottonwood Media and the company’s leading coproducers in order to drive the development of relevant consumer products program.

One of the company’s top shows is the hit tween drama series Find Me in Paris, a Cottonwood Media production co-produced with ZDF, ZDF Enterprises, Be-Films and the Opera National de Paris. We have had great opportunities to exploit this TV series, which recently began filming for Season 3, and has successfully been airing on many TV Channels and platforms worldwide, with key broadcasters such as Disney, Nickleodeon, Rai, Hulu, ABC, ZDF, and France TV on board.

Having recently appointed our licens-

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ing agents in the UK (with further announcements for the US to follow shortly), we will be at BLE to further extend our reach and follow up with the key regions where Find Me in Paris has strong potential such as Latin America, Central Eastern Europe, The Nordics & Australia.

Another Cottonwood Media production,The Ollie & Moon Show, is an animated series which features two cute and hilarious cats and their globetrotting adventures. This has already been enjoying new preschool exposure in the UK with the launch of the series on Tiny Pop since July 2019. As such, we are looking forward to developing strong merchandise programs for preschoolers off the back of this series.

In addition, we have also just completed the production of another ani“I’ve always enjoyed this show for its concise trends highlights, international attendance and easy access.” mated series Squish, a co-production with Planeta Junior which targets kids 6 years and over. Gulli will be launching the property in September on Canal J before rolling out later on the Gulli TV and digital platforms. As we expand our content distribution partnerships across the world, we will be kicking-off licensing activities behind this property too.

What kind of future client/business opportunities are you looking for?

Find Me in Paris, combines worldclass ballet, modern dance, drama and comedy, and follows the story of a time-travelling ballet dancer from 1905 Russia trapped in modern day Paris, and the many dilemmas she faces finding her place between two worlds. This unique hit series has al-

ready established a strong teenage fan base, and therefore offers great opportunities for manufacturers, especially fashion players as the show has a unique look with an ownable fashion footprint. We are looking to establish fashion partnerships to develop a collection inspired by the strong appeal of the teenage sports and dance outfits showcased in the show.

As mentioned earlier, The Ollie & Moon Show and Squish animated series are other Cottonwood Media properties ready for Publishing, Toys, and Home merchandise programs in specific markets. We are in partnership discussions for these shows as we speak.

What do you think will have changed at the show since 2018?

I am eager to see whether there are new brands and properties setting new trends in the market.

What trends do you foresee this year?

I believe there will be continued growth coming from video games properties as these are top of mind among a growing family audience.

Sports should stay attractive too due to the 2020 UEFA EURO Championship.

Which other trade shows do you attend during the year?

In addition to BLE, I usually go to Deauville & Nuremberg Toy Fair, Bologna Book Fair, Las Vegas Licensing Show, and Who’s Next fashion Show in Paris.

Are there any particular areas that you are interested in, ie. characters, or brand section?

I am interested in watching the new brands combinations and partnerships hitting the market as these new stories are inspirational in bringing to life new business ideas and opportunities.

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SEGA Europe to showcase diverse line-up at BLE SEGA Europe is returning to the Brand Licensing Europe exhibition this year with its largest ever stand, showcasing merchandise and apparel from its diverse cross-section of IP. From Sonic The Hedgehog, to Total War and Football Manager, to SEGA’s iconic retro offering, here’s everything you need to know about the line-up heading into BLE 2020.

Sonic The Hedgehog is gearing up for his 30th Anniversary in 2021 and the SEGA Europe Brand Licensing team are beginning discussions for new partnerships. 2019 has already been big for the blue blur, as he’s featured in the console and PC team based kartracer, Team Sonic Racing, which IGN described as “a fantastic evolution of the arcade racing formula” in their 8.5/10 review. SEGA are also gearing up for the launch of Paramount’s live action movie, ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’, launching in cinemas worldwide on

utes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe. SEGA wholly owns the video game development studios Two Point Studios, Creative Assembly, Relic Entertainment, Amplitude Studios, Sports Interactive and Hardlight.

14 February 2020. Sonic’s placement in retail has also grown massively over the last 12 months with retail placement doubling over the last 12 months and with the all new toy range from Jakks Pacific hitting shelves this Autumn.

Elsewhere, the Retro programme continues to be hugely important for SEGA and the Mega Drive Mini, launching on 4 October 2019, promises to be a premium retro gaming experience for all the family to enjoy.

To coincide with this exciting launch and to complement SEGA’s already enviable line of retro-themed merchandise and apparel, the Brand Licensing team are looking to further expand their DTR partnerships across multiple categories to capitalise on a continued wave of nostalgia.

SEGA Europe Ltd. is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA Games Co., Ltd., and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distrib-

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For more information visit the Brand Licensing team at SEGA Europe’s BLE stand A281. F or more information about SEGA, visit www.sega.co.uk.

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RESPECT FOR ART AND THE WORLD OF A CHILD Miffy at the Zoo (1955) is still today amongst the bestselling titles in Dick Bruna’s original square books range.

This iconic bunny has evolved from a children’s book character into a brand synonymous with fun, friendship, exploration, innocence, design and style.

Dick Bruna himself has over his long career garnered critical acclaim as an

author, artist, illustrator and graphic designer in the tradition of Dutch Design - a stature which continues to grow even after his passing away in 2017.

Supported by books, merchandise, media and a strong network of long-term partners Miffy has managed to stand the test of time and remain relevant in this ever changing world - a testimony to her timeless appeal.

Miffy has evolved over the years becoming a bit rounder, increasingly more human some might say, but never loses her childlike curiosity and appetite for adventure.

This design classic can only be nurtured and kept relevant through collaborations with best in class partners that understand the origins of the brand and are willing to be taken on a journey of discovery.

Leaving room for the imagination is as important today as it was 64

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years ago and it is a privilege to work with a heritage brand which millions of fans around the world have grown up with and still today is being embraced by new-borns, carers and design aficionados alike.

With a global presence, over 10.000 unique products, 85 million books sold in more than 50 languages, television

series, a movie, YouTube channels, exhibitions around the world and an ever growing portfolio of design-driven collaborations Miffy looks poised for a great 65th anniversary in 2020.

Quote from an interview by Horatia Harrod in ‘The Telegraph’ 31 Jul 2008 about Dick Bruna’s time in Paris 19461947.

Dick Bruna: ‘When I first arrived in Paris, I really went from one gallery to another, all day. I was so much impressed by the work of Picasso and Léger, Matisse, Braque and all those people’.

DICK BRUNA AND MIFFY 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 earning Bruna international critical acclaim as an author and artist.

Mercis bv manages the global rights for ‘all Dick Bruna’s work’, including Miffy, through highly integrated business units in the fields of publishing, media and licensing.

For more information about Dick Bruna’s life and work, visit www.miffy.com.

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Make a WIT Stop at BLE Fundamentally Children to support the Women in Toys (WIT) stand again at this year’s BLE, with the popular WIT Stop

Dr Amanda Gummer MD and Founder Fundamentally Children

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Newbies to the Licensing Industry can often feel a little overwhelmed at BLE - where to start, and who to talk to?

That’s where WIT comes in - welcoming women and men from the toy, licensing and entertainment industries, the WIT stand is a base for members and a welcome calm for those in need of refreshment, phone charging or any of those little essentials you may have forgotten.

Members of WIT are able to use the stand as a base, display their marketing literature and book meetings - anyone wanting to use the meeting table on the stand should email lauren@fundamentallychildren.com to book. Nonmembers are welcome to pop along and enjoy the WIT Stop and find out more about us.

WIT are also hosting a networking drinks event on Oct 2nd from 4pm in the Brands and Lifestyle bar where members and prospective members

can network and find out more about all the amazing things WIT does to support women in our industry. Please stop by the WIT stand (F300) to pick up your free drinks ticket - there’s a limited supply so get in early.

As UK Chapter Co-Chair, I’ve been proud that the team at Fundamentally Children have supported the WIT stand at BLE for the last 4 years.

Members of the Fundamentally Children team, including licensing industry stalwart Tracey Devine-Tyley are happy to talk to prospective mem-bers about WIT as well as the research and consultancy services Fundamentally Children provides to the industry.

Evolving from a pure research consultancy, Fundamentally Children is now the home of the Good Toy Guide and Good App Guide and supports licensees and licensors in the children’s space with all aspects of brand development.

The team at Fundamentally Children will be particularly happy to talk about our successful summer of experiential events that really bring brands to life and our expansion into the US. So make sure you stop by the WIT stand at BLE - to find out more about WIT, Fundamentally Children and other WIT members, and get some free advice from people who’ve been in the industry for longer than they care to remember!

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After many successful years at Olympia in West London, this year’s Brand Licensing Europe marks its first time at Excel, the purpose built exhibitions halls in London’s Docklands.

The new venue allows the show to be entirely on one floor - as it was in its last year at Olympia. And several entrances allow visitors to target the area of the show that they particularly want - from the traditional booths to the brand or art sections as well as the new publishing, gaming & esports and heritage activations that highlight success stories in the particular field.

We are know that licensing is a sociable industry and the after-hours

programme, which for years centred on the Hand & Flower pub across from Olympia has been expanded with an official BLE exhibitor party at the nearby Novotel on the Tuesday, an all-welcome drinks party on the Wednesday and the Licensing International Official BLE party at the Museum of London Docklands also on the Wednesday evening.

According to the organisers, more than 2500 brands and properties will be on view through the three day show with upwards of 275 exhibitors and an expected attendance of more than 7800 retailers, manufacturers and others interested in licensing.

As always, a full programme of seminars runs alongside the show with subjects including toy licensing, sustainability, innovations in food and drink, accessible luxury, heritage brands, book brands, gaming, eSports and, of course, the inevitable preparing for Brexit - in whatever shape or form it eventually takes.

On the following pages, we take a look at just some of the exhibitors showing this year. Many others are covered in features throughout this issue.

And, if you have a moment, make sure you come by Total Licensing’s booth (A182)!

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BLE HIGHLIGHTS As Aardman gears up for the global release of the much-anticipated feature film sequel Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, the team will be exhibiting at Brand Licensing Europe, meeting with new and existing partners to present their upcoming film, exciting new IP and product collections for 2019 and beyond.

The Shaun the Sheep brand continues to flourish with episodes broadcast in over 170 territories worldwide, a new season in production and a Nintendo Switch game in development – all of which are set to bring Shaun’s adventures to yet another new generation of international fans. Shaun the Sheep and his flock will also become official supporters of Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, creating an exclusive joint merchandise opportunity for UK partners across sports and character merchandising. Alongside this, the team continue to develop an exciting licensing programme for the brand with recent new partners including Aurora for plush, Sweet Cherry for Publishing and Funko for vinyl figurines.

Younger fans can expect to see the launch of the rebooted, narrated Timmy Time series which will roll-out internationally on preschool channels throughout 2020 with new UK product from Vivid hitting the shelves later this year.

In 2019, classic brand Wallace & Gromit is celebrating its 30th anniversary with special events and promotional partnerships and new giftware and apparel collections launching throughout the year. The much-loved, award-

winning Wallace & Gromit shorts can now be enjoyed for the first time by global audiences on both Netflix and Amazon Prime’s digital platforms.

For further information about commercial opportunities and to find out more about Aardman’s brands, come and visit the Licensing team at stand B280 At booth B431 Art Ask Agency will be showing the latest on the already established lifestyle brands; Anne Stokes Collection with long standing licensees’ new products and fresh new artwork, Frida Kahlo with the extensive licensing program and new style guide, Brandalised with its extended licensing program and new graffiti artworks, TVBOY with a new book launch and Pets Rock with new branding and style guide.

Highlights include Anne Stokes Collection, “bringing fantasy to life” for over 10 years, now with a new series of videos on social media, a book launch and 70 successful licensees worldwide.

Art Ask Agency will also be bringing back the brands Marie-Antoinette with a new style guide, and Jimmy The Bull.

Art Ask is also presenting some new interesting properties for the first time at this year’s edition of BLE including The Camden Collection – a food and home lifestyle brand from the UK, Hi Puppy – a lifestyle brand for young boys and new signing for Art Ask Agency, Route 66 – Feel The Freedom and IA London – The Art of Fashion.

Hartwig Braun, the artist behind the London based brand Arty Globe by Hartwig Braun’ and his business partner, Isaac Lilos, will once again continue to please visitors and capture their imagination with Hartwig’s intricate and playful hand-drawn architectural artwork, charmingly detailed illustrated maps and new range of designs and surface patterns at BLE for the third consecutive year.

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Hartwig’s different styles – from colourful & happy to graphical sophistication – and his charming playful handdrawn art, lend themselves perfectly and very easily to a wide and very diverse range of media, use and products.

Arty Globe, which is co-owned by Hartwig and Isaac, has been making the unique hand-drawings and artwork available and accessible as wall art and through a collection of a wide range of premium products, since the inception of the business and brand as a humble market stall at Greenwich Market in 2009. In the past two years the brand has been expanding its reach through licensing, with Hartwig’s artwork already featuring on Puzzles from leading German brands Ravensburger and SchmidtSpiele as well as UK’s Gibsons..

Aurora World will be celebrating YooHoo’s success in plush and newly licensed products as well as the successful launch of YooHoo to the Rescue, the new children’s animated series starring the popular character.

Aurora’s brand-new YooHoo plush range has been refreshed to reflect the themes and characters of the new series. In addition, many fan-favourites are making a comeback in YooHoo to the Rescue with rebooted personalities and all-new design. These too will influence the new plush. The range is rolling out across major markets in Europe and Asia at the same time as the new show continues its successful run on Netflix and expands its reach on linear TV channels in key European

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As well as the renewed plush toy line based on the new series, a licensing and merchandising programme is underway across many other categories.

The many new characters, looks and

habitats introduced in the new series are expected to enhance and expand the collectability of a number of categories, in particular toy lines.

Among the licenses already awarded, Aurora will be highlighting the worldwide launch by Italian company Panini, the world leader in the trading cards and sticker album categories, of a range of YooHoo-inspired stickers, mini figurines, children’s books and activity books. The launch will take place this autumn across a number of European countries.

The last 12 months have been a great success for BBC Studios, and they are looking forward to showcasing their widening range of properties and brands at BLE 2019. Their children’s properties are looking strong, with top dogs Duggee and Bluey taking centre stage. While Hey Duggee will be celebrating its 5th birthday on CBeebies in December, Australian hit series Bluey will be arriving at BLE

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for the first time, announcing an expanded partnership with Moose Toys.

Doctor Who continues to go from strength to strength, with the launch of series 12 expected in early 2020.

In the last year, the BBC has seen the brand expand into a Madame Tussaud waxwork, escape rooms across the UK, and the first ever VR game. They will also be revealing a partnership with Doctor Who and Build A Bear, with new plush, outfits and accessories available from Spring 2020. New brands, His Dark Materials and The Watch, are brilliant additions to BBC’s slate which give BBC Studios all merchandise rights to the two BBC series.

His Dark Materials sees Phillip Pullman’s best-selling trilogy brought to life like never before, while The Watch is a fantasy police thriller based on the renowned Discworld novels by Sir Terry Pratchett. Finally, BBC Earth continues to lead the conversation around sustainability in fashion, raising awareness at London Fashion Week in February. Recent product collaborations have included Mother of Pearl, People Tree, Teemill and S’Well, with more partnerships to come.

Beano Studios are bringing to life the Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! skate park - a themed stand based on their hit show. The ramp features an interactive graffiti wall for visitors to channel their inner graffiti artist, the stand complete with shrubbery has park benches for meetings. The stand showcases the latest Beano and Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! product samples.

2019 is the year of Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed!. It took centre stage with a 2nd season green lit by CBBC currently in production, with a further 52 x 11 minutes episodes and new characters in the pipeline. The show has now been sold in 25 countries; including Netflix and broadcasters across major territories from Super RTL in Germany to France Télévision.

The mischievous duet have also been busy fronting a summer marketing campaign for Q-park, the leading international parking operator; and featuring on packaging for popular family smoothie brand Happy Monkeys in

nationwide supermarkets for backto-school.

Award-winning production company Selladoor are crafting the hit TV show into a family-friendly musical developed by and written by BAFTAwinning writer/producer-director Will Brenton, which launches in January 2020 and set to tour the country throughout the year.

Loved by four generations, the Beano brand continues to go from strength to strength. 2019 has seen a great summer partnership exhibition with the National Trust at Mottisfont House in Hampshire and themed children’s meal boxes from KeCo Ltd. Represented by Rocket Licensing – Beano’s agent in the UK and Ireland, the brand has over 30 licensees targeting both kids and adults in categories including gifting, toys, homewares and limited-edition art prints. The focus at this year’s BLE is on expanding and diversifying the portfolio, as well as growing Beano’s retail footprint in 2020.

Global entertainment company Boat Rocker Studios creates, produces and distributes premium media content for all platforms as well as developing high-profile brands and IP. Currently making waves with its continued expansion into licensing, including recent high-profile acquisitions to increase and develop its catalogue, Boat Rocker drops anchor at BLE in 2019 with its first-ever stand.

Boat Rocker are excited to talk to retailers and licensees about a range of their properties including quirky new animated preschool series Love Monster. Based on the bestselling books by Rachel Bright, Love Monster is co-produced with BBC Children’s Production and UYoung and is set to premiere in Spring 2020 on CBeebies.

Smash hit reality-style dance drama for tweens, The Next Step follows the lives of a group of dancers at The Next Step dance studio. Brought to life by Live Nation, The Next Step

TOTAL LICENSING Absolute Dance live hits the UK this October for a nationwide tour at 14 high-capacity venues. Six matinees have already been added to the schedule due to unprecedented demand.

Capcom started 2019 with the ever popular and much anticipated launch of the remake for Resident Evil 2, which has gone on to outperform the original game release in terms of console sales and has totally lived up to all the anticipation of the fans for this amazing horror gaming franchise. The Resident Evil ™ _franchise has also some big favourites from the Classics archive with Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 releasing on Nintendo Switch this Autumn, which will continue to engage and draw in a wider fantase.

Street Fighter is one of the most popular series of all time and is still revered as one of the best in the fighting-game genre. The series gave birth to one of the most colourful and recognisable casts in gaming history.

Street Fighter is still in top form with the recent successful releases of Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Colleciton and Street Fighter™ V: Arcade Edition, with the former providing retro fans with classic experiences for the modern consoles and the latter providing hot new takes on the Street Fighter series. In addition, the Global organisers of Capcom Pro-Tour continue to host E-sports events featuring Street Fighter™V: Arcade Edition across EMEA. From award-winning shorts to feature films and TV series, Cartoon Saloon has carved out a special place in the international animation industry, earning four Academy Award nominations

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plus Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy nominations since its inception in 1999.

Another busy year for the Kilkennybased animation studio has seen a couple of movies in production, plus an exciting development for the company with the launch of its own Licensing and Merchandise Division in May. Headed up by new General Manager Brian Tyrrell, the aim is to seek licensing partners for upcoming properties across all consumer product categories, with a special focus on toys, publishing, apparel and collectables.

BLE sees the launch of a new film based on the popular pre-school series Puffin Rock, featuring an adorable family of puffins and their laughter-

filled adventures on a beautiful Irish island. With the series currently available on SVOD, Cable, and Terrestrial, and translated into 25 languages, interest in the movie – due for release in summer 2021 – should be high.

Celebrities Entertainment GmbH, a full service agency, specialized in Licensing and Brand Extension and with a strong expertise in iconic Rock n Roll licensing, will once again exhibit at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe.

The German based licensing specialists will bring their portfolio to ExCel which is loaded with the who’s who in music history.

For example AC/

DC – the veterans of Rock n Roll are celebrating the 40 anniversary of their album “Highway to Hell”, which turned out to be singers Bon Scott’s last studio album. And the next anniversary – 40 years “Back in Black” in 2020 – the bands most successful studio album is just around the corner.

In addition to AC/DC, Celebrities Entertainment represents a wide range of truly iconic IP’s for the European territories including David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Genesis, The Police, Kiss, Def Leppard, The Cavern Club and Woodstock.m Additional properties include Godzilla, Route 66, Atari and Football’s Coming Home.

Cloudco Entertainment develops multi-platform entertainment franchises across all media channels and extensive consumer merchandising programs that immerse children and adults in brands they love. This year has seen an expansion in its marketing and licensing activities, with three hugely popular new series.

The latest 2D animated series from heritage brand Care Bears, Unlock The Magic, debuted in February on Boomerang’s SVOD platform in the US and airs on Tiny Pop in the UK. With over 35 years of sharing, caring and inclusivity, the Care Bears brand has over 98% awareness, with more than 150 million Care Bears sold and achieving $5 billion in global retail sales. Since 2018, Care Bears have amassed over one billion media impressions.

Series 1 of live action show Holly Hobbie, aimed at tween and young teen girls, recently launched in the UK on CBBC following great ratings success since its premiere last autumn on

TOTAL LICENSING Hulu in the US and The Family Channel in Canada. Hulu quickly recommissioned the show and S2 is already in production. A modern revival of the 1970s classic legacy brand whose fans of all ages have made it a $1 billion brand, the show follows the adventures of 13-year-old singer-songwriter Holly Hobbie, a small-town dreamer and doer who is always trying her best to save the world – even if it starts in her own backyard. Holly is played by Ruby Jay, who has over 450K Instagram followers. With music at the heart of the show, Warners recently acquired the global soundtrack rights. Consumer product launches in Q4 2019, including a signature designer collaboration with Batsheva.

CPLG will be presenting new initiatives and creative assets across its varied roster of brand and sport, entertainment and classic properties.

New properties include Sony Pictures much-loved entertainment franchises such as Ghostbusters, which has embarked on a year-long celebration to mark its 35th anniversary with a new movie slated for summer 2020, Jumanji and Charlies Angels; as well as hit TV series Breaking Bad and sci-fi drama Outlander; and popular back catalogue classics such as The Karate Kid and Poetic Justice.

CPLG will also be showcasing new rights including Miramax’s iconic movies Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Bad Santa and Scary Movie; plus long running TV shows The Crystal Maze and The In-

betweeners from Banijay Group.

With the launch of The Addams Family animated movie from MGM this Halloween, plans to develop the property into a long-term entertainment franchise will be unveiled.

New lifestyle brands will include Revolution Beauty, the home of revolutionary make-up, confectionery brand Smint; with new plans, partners and creative to be unveiled for LINE Friends properties BT21 and Brown & Friends; plus BBC Earth, Yale University and Mentos.

In the sports sector, CPLG will be presenting updates on behalf of England Rugby, IRONMAN and FC Barcelona which is represents in MENA. Classic characters focus will include Peanuts, as it gears up to celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2020, award-winning musical’s by Andrew Lloyd Weber including CATS, Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Dr. Seuss, author of the world’s best-selling classic children’s books will be showcasing new developments as it expands throughout EMEA; plus exciting new creative and content for MGM’s Pink Panther will be unveiled as 2020 is set to become the Year of Pink!

Cyber Group Studios – a Parisbased producer and distributor of animated television series’ and movies for children – is exhibiting at BLE, with its humorous CGI pre-school series Gigantosaurus. Cyber Group Studios is exhibiting at BLE to extend its portfolio of European licensing partners for Gigantosaurus. The studio has already appointed Jakks Pacific as master toy licensee with the range going into USA retail now and launching across Europe in 2020, and partnered with Outright Games for the video game which will be published on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Steam in Spring 2020.

Publishing remains a priority for the IP, with Templar planning to publish the first of 40 new TV tie-in books across Europe in 2020.

WildBrain, which incorporates DHX Brands, is a kids’ industry leader combining brand management and licens-

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ing for its hugely popular properties Teletubbiesand In the Night Garden alongside the creation and management of a wide range of children’s entertainment content on YouTube, Amazon Video Direct and ROKU. Teletubbies appeared at Alton Towers for the first time this summer with a hugely popular mini show and sees continuing successful collaboration with the UK’s leading playgroup Baby Sensory & Toddler Sense with branded early learning initiative. Spin-off 2D YouTube series Tiddlytubbies has received more than 33 million views since the channel’s launch in July 2018.

In the Night Garden is a consistently top rating show on CBeebies.

The perennially popular live show is now in its 10th year and embarked on its first UK nationwide tour this year. Later in the year, there are large scale promotions planned with major retailers and the launch of new toys from Golden Bear.

DIC 2 and Earth Day Network have signed a WW agreement to create a new way to support environmental projects through licensing. The first two agreements signed between DIC 2 and EDN involve the use of the famous Love is… property and the eco brand Good Sign. Licensees will have the chance to use the two properties to create licensed goods for consumers.

Royalties derived from the sales of such goods will be paid on a special account managed by EDN, which will be used to support all EDN activities around the world. Licensees could communicate to their customers that all purchases of EDN products will be used to support sustainable activities.

On a different note, before the summer closure DIC 2 signed to represent Brooklands which was the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain’s first airfields, which also became Britain’s largest aircraft manufacturing centre by 1918, producing military aircraft such as the Wellington and civil airliners like the Viscount, the VC-10 and Concorde. Licensing material include vintage cars and airplanes images as well as brands, logos

TOTAL LICENSING 2020 will mark the 65th anniversary of Miffy, Dick Bruna’s iconic white bunny, and DR1 plans to celebrate this landmark occasion, with exciting product launches, events and press scheduled throughout the year. New collaborations are also in development, including a luxury handbag partnership as well as gifting lines, and baby and children’s clothing lines which will launch in major high street retailers.

A leading brand for World Book Day, Roald Dahl’s popularity keeps on growing, with Smiffys extensive dressup range a major highlight. Many new product ranges launch in 2019 including bedroom accessories, bedding, handwashes and a children’s eyewear collection which will launch with a leading optical retailer in the autumn; whilst crafting fabrics will follow in the new year. Two new titles are being added to the licensing programme for 2020: the perennial favourite, Fantastic Mr Fox followed by The Witches, to coincide with the release of the new Warner Bros feature film.

Emily Coxhead continues to spread happiness through her brand, The Happy News, and the last year has seen a surge in newspaper subscriptions and social media following. Blueprint is a major partner for the brand, with more stationery lines released this summer and new product ranges including Crème D’Or’s cool and quirky confectionery, as well as gift wrap and bags from Penny Kennedy.

This year at BLE Edutainment Licensing will be showcasing Flossy and Jim and Panda Panda from their portfolio.

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Lynette and James, two artists living by the sea in picturesque Brixham, Devon in the UK are the Creators of Flossy and Jim. Their mission from the beginning has been to help young people feel positive and supported in life using bright and bold designs with humorous slogans that their audience can relate to.

They both regularly present workshops in schools, talking to pupils about their personal journeys, encouraging and inspiring them to believe in themselves.

Commissioned by the National Collaborative Outreach Programme they also help young people to understand the importance of working hard, selfdiscipline, resilience and looking at practical ways they can build their own futures.

Panda Panda is a unique property that specifically supports the development of very young children from birth to 3 years.

Euro Lizenzen is a leading, independent Munich-based licensing agency, specialized in the development of licensing programmes for character, art, publishing, entertainment properties and corporate brands in European markets. Led by Günter Vetter, Founder and President, the Euro Lizenzen licensing team develops, sells,

negotiates, markets, and implements complete licensing strategies and programmes.

Euro Lizenzen’s key properties include Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s iconic masterpiece Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince), the book which brought

to world a magical quest for love, friendship and respect, capturing the hearts of all ages; as well as world‘s most famous comic heroes Asterix & Obelix; one of best-known and bestselling comic book series Lucky Luke; highly successful animated TV-series Yakari; the evergreen property Sarah Kay, publishing phenomenon Guess How Much I Love You („Weißt du eigentlich, wie lieb ich dich hab?“), pre-school TV properties Ranger Rob, Bobby & Bill, the highly successful life style brand, Santoro’s Gorjuss, fashion brands Radio Days, Emot!x and fine art representation Anne Geddes, to name a few.

With an incredibly diverse portfolio of titles of established brands and emerging properties, Endemol Shine Group are building long-term brand licensing programmes for some of the most recognisable IP in the world including the worldwide smash hit cookery show Masterchef; multiaward winning cult drama Peaky Blinders; the Netflix hit anthology series Black Mirror; internationally loved digital animation Simon’s Cat; British icon Mr Bean which is gearing up to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year; global game show phenomenon Deal or No Deal which recently returned to screens in the US; and the original and best reality TV revolution Big Brother which marks its 20th birthday this year.

Entertainment One (eOne) set out to make 2019 a year of family celebrations packed full of branded activities which are being executed around the world through a wide-ranging series of activations to rival any promotional and marketing undertaking in the kids’ entertainment industry.

For the last 15 years Peppa Pig has evolved from a modest British animated series into an internationally recognized global icon, generating more than £1.2billion in annual global retail sales. The series now airs in over 180 territories making Peppa Pig one of the most recognizable characters on the planet.

Over and above Peppa Pig, excitement for the launch of new preschool ani-

TOTAL LICENSING mated property Ricky Zoom cranked up a gear recently as eOne announced that Nickelodeon in the U.S. will join a top tier line up of partners launching the series in September.

As anticipation builds for the broadcast launch, eOne is also readying the release of the brand’s first official app which will launch in line with broadcast dates to give fans the opportunity to engage with the characters between episodes. Ricky Zoom: Welcome to Wheelford will feature lots of fun mini-games and interactive playgrounds so kids can explore the new and wonderful world of Wheelford.

ITV Studios is the world’s fastest growing content production, distribution and IP businesses. Our 60 production labels produce over 8,500 hours of television in 12 countries around the world for audiences everywhere, developing franchises and brands across kids, entertainment and drama. From the global sensation Love Island to the much-anticipated Netflix boys action series Robozuna through to Hell’s Kitchen, Thunderbirds Are Go, Victoria and Poldark, ITV Studios creates more than TV, bringing their range of content, product and brand partnership opportunities to consumers everywhere.

Jewel Branding & Licensing is delighted to feature their most popular animal imagery brand, Rachael Hale, at Brand Licensing this year.

Rachael Hale is a globally recognized animal imagery brand that continues to brighten the lives of people all over the world with engaging photos of the world’s most lovable animals. While earning sales in excess of $900 million, the brand has continued to grow

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its base of 75 licensees from over 60 countries. Jewel Branding & Licensing acquired Rachael Hale in March 2018 and has had tremendous success revamping the globally adored brand with the creation of fresh, on-trend collections, a rapidly growing social media following, a RachaelHale.com relaunch, and sponsorships with animal adoption organizations.

Rachael Hale’s licensing program is already well established throughout Europe with phenomenal success in stationery, back-to-school, housewares and calendars. Several European backto-school licensees are already creating their 2020 product lines. Recent highlights include a new multi-sku introduction of back-to-school and stationery products from Poland-based licensee, Paso. Ukrainian manufacturer Vivat has produced a collection that includes backpacks, draw string bags, umbrellas, and pencil cases to be distributed throughout Eastern Europe.

Russian licensee, Poligraf Print, is also developing stationery, calendars and gift bags. Rachael Hale’s long-standing licensee, Gut, based in Italy, continues to have tremendous success year after year with their adorable collection of back-to-school and stationery products. French licensee, Polyflame, has launched a refreshed collection of lighters and accessories slated to launch this September.

are funny and engagingly daft sometimes. Friendship is at the core of the brand, along with values such as kindness and teamwork. The Toozles love and respect their woodland home and there is a nod to the importance of caring, respecting and nurturing the natural environment around them, and essentially, us humans.

The Toozles has been developed initially for publishing and TV animation and Laura is hopeful of attracting potential partners this week at the Show.

The Laura Wall Gallery where Laura sells her fine art illustrations, was runner up in 2019’s ‘Best Gallery in Britain’ Awards. Laura can count an impressive number of awards to her name including National Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016 at the Venus Women Awards and Britain’s Best Up And Coming Artist.

Her Goose books, published by Award Publicatios, are available in 40

First time BLE Exhibitor, 34 -year old Laura Wall has good reason to be energised about showcasing her brands to the licensing community at large.

Best known for her award-winning children’s book series Goose and fine art illustrations, including her Seaside collection typified by her trademark clouds and characters along with her bold, bright colours, Laura is launching a brand new property at BLE: The Toozles.

Aimed at 4-6 year-olds, The Toozles are a bizarre-looking bunch of pocketsized creatures that can only be found in the most ancient of woodlands.

Their personalities are as sparkling as the colour of their fur. They are vibrant, kind and happy little beings with a quality of magic about them. They

countries and have been credited with a Book Trust Recommended Read 2018, a Silver award in the Progressive Pre-School Awards in 2016 and ‘Goose’s Cake Bake’ is shortlisted in the Toddler Category for the Sheffield Book Award in November 2019.

Laura has supported the Goose book series by completing book signings and workshops with children worldwide.

LMI will be featuring Apollo 11 and many other global space programme mission patches including but not limited to NASA from the Internationalspacearchives.com collection.

The ISA licensing programme now has around 40 licensees not only building on the awareness of the Apollo 11 50th anniversary of the moon landing

TOTAL LICENSING in July but also capitalising on future NASA plans to return to the moon.

BSA motorcycle art from the golden years of British Motorcycling will be showcased.

British Motor Heritage artwork featuring icons such as MG AustinHealey Morris and Austin will also be featured.

With the release of the Downton Abbey movie in September the Highclere Castle licensing programme is expanding with the launch of a range of mattresses and home textiles from Silentnight tying in with the release of the movie. New Hobgoblin packaging will also be available to licensees for the Unofficial Beer of Halloween.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing (MDL), which manages licensing for a number of global and regional brands in both Italian-speaking markets and Eastern Europe, has announced its line-up for this year’s BLE, where for the second year in succession the company will be at its own dedicated booth.

Only five years after its formation by respected industry veteran Maurizio Distefano, the agency that takes his name has an extensive list of properties and clients, including some of the most popular names in entertainment around the world. This year’s focus will be on Bing, Masha and the Bear, emoji® – The Iconic Brand, Zafari, Gigantosaurus and Kit’n’Kate, although MDL will also be discussing other major brands from the large and successful portfolio it has built in only a

short time.

Bing is a leading pre-school hit in Italy.

The animated stories of young Bing, his friends and how he experiences the world around him, produced by Acamar Films, have clearly struck a chord with Italian preschool viewers and their parents, with 15 episodes per day on Rai YoYo, regular showings on DeA Junior and a strong presence on social media. MDL has already signed a number of major licensing agreements for Bing, including Grabo for balloons, Lisciani for educational games, Ciao for carnival costumes, Diramix for sticker albums and a monthly magazine from Centauria, not to mention a dedicated Bing show at Leolandia, one of Italy’s most popular theme parks.

Leading art licensing agency MGL are returning to BLE once more. With a library of over 33,000 images MGL offer a diverse range of artwork suitable for an array of projects and product categories from greeting cards, calendars and stationery, to jigsaws, apparel, home furnishings and beyond. After over several decades of working in the art licensing business MGL have developed an expertise for managing artistic direction and portfolio development. Working with many established, successful artists Worldwide helps MGL generate consistent and successful licensing revenue across all merchandising categories.

Representing artistic talents with commercial potential is key to MGL’s approach to licensing and recognising the importance of staying up to date with current trends and understanding client markets is a constant focus for the company. Their recent signings, as well as their existing pool of talented artists, will be showcased at the show this year.

MyMediabox, a leading provider of integrated software solutions developed specifically for the brand licensing industry, will be exhibiting at BLE. The team plans to showcase the newest features and enhancements added to their widely adopted suite of productivity platforms that consists of Mediabox-PA (product approvals

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workflows), Mediabox-RM (contract/ royalty management), and MediaboxDAM (digital assets/style guide delivery). In addition, visitors will get a first peek at the company’s newest brand assurance product, MediaboxSM (security management). 2019 has already been a year of growth for MyMediabox.The number of their clients, which by January had long exceeded 125 companies, increased with new accounts across the Character & Arts, Gaming, Fashion and Music categories.

MyMediabox’s Development team has been hard at work this year, too.

100 percent of product development is done in-house by Mediabox-employed developers who, in addition to building Mediabox-SM, have rolled out more than 85 new tools and enhancements to existing features, so far in 2019.

Pea & Promoplast is a multi-sector group with international reach and a global leader in collectibles, promotions, toys, entertainment, and loyalty programmes.

Pea & Promoplast is made up of four divisions: Promotion & Loyalty is offered as a dedicated service to clients.

Each project is developed by Pea & Promoplast’s staff of illustrators, creatives, engineers and accountants.

The Collectible & Kiosk division offers timely, turnkey projects producing partworks and multichannel editorial content for major global publishers.

The company has distributed successful brand and licensing projects across Europe, the Middle East and South America.

Toys & Licensing comprises original, high-output toy lines for clients, working with major brands and partners worldwide. Focusing on creating its own IP, the company covers all distribution channels (including kiosks and high street retail) and continually seeks new partners and new retail outlets to work with.

Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House), in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products recently announced the lead U.K. licensing partners for Peter Rabbit 2, the sequel to 2018 box office success

TOTAL LICENSING Peter Rabbit, from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation.

The new movie will see the return of Peter, his sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail and cousin Benjamin as they embark on a high-energy adventure, meeting some new characters

along the way. The first Peter Rabbit movie grossed over £268M ($351M USD) at the global box office in 2018.

Penguin Ventures, acting on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd (Beatrix Potter’s original publisher and the home of Peter Rabbit and the Beatrix Potter™ brand) is delighted to have secured high calibre licensees in key product categories for the upcoming film, Peter Rabbit 2.

Another ground-breaking year for global phenomenon Pokémon has seen the first-ever live-action Pokémon movie, while new mobile games, apps and innovative connected hardware are creating exciting new experiences for Pokémon fans.

Players can team with famous Trainers for thrilling Sync Pair battles in a unique, all-new region in Pokémon Masters, the new mobile Pokémon strategy and battling game designed for smart devices, which launched this summer.

The highly anticipated new game Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield launches on Nintendo Switch on 15 November and a special pre-launch pop-up Pokémon shop the Pokémon Center in Westfield London, Shepherds Bush will be selling exclusive items.

The hugely successful Pokemon GO continues to introduce exciting new elements, the latest being this summer’s mission to battle the mysterious troublemakers Team GO Rocket and help purify their shadow Pokémon.

In 2019 Pokémon took to the catwalk

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again with cutting-edge designer Bobby Abley, and wowed the high street through partnerships with global giants Zara, H&M, Bershka, Primark and Next.

Looking ahead to 2020 fans will be able to manage their Pokémon collection across multiple games with the launch of new cloud service app Pokémon HOME, whilst the much-hyped Pokémon Sleep aims to turn sleeping into entertainment, with sleep time affecting game action. And following the popularity of the POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu movie, a new Detective Pikachu game for Nintendo Switch is in the pipeline.

The hugely popular Pokémon World Championships will be held in London. The best players from all over the world will compete in the capital for the title of Pokémon TCG, Video Game, or Pokkén Tournament World Champion—and for their share of the prizes!

Rocket Licensing, one of the industry’s most respected independent licensing companies, is celebrating its appearance at a new stand in a new venue with a list that’s big in every sense, including new arrivals Rebel Girls, Valiant and The Original Ramen Company, and firmly established hits and classics such as Godzilla, The Elf on the Shelf, Beano, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Derry Girls, Disenchantment, Horrible Histories, and much more.

Rebel Girls is a brand inspired by the

award-winning book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, which focuses on highlighting and celebrating women’s achievements. Four million books have been sold worldwide.

This success has inspired Rebel Girls, a lifestyle media brand on a mission to raise a generation of confident girls.

Leading character-based entertainment company Valiant has sold well over 82 million comic books since it was founded in 1989, bringing to the world characters like Faith, Harbinger and Bloodshot. Now, as Bloodshot leads a slate of Valiant movies beginning in 2020, Rocket Licensing has been appointed to manage this brand that is perfectly positioned to build on the continuing popularity of brilliantly created superheroes in print and on screen.

The phenomenal success of Hat Trick’s hit Channel 4 comedy series Derry Girls, has already inspired a number of license signings. This story of four spirited teenage girls (and one awkward teenage boy) attending convent school in 1990s Northern Ireland has attracted critical praise and impressive audience figures. With series two this year surpassing the high audience figures of the opening series and series three confirmed, more licensing categories are expected to join sports and leisure apparel, bags, mugs, paperware, gifting and social stationery in the coming months.

Rocket Licensing will also be looking to secure new partners for brands including The Young Offenders, Horrible

TOTAL LICENSING Science and Mrs Brown’s Boys.

Rovio Entertainment Corporation is a global, games-first entertainment company that creates, develops and publishes mobile games that have been downloaded over 4 billion times.

Rovio is best known for the Angry Birds brand, which has evolved from a popular mobile game to various entertainment and consumer products in terms of brand licensing.

SEGA Europe is returning to the Brand Licensing Europe exhibition this year with its largest ever stand, showcasing merchandise and apparel from its diverse cross-section of IP. From Sonic The Hedgehog™, to Total War™ and Football Manager™, to SEGA’s iconic retro offering, here’s everything you need to know about the line-up heading into BLE 2020.

Sonic The Hedgehog is gearing up for his 30th Anniversary in 2021 and the SEGA Europe Brand Licensing team are beginning discussions for new partnerships. 2019 has already been big for the blue blur, as he’s featured in the console and PC team based kart-racer, Team Sonic Racing™, which IGN described as “a fantastic evolution of the arcade racing formula” in their 8.5/10 review. SEGA are also gearing up for the launch of Paramount’s live action movie, ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’, launching in cinemas worldwide on 14 February 2020. Sonic’s placement in retail has also grown massively over the last 12 months with retail placement doubling over the last 12 months and with the all new toy range from Jakks Pacific hitting shelves this Autumn. Elsewhere, the Retro programme continues to be hugely important for SEGA and the Mega Drive Mini, launching on 4 October 2019, promises to be a premium retro gaming experience for all

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the family to enjoy. To coincide with this exciting launch and to complement SEGA’s already enviable line of retro-themed merchandise and apparel, the Brand Licensing team are looking to further expand their DTR partnerships across multiple categories to capitalise on a continued wave of nostalgia.

Smiley has been promoting the power of positivity since its inception nearly 50 years ago. A lifestyle brand turned counter-culture icon that has been influencing people around the world since 1972. Smiley today collab-

orates with partners across a number of leading categories including apparel, toys, sport, homeware and accessories. With 350 licensees globally delivering retail sales in excess of $593 million a year, Smiley has become recognised as one of the creative driving forces in licensing. Specializing in building long term partnerships with likeminded thinkers who share the brands passion for creativity, happiness and positivity and want to build a successful strategy, based on segmented products and launching regularly newness. This approach has seen Smiley collaborate on products and promotions with some of the world’s leading brands in 2019 including; McDonald’s, Chinatown Market, Zara, Eastpak, Dr Oetker, CPN Malls, Samsung, Smiffys, Elesse, Lee Jeans, Best Seller Group, Eternal, Ubisoft, Timex, Ravensburger, Guess and Cadbury’s to name just a few.

The appeal of the Rubik’s brand cuts across age, taste and culture. Established as the world’s best selling toy for over 3 decades, the brand has enjoyed a major resurgence, with record sales at retail, a renaissance in the eyes of tastemakers and a flourishing brand extension program operated by The Smiley Company that has seen new partnerships launch in 2019 with McDonald’s, Spinmaster, Invent Creative, De-Kryptic, Brand Alliance, Brisco and Manish Arora.

The Smiley Company will also be launching two new IP’s at BLE this year.

This year, Studio 100 Media and the geobra brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG (Playmobil) have signed an extensive license agreement for Heidi. The multi-year agreement covers the worldwide rights except for some territories in Asia. As part of the cooperation, Playmobil figures of the popular series characters, various play sets matching Heidi’s adventures and more product innovations are planned from 2020 around the CGI series and the planned theatrical feature of the Studio 100 group. The products will internationally roll-out, starting in January 2020.

Studio 100 are presenting a brand new property at BLE called 100% Wolf. The TV series is currently being produced by Flying Bark Productions in Australia and is being launched for international TV sales at MIPCOM

TOTAL LICENSING 2019. A feature film is also in production and will be finished by the end of this year. Both, series and film are based on the children’s books by Australian author Jayne Lyons.

100% Wolf is about Freddy Lupin. He is the heir to a proud family line of werewolves and was in shock when on his 13th birthday his first “warfing” went awry, turning him into a ferocious… poodle. Enrolled in the mysterious Howlington Academy, Freddy is going to try to prove that despite his appearance, he still has the heart of a werewolf!

What makes this show special is that “100% Wolf – Legend of the Moonstone” is a hilarious and dramatic concept about a boy trying to find his way in a difficult world - one in which he is an outsider. He is a pink poodle in a world of werewolves and with this brings not only the recognizable challenge of the ‘fish out of water’, but in addition he is the future pack leader and expected to be the very best of his kind, no matter his outward form.

Style Library, part of the Walker Greenbank group, has an awardwinning global licensing programme, working closely with carefully selected partners to create beautiful products inspired by designs from six of the finest British brands; Morris & Co., Sanderson, Scion, Harlequin, Zoffany and Anthology.

From heritage to youthful to iconic, Style Library is home to the widest and most diverse range of British interior brands. Not only are we the custodians of the original Morris & Co. archive founded by William Morris in 1861, we also house the extensive Sanderson archive dating back to the Renaissance.

Exhibiting at Brand Licensing Europe for the first time, Style Library will be showcasing the diversity of their brands from contemporary to iconic as well as hosting a seminar on the evolution TF1 Licences has secured the Mastertoy contract with Giochi Preziosi for Barbapapa across Europe for release in 2020. It follows the 50th anniversary celebrations in Europe

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and Asia for these loved publishing characters and will coincide with the release of the brand new television series already sold to TF1, Rai and Nickelodeon Junior Europe to name a few.This summer TF1 Licences negotiated with the major tourist and travel retailer Lagardere Relay for a Miraculous corner in train stations and airports all over France. Also, Lady Bug and Chat Noir appeared in the Aquarium de Paris at Trocadéro in the center of Paris this summer for a twomonth presence.The event was such a success that it has been extended for two additional weeks.

During the World Cup, TF1 Licences will highlight the rugby legends of all times - The All Blacks. In addition to the brand’s long-lasting official partner, Adidas, TF1 Licences has also secured great partners like Innelc on High Tech products such as speakers, headphones, etc.

TSBA Group, an award-winning licensing agency with a wealth of experience in the licensing industry, representing brands including Formula E, Transport for London, The Open and the National Portrait Gallery.

Founded in 1856, London’s National Portrait Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world. From its much-loved Tudor collection to contemporary photography, the Collection is a seemingly endless mine of fascinating images and stories that spans kings, queens, artists and authors to musicians, actors, scientists and politicians. TSBA are expanding the reach of the brand through a global licensing programme by creating product ranges that provide a contemporary perspective to the Gallery’s rich heritage.

London Underground is an iconic symbol of British culture and a brand that is recognised around the world.

Sought after by tourists and locals alike, its rich design heritage, from the roundel and tube map to vintage poster archive, is synonymous with London.

Having secured multiple licensing deals from apparel to souvenirs, TSBA is looking to expand the brand across further categories and territories.

Finally, The Open is the original and most inclusive of golf Championships, and the only one to be played on links courses that truly pit golfers against the elements. The 150th Open will be played at St Andrews, the home of golf, providing a platform for categories including apparel, accessories, gifting and commemorative products. TSBA, who represents The Open on a global basis (excluding Japan and Korea), will unveil a new style guide at BLE. The Van Gogh Museum is a firsttime exhibitor at Brand Licensing.

Founded in 1973, the museum houses the world’s largest collection of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, drawings, sketches and letters. The museum in Amsterdam welcomes more than 2 million visitors from all over the world each year. Their aim is to make Van Gogh’s work globally accessible to as many people as possible.

Thanks to Van Gogh’s global popularity, they have already collaborated with a wide range of brands around the world on developing products tai-

TOTAL LICENSING lored to their individual markets, with Samsonite, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vans as examples of high-end and popular products.

Walker Books, the world’s leading wholly independent publisher of English-language children’s books and a licensor of many household names in children’s publishing, will be high-

lighting a number of classic properties during this year’s BLE. Walker Books boasts a rich portfolio of award-winning titles, authors and illustrators and many will be on show at BLE, with a particular emphasis this year on Guess How Much I Love You, We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, Anthony Browne and Maisy Mouse.

Guess How Much I Love You is a favourite of many generations of preschool children, not to mention parents, parents-to-be, gift buyers and grandparents, for whom the tale of Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare trying to express how much they love each other has been a story time staple since its publication in 1994. In fact the book’s gentle humour and appealing message have made it a success with all age groups, extending its licensed output beyond its multiple publishing formats (including board books and puzzle books) and a successful stage production.

Today Guess How Much I Love You inspires toys, plush, apparel, party supplies, bed ware, prints, storage boxes and personalised gifting for children; and stationery, calendars, cards, diaries and even jewellery for families and adults. Moreover, the arrival of handmade jewellery from BOO Gallery underlines the popularity of the brand among adults for special occasions like

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Valentine’s Day and weddings. With global book sales of over 43 million in 57 different languages (over 25 years) making this title a firm fixture in homes and nursery schools all over the world. Walker plans to build on that awareness and develop further categories globally for this evergreen classic in the coming years.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt com-

bines the formidable storytelling talent of former children’s laureate Michael Rosen with the unforgetta-

ble drawings of Helen Oxenbury in a light-hearted tale of a family’s bold quest that has inspired a hit stage play and television adaptation as well as selling close to ten million copies in its 30 years in print.

Zolan Agency is passionate to create and discover original and imaginative art and products that awaken happiness and heartwarming feelings. They are bringing to BLE award-winning global fashion designers, artists, and lifestyle brands including international Scandinavian fashion, lifestyle and film brand, Ivana Helsinki.

They will also be introducing a new collection of Environmental and Sustainable art and designs from leading designers and photographers Enrico Fossati, for his amazing photography of Mother Earth, Steve Sundram, int’l collection of Oceanic art, and Ivana Helsinki, for her new Collection of Trees and Animals promoting awareness for the environment.

Nicoletta Costa The world-renowned children’s publishing author, Nicoletta Costa, will attend the upcoming Brand Licensing Europe, for the first time as exhibitor at Booth No C105.

Nicoletta Costa has been defined as one of the greatest interpreters of the “childhood planet” at an international level since she has been able to capture the little girl who is inside her heart and to look at the world through the eyes of a child. Since 1980 she has continued to tell this story through words and drawings through more than 300 books.

With this aim she has created all her characters: Giovanna the Moon, Mister Aquilone, Margherita the sleepy Teacher, Teodora the Witch, Olga the Cloud, who like a little child has always to rain, Julio Bunny and a rich world of Cats, Letters and Numbers. All these heroes are the lead characters of many micro narrative situations that stimulate children to have confidence in themselves and in life in general. Nicoletta Costa’s narrative and iconic universe lives through animism, anthropomorphism and magical realism under the sign of the cat, that is the ubiquitous “tutelary deity” of the author’s poetry and her symbol of childhood imagery.

Nicoletta Costa world has already enjoyed success. Her character Julio Bunny, published for the first time in 1990 by Franco Cosimo Panini, has already become a tv series, thanks to a coproduction with Magnolia, Rai Fiction and Agogo Entertainment from China.

Another popular character from her world, Olga the Cloud, will fly soon on air on television thanks to independent producer Enanimation.

In terms of products, the art of Nicoletta Costa has been already applied to, infant products, textile and toys.

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Huge Announcements from Smiley at BLE There is some very exciting news coming from Smiley as we head towards BLE and 2020 Newmoji Firstly, the Newmoji brand is set to hit the market.

Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of The Smiley Company and creator of the world’s first 3D digital Smileys in 1997, will set out his vision for the new emoji (a Japanese word meaning pictogram) of the future at BLE 2019.

Loufrani is widely credited for his significant contribution in the creation of emojis and their evolution to the global communications phenomenon they are today.

For the last two years, Loufrani and his team have been working to carve out a new creative vision for the future of emojis, which he believes will provide a modern and creative take on the format whilst driving continued revenues for retailers and licensees.

“As a business, we need to have a very close understanding of the Smileys /emoji market today, we have been at

the cutting edge in their evolution and innovation for over 22 years,” says Loufrani, who adds: “Through extensive market research, and a lot of talks with consumers, we have been able to take a more targeted approach to our SmileyWorld brand, which we have been evolving over the past two years, to create a space in

Extreme 3D Tropical Dream Gummies

Newmoji Extreme 3D Multi Character T-shirt

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the market for Newmoji. In doing so we’ve focussed the Newmoji program in a way that it doesn’t compete with any of our Smiley brands.”

Loufrani and his team conducted surveys in countries in Asia, Europe, and North America and the loud and clear message from consumers was that they are starting to place real value in product design when purchasing emoji products and that there is a major demand for a variety of real looking icons. This led the team at Smiley to develop a range of new emoji icon styles that they tested on a wide demographic of consumers.

The 2 Newmoji design styles created

by Loufrani include an Art and Extreme 3D design style.

“Our idea was to give life to emoji

faces, transforming them for the first time into the sort of characters kids love today,” concludes Loufrani.

Meet The Smileys The second piece of exciting news from the company is the launch of a range of collectibles, The Smlieys, which will be launched at the coming Toy Fairs.The Smileys will bring the full archive of world famous SmileyWorld icons to life as new characters in a unique mix and match collectibles concept, with over 100 million possible combinations.

Speaking about the new IP, VP Brand Strategy at Smiley Lori Heiss-Tiplady said “We are so excited about The Smileys collectibles range which brings our SmileyWorld icons to life in a whole new way, making them even more appealing to kids.This new world with characters, locations and stories will provide the perfect foundation for an entirely new line of brand

extension opportunities and deepen the brands’ reach into key categories including toys & publishing.”

The Smileys will be supported by a TV Commercial as well as its own website and YouTube channel, featuring a series of webisodes which will explore the world of The Smileys and their friends.

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BULLDOG EXPANDS PORTFOLIO AHEAD OF BLE Continuing to demonstrate the reach of its licensing programmes for properties that range across multiple age groups and multiple media, Bulldog Licensing is yet again showing the strength of a very diverse and successful portfolio at stand A282 at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe.

With a list that includes the sensational new Moose Toys line Kindi Kids, along with established hits Treasure X, Sesame Street, Angry Birds, Care Bears, Miraculous, Match Attax, LIFE, and That’s not my… there’s a variety of licensing categories being targeted by a list of properties that encompasses hit games, books and films, classic and new TV shows, legendary magazines, dolls, collectibles, card trading games and more, Continuing an extraordinary run of success in collectibles is Moose Toys, who recently unveiled its new brand, Kindi Kids, the company’s latest line of dolls targeted at preschool children.

The Kindi Kids are four quirky and colorful bobblehead dolls who feature glittery eyes, come with changeable clothes and an array of accessories.

With the Kindi Kids dolls expected to be a Christmas sensation, Bulldog is building a licensing campaign set to launch in autumn 2020 – by which time the adorable dolls will be getting ready for their second major Christmas at retail and a fully fledged campaign across multiple categories.

Of course Moose Toys has an extraordinary run of retail hits already making waves in licensing. They include Treasure X. Ten levels of adventure and the chance to find real gold are the promise of Treasure X, where the hyper un-boxing experience is sup-

ported by elements that children love, including treasure hunting, collecting and great storytelling. A second season features eight new Dragons and 24 new Treasure Hunters, is being supported by a strong content platform on YouTube that has already secured tens of millions of views. This strong reach has boosted licensing activity; Bulldog Licensing has recently secured agreements with Aykroyds/ TDP for nightwear, underwear and swimwear, Blues for daywear and outerwear, and Spearmark for housewares and lighting. This is one playground craze all set to go a long way beyond the playground!

Sesame Street is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a cast of characters, one of whom is featured on “Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck,” on Tiny Pop in the UK. With Sambro as a master plush partner and across soft lines for both adults and kids, the programme continues to expand. The fan favourite was also found on the catwalk during London Fashion Week with an amazing Sesame Street-inspired collection from designer Jimmy Paul and licensed lifestyle products company Difuzed.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 launches just before BLE, supported by an marketing and promotional campaign, which will further boost awareness – and licensing prospects – for the property.

This success has driven strong licensee engagement in the UK, with both the Angry Birds brand and its popular spin-off Hatchlings inspiring a number of licensing deals, including Jazwares for toys, Poetic Brands and

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Smith and Brooks for apparel, Cooneen/ Misirli for nightwear and underwear, Centum for publishing and Winning Moves for Top Trumps.

Care Bears launched in 1982, and remains one of the most popular and endearing children’s properties in the world. Fans of all ages love these huggable bears from Care-a-Lot who inspire all to have fun, share and care. Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, a 2D animated series featuring a new look and home for the bears, launched early 2019 on Boomerang. Since then, Bulldog has secured several UK Care Bears deals, including an exclusive TruffleShuffle Valentine’s Day capsule collection designed by digital influencers.

A new representation for which Bulldog has very high hopes is Holly Hobbie, a modern revival of the classic, girls’ character brand which was hugely popular in the 1970s and 80s.

ZAG HEROEZ – Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is the smash-hit animated TV show from kid’s entertainment specialist Zag. Already a top-ranked show in over 119 countries, it follows the adventures of Marinette and Adrien, who have been given the ability to transform into superheroes Ladybug & Cat Noir.

In the UK, it is simulcast on both Disney Channel and Pop and receives strong ratings on both. The consumer products programme covers multiple categories including toys, publishing, apparel, accessories, dress-up, stationery and homewares. Globally, the brand saw $450 million at retail in 2017 – 2018.

Match Attax is the best-selling sport trading card game series the world has ever seen and the UK’s No.1 chil-

TOTAL LICENSING dren’s football brand. Over one million people – including nearly half of all boys in the UK – collect and swap Match Attax and over 700,000 are registered users of the brand’s digital App. Not surprisingly, this has already translated into a healthy licensing programme extending to publishing, bags, stationery and nightwear and daywear.

With the brand continuing to go from strength-to-strength, Bulldog is looking to translate the success of Match Attax into even more categories.

LIFE is an exceptional brand that combines the instantly recognisable LIFE logo – made famous by the legendary LIFE magazine – with pictures from the treasured photographic library. LIFE magazine photojournalists captured some of the 20th century’s most defining events, historic figures, and nature.

This brand strength, along with a strong focus on social commentary themes such as woman’s international day and conservation, will drive a licensing campaign on which Bulldog is working with partners in apparel, stationery, wall art and puzzles and homewares.

Published by Usborne and currently celebrating its 20th anniversary year, That’s not my… is the best-selling series of touchy-feely board books aimed at babies and pre-schoolers.

Over 25 million copies have sold worldwide, with one That’s not my… book sold every minute in the UK. There are now over 50 titles to collect in the series. Each page features a different texture – bumpy, bobbly, furry, fuzzy and more – all of which are designed to encourage sensory awareness and interactive play. That’s not my unicorn… – published as the special 50th title – is the highest-seller to date and was the best-selling baby book of 2017.

Recent deals will see Ravensburger produce jigsaw puzzles and memory card games, while Dreamtex has signed for junior bedding, joining existing partners such as Dennicci, with an award-winning baby apparel range, and Rainbow Designs, with baby and infant toys. Bulldog is currently in talks with several potential

A new Holly Hobbie for a new generation Created in 1967, Holly Hobbie first enjoyed immense success throughout the 1970’s and 80’s, generating more than $1B of retail sales in greetings cards, and a wide variety of licensed products. Now she’s the star of a popular new TV show that brings the original character into a modern setting.

Holly Hobbie has been a hit in the US as a “Hulu Original” series (with Hulu recently commissioning two additional seasons) and is now performing strongly on CBBC in the UK. A number of other territories are planning to take the series and a licensing programme is already under way.

Holly Hobbie is clearly a hit property in the making.

But this won’t be her first appearance at retail. Holly Hobbie’s earliest success was as a distinctive greetings card character in the late 1960s – although even this wasn’t the original Holly Hobbie. That was the artist, who used her own name for a rag-dresswearing little girl in a giant bonnet. The character then took on a life of its own, inspiring first dolls and then multiple licensed products ranging from fabric and furniture to stationery and toy ovens.

Books and TV series followed and then, in 2016, Holly Hobbie was reimagined and updated for the latest, Hulu-released, live-action series. This modern revival of the classic girls’ character, hugely popular with the teens and tweens of the 1970s and 1980s, has undoubtedly struck a chord with the same generation in the second decade of this century, who have enthusiastically embraced the brand-new Holly Hobbie.

Holly, played by Ruby Jay, is a singer-songwriter who saves her grandmother’s Calico Café by starting open mic nights and performing her original songs that bring her community together and reinvent her

family business. Holly’s world – and her songwriting – evolves throughout the season, with more music and new characters planned for seasons 2 and 3.

The new version also brings in modern elements, like social media and open-mic nights, but never loses the charm, humour and endearing eccentricity of the original.

It’s been a winning combination. The 10 x 22’ series has been showing since early July on CBBC, and the show’s witty, engaging script and storylines and the funny, likeable, guitar-playing country girl in rag dresses who is its central character, have proved popular with UK audiences.

But that’s far from all. The continuing appeal of Hollie Hobby to teens and tweens over many decades has once again inspired a licensing programme, which UK licensing agent Bulldog plans to highlight at BLE. The strategy for the brand neatly builds on the twin themes that underpin the character, combining the vintage look of the books and the classic artwork that inspired the show with themes and styles suggested by the new show itself.

The character and the brand lend themselves to a wide range of licensing categories including dolls, toys, publishing and stationery and, of course, music.

In fact, Warner Music Group has already secured the rights to the original music from the first two seasons of the series and released the first (season album) featuring breakout singles from the show like “Be the Change”.

And Holly Hobbie certainly has changed – from a 20th century character on a range of greetings cards to a 21st century musician in a TV series. But the winning charm that made the original property a lasting hit many years ago is still very much in evidence.

partners across a range of other categories.

Bulldog Licensing MD Rob Corney says: “We’re proud to be representing some truly amazing brands with origins in TV, publishing, games, films, cards and toys, which are extending their astonishing reach and awareness to multiple licensing categories. If you’re looking for hit brands with a diverse target audience, then clearly stand A282 is the place to be!”

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Herschend Entertainment Studios Heads to BLE and MIPCOM for the First Time Herschend Entertainment Studios (HES) will attend MIPJunior/MIPCOM and BLE for the first time in 2019. HES will present a complete reintroduction of Chuggington to the global market, which will launch with an all-new Season 6 in Spring 2020, coinciding with the brand’s 10th anniversary. The new season of the popular children’s series will launch alongside several other HES properties that are in development. HES acquired Chuggington from Ludorum PLC in December 2018.

Herschend Entertainment Studios is a division of Herschend Enterprises, a family of companies focused on family entertainment and the largest familyheld themed entertainment business in the U.S. Over 60 years, Herschend has diversified beyond theme parks, seeking more innovative ways for families to connect and create memories.

Within the last decade, Herschend has expanded to aquariums, animal adventure parks, adventure travel and more.

HES is helmed by Julie Phillips - Vice

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President, Development and Production, Natalie Setton - newly appointed Vice President, Commercial, Content Distribution & Licensing, and is being led on an interim basis by Peter Schube, former president of The Jim Henson Company and COO of Illumination Entertainment.

“With Herschend’s capital intensive infrastructure, and 14 million guests going through the gates of our parks and attractions in 21 locations across eight states, HES offers a true 360 capability,” commented Phillips. “There are only two other companies who can do that – Disney and Universal.

With the media company, Herschend has joined an elite group that can build a franchise from the start.”

“I’m excited to join Herschend and develop the commercial business for the company, working closely with Peter and Julie,” added Setton. “At BLE, our primary focus is the relaunch of Chuggington. We have new content with season six, a new global master

toy partner in Alpha Group and a strong and dedicated owner with a significant consumer-based marketing and engagement initiatives.”

“The new season will give audiences something they haven’t seen from Chuggington before.

It is all about discovery, celebrating different parts of the Chuggington world for existing and new fans to get a real understanding of what happens in these busy and important locations in a completely fresh and new way.

And, kids everywhere will be invited to discover the world of Chuggington through an all-new hybrid short format (26 x 1.5’), where real-life preschoolers travel into Chuggington’s animated world.”

Integral to the brand’s reintroduction and closely aligned to production, brand new global master toy partner, Alpha Group will be rolling out an exciting new toy program for the property in Fall 2020. The new program will bring creative innovation to train play and will allow fans to re-enact the shows’ adventures like never before with dynamic playsets and patterns from the Chuggington world.

“We know that there is still strong demand in the market for the brand, and we’re looking forward to meeting potential new partners at BLE across key categories including publishing, secondary toys, puzzles and games, food and drink, sleepwear and apparel, and bedding,” added Setton.

Chuggington seasons one through five rolled out across 178 territories in 36 languages and generated close to $1 billion dollars at retail globally.

Fan engagement for Chuggington continues to be strong across digital with over 1.5 billion watch time minutes on YouTube and 22% year-on-year growth. The brand reintroduction will be supported with refreshed and all new creative assets, a special mini-hub website, broadcasters support, direct to consumer campaigns, promotional events, and global brand partnerships.

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NEW BRANDS AND PARTNERSHIPS FROM TF1 LICENCES

TF1 Licences are coming into BLE this year with new brands and new partnerships for some of their existing brands.

The company has recently secured the Master Toy contract with Giochi Preziosi for Barbapapa across Europe for release in 2020, designed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the characters which is being celebrated throughout Europe and Asia. In addition, a brand new Barbapapa television series will launch in 2020 and has already been sold to a number of territories including TF1, Rai in Italy and Nickelodeon Junior in over 100 territories.

Miraculous is a further success story

for TF1. With over 40 licensees, TF1 recently negotiated a Miraculous corner in train stations and airports throughout France via major tourist and travel retailer Lagardère Travel Retail (Relay).

In addition, Lady Bug and Chat Noir appeared in the Aquarium de Paris at Trocadéro in the center of Paris this summer over a two-month period.

The event was so successful that it has been extended for two additional weeks.

The Smurfs have also had a high profile this year. A Smurf experience recently launched at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris. The experi-

ence is running for four months until the end of October and demonstrates a great use of new technology for a totally immersive Smurf experience. In addition, Epopia, the start-up company incubated by TF1 Licences has recently developed a concept where children and adults can write their own Smurf stories and adventures.

On the sports side, during this year’s upcoming World Cup,TF1 will be highlighting rugby legends The All Blacks.

Over and above the brand’s longterm

official partner, Adidas, TF1 Licences has signed a number of other partners such as Innelec for high-tech products including speakers and headphones all around Europe.

On the brand side, TF1 is licensing three upcoming shows hosted by wellknown presenter Camille Combal.

Carpool Karaoke is an adaptation of the successful US show hosted by James Corden. Masked Singer is also an adaptation of the US success story which has attracted 54 million viewers over 400 episodes.

Who wants to be a Millionaire? was also relaunched by TF1 in May this year to significant success. The promotional operation in Casino’s stores ran from September 2nd until 22nd and involved great visibility with gifts as prizes.

TF1 is also relaunching two brands that belong to the AuFéminin group.

Marmiton is the leading website in France to concentrate on food and cookery and regularly attracts over 16 million views each month. Marmiton fans are a dedicated community with over 28 million fans on Facebook and 5.6 million readers of the Marmiton

magazine.

Doctissimo is a website launched in 2000 that helps French people with their health issues. The site prides itself on its very accurate content, validated by medical authorities and has a strong Facebook community with more than 250,000 fans and over 750,000 followers on YouTube. This year, the site has attracted over 14 million unique views.

TF1 is also still licensing some evergreen brands such as The Voice, KohLanta, and many others.

Marina Narishkin, Director General of TF1 sees tremendous potential for TF1 moving forwards. “We have great strength largely because, via other parts of our group, we have broadcasting, content, promotions and the ability to promote our brands on our channels. Social media, of course, is also very important and a vital way of communicating our messages to our fans and followers.”

For more information on TF1, visit www.tf1licences.com Visit TF1 at BLE Stand No D340

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Ladies and gentlemen...

Roll up, roll up, to stand no. A220 and experience the magical spectacular for yourselves!

A Gorjuss Extravaganza!

Santoro will be lifting the red curtain on the Gorjuss Circus collection at this year’s BLE. Following a 25% expansion for Gorjuss from 2017 – 18, Santoro have continued to produce fresh artwork and products for their top

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brand. Gorjuss is now available in 94 countries and Santoro Licensing is currently worth US$196million, ranking them 114th in the Global Licensors top 150 list.

2019 has been another high-flying year for Gorjuss.

In the last year, over 1.5 million bottles of Gorjuss water were sold in Spain and the collection won Best New Brand/Brand Extension in the Global Bottled Water Awards. The first launch was such a success that nine new Gorjuss designs are currently being developed.

More than 675,000 Gorjuss tubes of toothpaste were sold in Spain via Mercadona and, as if that wasn’t enough to smile about, Gorjuss was awarded ‘Best Art & Design Brand’ by Licencias Actualidad – for the fourth consecutive year!

There have been some sensational retail displays of Gorjuss in Italy and Greece from Santoro Italia and Mikedis and Gorjuss has been gaining some serious popularity in Italy. Both Italian and Greek markets had an exceptional time in the past year with kiosk launches through DeAgostini and Panini. Santoro Italia have really expanded the sales and distribution of Santoro’s Gorjuss lifestyle prod-

ucts and the brand’s exposure has rocketed. As part of Santoro’s first ever venture into occasion products this year, over 100,000 Gorjuss Easter Eggs were sold in Italy via partner Balocco. Seasonal Gorjuss artworks created this year are sure to melt hearts all the way from Christmas to Halloween!

Gorjuss experienced her first two licensee agreements in Russia this year with Origami and Evrika (World Sweet). Santoro were thrilled this year to see the successful launch of the first ever Gorjuss magazine with Blue Ocean in Spain.

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2019 was a year of many firsts for Gorjuss including expansion into the FMCG markets that saw phenomenal sales of La Piara lunch-box pate pack with promotional, on-pack temporary Gorjuss tattoos! Over 650,000 of these packs were sold in one campaign.

With Gorjuss Tupperware, apparel, fragrances, homeware, candles, bed linen, crafts, puzzles, fabrics, children’s furniture, umbrellas, even plasters and so much more available, Gorjuss continues to prove herself capable of success from within the mass markets, all the way to the most premium, maintaining beautiful quality throughout.

On home turf, strong sales of the exquisite Paola Reina Gorjuss dolls have been reported from the prestigious Harrods, who have also seen great success of Santoro’s Poppi Loves ranges, including adorable bags and stationery. All of these wonderful items are sold online as well as in

store in one of the most famous department stores in the world.

Those same dolls that have been capturing hearts across the globe have seen four new Gorjuss designs this year, lovingly crafted to add to this essential Gorjuss collection.

Elsewhere in the country, dressup giants, SMIFFYS UK have been developing the first line of Gorjuss premium dress-up costumes, party dresses and party-ware. Dominique Peckett, director at SMIFFYS said of the new developments, “We are delighted to be the chosen part-ner to bring Santoro’s Gorjuss girls to life through dress-up. This new, stylish and beautifully designed range will be available in Italy, Greece and Spain later this year.” Santoro themselves cannot wait to see the reaction of

fans when they can actually become Gorjuss and throw their very own Gorjuss parties!

Santoro are seeking new apparel and footwear partners for Gorjuss in 2020. They expect the new Gorjuss Circus artworks to spark new interest and inspiration to drive their continuing ambitions for the brand.

Santoro’s Mirabelle will also be sharing the spotlight this year. Sixty stunning new Mirabelle artworks have been created for imminent launch with Panini.

The collection has the hallmarks of the brand – romantic, elaborate frameworks; dream-like sceneries; and elegant female figures – with fresh elements to the designs of new colour palettes, themes, animals and accessories.

These stunning new designs will be available for collecting and admiring later this year. This is coupled with strong launches by new licensees Jugavi, BLUE Bags and SAFTA to pave the way for a new era for Mirabelle in 2020, which now includes a collection of over 100 beautiful, inspirational artworks.

Poppi Loves is building her portfolio of licensees including Panini, DOHE, Franco Panini and Fournier. 2020 will see the launch of a new, extra special BTS range alongside arts & crafts and games collections.

Santoro will be showcasing their new, sophisticated Felines stationery and loungewear collections, created with Spanish partner, Aznar, and will be unveiling more mischievous delights for fellow cat-lovers with the playful, cheeky MIZ KAT. Bursting with bold colour and enticing passers-by with dreamy vacation scenes, Santoro’s First Class Lounge will also be standing proud among the rest of the eclectic Santoro portfolio.

With all this – and too much more to mention – this year’s BLE is set to be a Santoro extravaganza!

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PEPPA PIG IS 15... ... and bigger than ever!

Fresh from the news that they are becoming a part of Hasbro, Entertainment One set out to make 2019 a year of family celebrations packed full of branded activities which are being executed around the world through a wide-ranging series of activations to rival any promotional and marketing undertaking in the kids’ entertainment industry.

And why not?

For the last 15 years Peppa Pig has evolved from a modest British animated series into an internationally recognized global icon, generating more than £1.2billion in annual global retail sales.The series now airs in over 180 territories making Peppa Pig one of the most recognizable characters on the planet. Rebecca Harvey EVP Global Brand & Marketing at eOne

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Family & Brands explains why they decided to make 2019 a year of family celebrations, “Peppa Pig has had such a huge impact both on family life and popular culture and we’re proud to have nurtured the property into a true evergreen brand. Our mission is

always to create more unforgettable memories for her little fans so we put together a year full of exciting events for families around the globe.”

The festivities got off to a strong start early in 2019 as China prepared to celebrate “The Year of the Pig”. In February, eOne marked this cosmic coincidence with the brand’s first theatrical outing in China. A trailer for the feature-length release Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year instantaneously went viral. The online firestorm helped the trailer attract more than 1.5 billion views in just seven days. Alongside the release was an exclusive retail partnership with Tmall and a global broadcast initiative which saw a two-episode Peppa special air in Mandarin in multiple markets to celebrate Chinese New Year. “Airing Peppa Pig in Mandarin across our global broadcast platform was a company first. As one of the fastest growing languages in the world, we hoped the special broadcast would appeal to both native speakers and children wanting to get a first taste of Mandarin as a second language” Harvey explains.

TOTAL LICENSING Further on the global beat, Peppa Pig got into the swing of The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup with the social media campaign #LetsGoPlayCricket, where Peppa joined international cricket superstar Captain Mithali Raj to raise interest amongst young families in one of the world’s biggest sporting events. A retail promotion at Hamleys stores across India featured cricket-themed Peppa products and exclusive apparel can now be found in Hamleys in several of the South Asian country’s major cities.

Interactivity and live-events have long been a hallmark of the Peppa IP. So, it follows that in its year of family celebrations, eOne undertook a packed live-event schedule, giving kids around the world the opportunity to enjoy music, interactive storytelling and crafting activities with their favourite character.

appearances at 8 sites across the UK extended this theme further giving families the opportunity to sing and dance with Peppa in the real world.

While over in Argentina, Peppa secured a coveted spot at the popular three-day Kidzapalooza festival, a key part of the renowned Lollapalooza festival in Buenos Aires.

incredibly exciting to release an official Peppa Pig music album for the first time in the brand’s 15-year history. Music has always been central to the appeal of the show around the world, so we’re delighted to share these new musical arrangements with Peppa’s many fans during the brand’s anniversary year.”

Another piece of the year-long celebration was the long awaited release of Peppa’s first ever album, appropriately entitled Peppa Pig My First Album. Launched in July, the catchy collection attracted online shout-outs from the top stars of the pop world including Iggy Azalea and Lil Nas, propelling it to the million-stream in just two weeks. Commenting the album release Harvey said, “It’s been

As you can see, it’s been quite a year for eOne and Peppa Pig, but don’t expect the celebration to wind down any time soon. Celebrating a 10 year milestone in the US in 2021, a charity Christmas song in the works with Save the Children as part of Christmas Jumper Day at the end of the year and plenty more in the tank for this ever popular property as it prepares for the next 15 years and beyond.

To celebrate the brand’s 15th anniversary in the UK and Australia, eOne released Peppa Pig Festival of Fun, an hour-long collection of 10 never-before-broadcast episodes featuring a two-part festival special which created a tentpole moment for the milestone celebration and generated huge amounts of publicity and consumer awareness in both markets.

The anniversary and festival theme inspired new fashion collaboration with iconic footwear brand Hunter which was a perfect partner to celebrate 15 years of jumping in muddy puddles. Commenting on the partnership, Alasdhair Willis, Creative Director at Hunter said “At the core of a great Hunter experience is fun, adventure and preferably a muddy puddle. I can think of no better partner to bring this spirit to life than Peppa Pig.” In July, the new limited edition collection featuring camo design Peppa wellie boots, bags and umbrellas hit retail across numerous markets including the UK, North America, Japan and Germany and became an instant success.

A summer schedule of family festival

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With Outfit7 celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Total Licensing talked to Boris Dolenc, Chief Creative Officer at Outfit 7 to find out more.

A Decade of Fun

Happy Birthday Talking Tom! How did Outfit7 go from a mobile gaming start-up to one of the fastest-growing multinational entertainment companies in the world?

From the very beginning, our primary aim was to share the fun with the world. It was at the root of every decision we made and it’s the reason why our breakthrough game, Talking Tom Cat, was so beloved around the world. It has this incredible ability to make people smile. It doesn’t matter your culture, your age, or even your language, there’s just something about Talking Tom that resonates with people from all walks of life. This is what Outfit7 was founded on and what turned the company and our games into a global sensation.

In just 10 years, we went from an aspiring start-up to a global entertainment company because everything we make is designed to

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emotionally connect with our fans.

Our company, which began with a single mobile game, has grown to offer a portfolio of more than 20 games, a hit CGI animated series, chart-topping video shorts, music videos, a string of Talking Tom amusement parks, and

even an upcoming feature film. We started with just seven employees in a single office and now, we have more than 300 people in offices all around the world, including Cyprus, Beijing, London, Ljubljana and, most recently, Barcelona.

Boris Dolenc

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While our journey first started in the mobile gaming space, our larger vision has always been to create a 360-degree experience for our fans. Whether they are enjoying our products on the small screen, big screen, online, or in the real world, we want our fans to have a layered experience that allows them to interact with Talking Tom and Friends in as many different ways as possible.

How has Talking Tom and Friends managed to grab the attention of such a globally and culturally diverse audience?

We have a deep understanding that, with all of the high-quality video content that is available over broadcast and streaming platforms these days, the brands that succeed are those that manage to establish the best emotional connection between the characters and the audience. So, for us, the biggest challenge is keeping the original spark and spirit of Talking Tom Cat alive in every project we develop and for every market, we enter. That may mean localizing content, forming beneficial partnerships, or exploring

different styles and formats of animation.

With the Talking Tom and Friends animated series, we were one of the first in the industry to use digital streaming as the main platform for the distribution of premium content. The series became an instant hit because it allowed millions of the franchise’s fans around the world to experience their favorite characters in a whole new way, outside of the mobile gaming space.Thanks to our incredible animation and production teams, we were able to give fans exactly what they wanted – a deeper connection to our characters that adds to and upgrades their mobile gaming experience. As of now, our video content is enjoyed in more than 29 languages and has, to date, achieved over 40 billion global views on our own distribution channels and even more through broadcasters and external video platforms.

This year marks Outfit7’s 10th anniversary. How will you continue to keep fans engaged in the years to come?

A lot of things have changed for us over the past 10 years, but one thing has remained the same - we take fun very seriously. As the brand continues to expand and evolve on a global scale, we will always work to nurture and grow the engagement of our fans. That’s why our teams are always seeking fresh ways to innovate and evolve, not only our Talking Tom and Friends characters but the industry as a whole.

Currently, Talking Tom and Friends are bringing fun all around the world via our branded mobile games, video content, and licensing products. Most recently, we’ve launched the actionpacked Talking Tom and Friends superhero concept that includes the hit new mobile game, Talking Tom Hero Dash, the new animated series, Talking Tom Heroes, and new licensing partnerships.

Now in its global launch phase, Talking Tom Heroes, which consists of 52 episodes, each six-minutes long, follows our superhero friends as they set out on their mission to save the world – for good! It’s been a great success so far. Also on the horizon is the Talking Tom feature film, which is currently in development.

As we continue to expand our licensing portfolio, we are always on the lookout for our next big adventure. So we’d love to invite all of you to become a part of our journey, whether as a fan or a partner in bringing fun to millions of people around the world. It’s game on, world!

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IT’S A BING THING! Acamar Films is back at BLE for a second year with its award-winning preschool property Bing.

Acamar Films is ramping up Bing›s international growth with an increase in broadcast, licensing and experiential partners, complemented by continued investment in digital.

Following its successful show debut in 2018, the London-based independent production company will be using Europe’s leading licensing event as a platform to update the industry on the strategic growth plan that is now rolling out to secure Bing’s place as a top pre-school property in key markets across the globe. Acamar Films’ CEO Mikael Shields will also be part of the animation keynote panel on Wednesday 2ndOctober 2019 at Midday.

Bing has enjoyed extraordinary success since it launched on CBeebies in 2014. In the UK, Bing continues to be a top-rated show on CBeebies with full year ratings for 2018 confirming that it was the #1 preschool programme on BBC iPlayer. Bing is also conquering

For more information, visit Acamar Films on Stand A300

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new markets including Italy where the launch of official consumer products and location-based entertainment earlier this year has triggered exponential growth, making Bing already one of Italy’s most popular preschool properties.

Major investment in digital, including Acamar Films establishing its own in-house YouTube studio in 2018, has seen YouTube watch time minutes of Bing content exceed 3 billion and demand for official licensed consumer products grow. This digital focus will now extend to e-commerce with exciting announcements to be made at the show.

Adapted for television from the original books by Ted Dewan, Bing is a celebration of the joyful, messy reality of preschool life. By focusing on the big stories in the little moments, Bing

provides an authentically honest depiction of the highs and lows of everyday life from a preschool perspective - resonating deeply with Bingsters and their grown-ups worldwide.

In recently released news, Acamar has appointed three new licensing agents as they look to capitalise further on the universal appeal of their hit animated series.

The new agency appointments Megalicense for Russia, CPLG for CEE and Alicom Licensing for Nordics have been selected to work alongside the Acamar team to drive and manage relationships across all key licensing and retail accounts that will spearhead Bing’s growth strategy across the regions.

Megalicense is one of the leading Russian licensing agencies with a strong track record in building licenses and managing toy launches.

Having worked on international preschool brands, Megalicense is wellplaced in the market with their established network of retail and distributor relationships.

Bing launched on Russian TV screens in September 2018 on the pay channel O! in two hour blocks twice daily on weekends.

In March 2019, Bing debuted on free to air channel Karousel, the 24 hour children’s channel and is already a top performer.

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Marina Semenekhina Licensing Intrnational Representative in Russia According to Licensing International’s Annual Global Licensing Industry Survey (2019), Russia is placed 15th in the global rankings. That’s an achievement for the country that has only existed in its modern state since 1989. I used to tell everyone that the Russian licensing market is quite young – I’m not sure I can stick to this position anymore.

Firstly, the Russian market is 20 years old. Compared to mature markets such as USA and UK we are juvenile, however we are adopting world’s best practices and bringing in A-list global properties. Disney, Hasbro, Viacom/ Nickelodeon and others have opened their offices in Moscow. The Russian market has become very attractive to global players.

Recent newcomers to the market are CPLG who made the first acquisition of a local agency by a foreign player.

IMG has also broadened their presence in Russia and CIS. Secondly, we usually judge how mature a market is by the percentage of the entertainment properties in merchandise goods sales. According to the latest Global Licensing Industry Survey this stands at 63%. I was extremely surprised to know that. The second largest category is Corporate brands and the reason is simple – Automotive and Machinery brands use licensing widely. At least this is the conclusion I’ve come to. There is a whole new

Demographics Territory

17.10 million kml (largest in the world)

Population

146.9 million (9th largest in the world)

Child Population

Aged 0 - 4 9.347 million Aged 5 - 9 8.873 million Aged 10 - 14 7.598 million

Population Density

78% of population lives in European part of Russia (which is 25% of its territory)

Main Cities with Population of over 1 million people

Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Ekaterinburg, Nizhny Novorod, Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Samara, Rostov on Dom, Samara, Ufa, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Voronezh and Volgograd

Currency

Russian ruble (RUR)

No Channel

Share 4+ %

Share 4 - 17 %

7 CTC 12 Karousel 18 Disney 20 Moolt

4.8 2.2 1.5 1.4

7.6 21.1 13.1 12.1

Russian TV

Cities 100k+. Average share week of 5 August 2019 fascinating part of the licensing world that we used to ignore.

Licensing deals are becoming more complicated. The Tretyakov Gallery had a contract with PepsiCo for a line of Russian national drinks (kvas) ‘Russkiy dar’, Pushkin’s Museum had a collection of ice-creams by Iceberry – it is great to see museum licensing grow and attract market leading licensees.

The next reason is the success of Russian brands abroad. With Masha and the Bear dominating globally (Italians believe that Masha is their brand, not Russian), Kikoriki and the Fixies enjoying their success in China, Kid-E-Cats, Moonzy, the Barkers and others getting more visible abroad we can tell that the Russian wave is coming.

Global events like the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the FIFA World Cup 2018 attracted new companies to the licensing market – and they are staying and looking for more.They are used to working with IPs and understand the advantages of licensing. The organization committees also brought global standards to licensing which helped raise awareness of intellectual property rights, as well as educating professionals and structuring the licensing industry. Take a look at the country statistics.

On the following pages, we take a look at the Russian licensing marketplace which is rapidly expanding thanks to international properties but also as a result of a growing roster of home-grown success stories.

We begin with an overview of the market by Marina Semenekhina, Licensing International’s representative in Moscow.

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TOTAL LICENSING Over 20 TV channels for kids air in Russia. According to Mediascope research, Karousel channel has the biggest share.

Market landscape Entertainment properties, mostly for preschoolers, form 90% of Russian licensing market. Top Russian entertainment properties include: Masha and the Bear (Animaccord, the most popular Russian licensing property, 26.7 billion views on YouTube); The Fixies (Aeroplane studios, number 1 property for boys 4-10, number 2 for girls 4-10); Smeshariki (Riki Group, one of the oldest properties); Moonzy (Luntik), The Pooches and The Three Bogatyrs (all three by Melnitsa); KidE-Cats (CTC Media, airing on CTC channel and Carousel channel); Fantasy Patrol, Be-Be-Bears, Paper Tales (0+ media); Orange Cow, Golden Collection and other properties by Soyuzmultfilm, the biggest Soviet Union animation studio; The Snow Queen and Sheep and Wolves (Wizartfilm); Belka and Strelka (Kinoatis studios).

Foreign entertainment properties. Numerous foreign properties have achieved licensing success in Russia: Princesses, Cars and other Disney properties (tremendously popular in Russia whilst Star Wars is big among adults), Paw Patrol, Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles and other Nickelodeon properties (quite recently enjoyed vast distribution and marketing support), Minions, Winx, (extremely successful in Russia in 2011, it has passed its peak, but is still in demand), Robocar Poli and other Korean animation series (quite popular for their simple plots and colorful picture).

Brand licensing is not widespread in Russia yet. It is still viewed that placing a property logo on products is advertising, thus should be paid for. Chupa Chups, Pepsi and Discovery, however, secured deals in the market, even though their sales are below animation and character properties.

Art and design licensing. As publishing and paper stationery companies actively enter licensing deals, greeting

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card properties are gaining popularity in Russia. As a result, there are various bear designs that have been successful in licensing programs in Russia, e.g. Hallmark’s Forever Friends, Carte Blanche’s Me to you, Popcorn Bear, Fizzy moon, etc.

Digital Licensing. Angry Birds had the biggest licensing success among all digital properties in Russia. It raised interest in least expected categories, i.e. packed sausages – although the deal was rejected by the licensor. The property awareness is still quite high, therefore the sub-brands, e.g. Stella, perform well in the country. Another success story is Cut the Rope, the Russian videogame introduced in 2010 and received international publicity.

The World of Tanks, a video game by Belorussian company Wargaming, is another phenomenon. Their licensing program is diverse and includes jewellery, apparel, snacks, drinks, etc., as well as fast food chain collaborations.

Sport Licensing. Football is the most popular sport in Russia. The biggest football clubs are Spartak, CSKA and Zenith and all run licensing programs.The Sochi 2014 Olympics made a big splash in Russia. The Organizing Committee signed 55 licensing deals in 45 product categories - some of the licensees were new to the industry.

The Committee also did a great job fighting counterfeit. It obliged licensees to use holograms, which is uncommon among Russian companies, as it costs a lot. Licensed goods were available in 8000 stores, over 110 vending machines and 2000 Olympics departments. The most popular categories in value were Apparel and Accessories (46%), Games and Toys (19%), Sport goods (14%), and Food (6%).

FIFA 2018 World Cup was a significant event of the industry that impacted the market landscape, as 40% of the FIFA 2018 licenses were new to the licensing business. In total there were 60 local deals secured, including contracts with major retailers. Products were sold in about 15,000 shops - a world record for a licensed property in 2018.

The Retail landscape When The USSR fell apart in 1991, Russia inherited the old retail system with specialty stores, department stores, and grocery and apparel markets. Department stores quickly turned into places with multiple stores and introduced the country to shopping mall formats. Traditional shopping malls located outside cities can be found in the big cities (capitals of regions); smaller shopping malls became numerous in all Russian cities. Specialty stores are traditional for the small cities and for certain categories, e.g. household goods, however the chain format came into this category as well in 2017. Grocery and apparel markets are intrinsic for smaller regional cities.

Since Russia’s territory is big, there are federal retailers owning numerous stores in all regions and regional ones, represented in one or several regions.

The top retail chains in Russia are: X5 Retail Group, Krasnoe y Beloe, Magnit, Lenta, Auchan, Diksi, Metro Cash and Carry, Leroi Merlin, MVideo, Okey, Eldorado, Detskiy Mir, Sportmaster, IKEA, Giperglobus, and Fix Price.

Licensed Categories By share (source Licensing International 2018) Toys 23% Apparel 12% Housewares 9% Footwear 6% Fashion Accessories 6% Food and Beverage 6% CE 5% Software/Apps/Video 5% HBA 4% Gifts 4% Music/Video 3% Sports 3% Home Decor 2% LBE/Themed/Promos 2% Paper Products 2% Garden/Tools/Hardware 2% Infant 1% Auto Parts 1% Other 1% Casino/Gaming/Lotteries 1% Pet Products 0% Other 0%

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SAKS CORP

ENTERS THE LICENSING MARKETPLACE For more information: Julia Bostanova, Managing Director, SAKS LICENSING jb@sakslicensing.ru www.sakslicensing.ru

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In 2018 in Russia, a new type of licensing agency called SAKS License opened its doors.

The agency is integrated into the corporate structure of its parent company and has access to resources which are rarely available for competitors.

SAKS company was created in 1994 as a distributor of toys. Today it is the biggest importer and a wholesaler of toys in Russia and CIS territories, presenting products of worldwide known and leading brands, such as MGA, Lego, Hasbro, Mattel, Spin Master, Bandai, Welly and some others.

SAKS’ geographic reach is the whole of the Russian Federation as well as Belorussia and Kazakhstan by means of six branch offices, employing more than 1000 specialists.

That allows SAKS to serve more than 19800 stores, including federal retailers and the majority of private local shops.

Apart from wholesale and distribution, the corporation includes its own retail chain TOY.RU consisting of 165 shops in 80 cities in Russia. Launched in 2011 TOY.RU today has become the biggest on-line store in Russia and CIS with more than 5 million unique visitors making over 450,000 purchases per month.

SAKS License’s strategy is a natural extension of the corporate strategy, which is providing consumers with the products of the best quality with a high level of service, great impressions and an unforgettable buyer’s experience.

It’s crucial for SAKS License to have

an opportunity to manage all aspects of the brand development in their territory and to execute long term brand strategies. It’s the agency’s specialty to be able to attract significant corporate resources including the opportunities

cosmetics, food and sweets and new retail formats.

from the corporate wholesale and retail business.

This Spring SAKS License announced the signing of a deal with MGAE. As a result, SAKS License represents three brands from MGAE: L.O.L. Surprise!, Poopsie and Num Noms. These brands have different target audiences, different values and features and for each of them SAKS has an individual development strategy, selected primary and secondary product categories, marketing and sales plans.

Num Noms was launched in the U.S. in December 2015. Num Noms, which targets girls ages 5 – 9, has fast become one of the top bestselling toys for girls and a runaway hit across all retail channels – mass, specialty and mid-tier! Every Num and Nom character is full of surprises. Nums are the outer, soft, squishy, hollow characters that nest on top of Noms. Noms are the inner, hard-shelled characters that are filled with flavored lip gloss or a scented stamper with more versions coming shortly. They are each uniquely scented, and can be mixed and matched to create more than 5,000 customized scent fusions!

L.O.L. Surprise! Has been the subject of many prestigious international awards, one of which - License of the Year - was received thanks to the mutual work of MGAE and hundreds of licensees from all around the world.

SAKS License is now working on an extension of L.O.L. Surprise! licensed goods – in the near future they will launch new products in clothes, fashion accessories, craft products,

Poopsie Slime Surprise was introduced to the toy market in 2018 and instantly became a bestseller in many countries. The toy combines the hottest world trends – unicorns, slime and funny poop. The unicorn doll can produce magic slime – all you need to do is to feed her with the magic slime ingredients, wait, press a button on her belly and you will collect a customized unicorn poop!

Poopsie has quickly become a favorite toy of celebrities and has appeared in the most followed social media accounts. Licensing deals in publishing, arts and craft, stationary goods and confectionary are in negotiation.

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MADE IN RUSSIA Made in Russia, the brand developed by the Russian Export Center (REC), will traditionally host a range of Russian animation at MIPJunior and MIPCOM in partnership with the Russian Animated Film Association (RAFA).

Made in Russia gathers key national companies, including animation producers and agencies, at major content events worldwide. This autumn it brings plenty of work-in-progress from renowned productions as well as smaller studios with international ambition.

Riki Group’s main focus in terms of international distribution and licensing for the next few years will be on pushing the territories where such IP’s as BabyRiki, PINCODE and Tina & Tony are already present on TV channels or digital platforms. Both BabyRiki and Tina & Tony, TV hits for preschoolers, are going on air in Brazil and other Latin American territories in 2020–2021, so this will be one of the company’s key destinations. PINCODE, an edutainment TV series for school-aged kids, is on air in Germanspeaking territories, putting this market on the company’s radar.Within the new global digital strategy, Riki Group will be spreading YouTube channels on

Riki Group’s Tony & Tina

each territory in the local language for each IP, thus reaching larger audiences and enhancing interest from potential licensees. Riki Group aims at securing strategic partnerships with broadcasters and licensees at an early stage, with a possibility of co-development, offering an extensive portfolio of TV series in development: Liry & Taya, The Kameleons, Weatherville, The Question Club.

Petersburg Animation Studio creates high-quality animation, partnering with various rightsholders, including Riki Group. The studio is currently working on their Super Meow series.

The renowned Russian writer Oleg Roy is the author of the project to be released in spring 2020. It already has the preliminary agreement on a line of toys to be launched in Russia next year.

Melnitsa, one of the largest and oldest studios from Russia, returns with Moonzy, the beautiful story of a small fuzzy alien that is going global this autumn with the simultaneous launches at Puls TV in Poland, Spacetoon in MENA and Pikaboo in the countries of former Yugoslavia. The series has gained popularity at the national market with over 5500 SKU of licensed products including 200 performances and 662 book titles licensed by Egmont Russia with over 9,7 million copies sold nationwide. Moonzy-branded products have been released by Chupa-Chups, Kinder Surprise, Unilever, Procter & Gamble. Aimed at 4-6 year-olds, this evergreen franchise with 504 episodes has announced a new season in 3D, where a girl character from the Moon will accompany Moonzy in his adventures. Melnitsa is also working on a full-length animated feature based on the comic TV-series about

the dogs’ family The Barkers with over 2500 skus of licensed products. The film release, scheduled for spring 2021 will support and develop the brand.

Moonzy from Melnitsa

The new season of Little Tiaras produced in partnership with CTB and CTC Media has enjoyed its premiere this autumn on CTC TV Channel.

Aiming at girls aged 4-9, the show provides a wide range of licensing opportunities from branded school kits to kids’ jewelry. The company has already signed agreements for the local production of dolls (Simbat Company), publishing and many more, and is now looking for international deals.

Soyuzmultfilm will present a range of brand-new TV series this time. Claymotions is an educational mini-series that kicks off with the Claymotions: Figurines episode about small plasticine numbers that sing, get into absurd situations and teach children to count. Plaid Zebra tells the story of a confused zebra that finds himself in the jungle and tries to survive and make friends with the locals. Mr. Teo, Cat and Dog centers on a city boy and his friends in the village, while another city boy Peter gets an imaginary friend from a parallel universe in the Adventures of Peter & Wolf. In the Pirate

The Russian Export Center hosts Russian companies at MIPCOM and MIP Junior

Super Meow from Petersburg Animation

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TOTAL LICENSING School, children of pirates try to study and keep getting into adventures. The animation studio not only preserves the classic values of the best Soviet animation, but is committed to creating new high-quality content and is open for new licensing opportunities.

Brand4rent, a group of companies representing over 40 brands and having its own licensing agency, brings

Monsikids from Brand4rent Monsikids as its flagship project. It is a new edutainment series produced

by Riki Group and Soyuzmultfilm that introduces children to the world of emotions and emotional intelligence.

Released in Russia in June 2019, the show is now on air on the leading kids’ TV channels Karousel and Mult, as well as being available on Youtube and major VOD platforms in Russia. The project has just got its first branded products, with licensing deals signed with toy producers Simbat and Gulliver this summer.

The core of Wizart’s strategy is developing its famous projects into full-fledged brands. This autumn Snow Queen: Keepers of Wonders, a series

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based on the renowned franchise, will premiere in Russia. The series will let the Snow Queen producers extend the licensing line-up, which now will not be limited to the theatrical release and campaign time. It will include toys, publishing items, board games and creative kits, winter sports equipment and clothing etc.

The Yoko series will also enjoy new life, as there’s a spin-off Mai Knows in progress. Other brand-new titles in development are Inside my Backpack and Tin’s Firebots.

The company is also developing fully independent authentic software with open code. The aim is to enhance the quality of content and make the professional community more competitive.Wizart is testing the new software in the production of its brandnew projects – Hansel and Gretel, developed in partnership with QED, and Ruslan and Lyudmila, to be presented at the upcoming AFM. The studio is not only ambitious in terms of producing top-level animation, but also in contributing to the overall industry development. It is going to construct Wizart Animation House in Voronezh – a place for the Wizart studio team, a regional incubator for creative industries, a school for young professionals-to-be, a campus and an interactive museum. It is supposed to become the animation cluster development base, promoting the region’s creative industries to a new level.

Parovoz Studio presents Koshchey.

The true story, set in the Fantasy Patrol universe, known from The Fantasy Patrol series, and also involves wellThe Crabots from Aeroplane

known girl-wizards. It introduces new characters and evolves around a love story. The studio has two projects in development – Tweetville about a human-like city of birds and Spaceport set in a distant future.

Licensing of many projects from Parovoz are handled by 0+ MEDIA, one of the leading Russian companies that develops and promotes brands and services for kids and their parents.

These include Be-be-bears, Fantasy Patrol, Woodventures, Leo &Tig, Rolando Locomotov, Paper Tales, Magic Lantern.

The company licensing portfolio has been created with the idea of aiming at different group ages for girls and boys, so each brand has something unique to offer a young audience.

One of the strongest brands in the Russian licensing market is Fantasy Patrol. According to the NPD researchers Fantasy Patrol was the No 1 licensing brand in Russia in the toy category in 2018. The universe of Fantasy Patrol will be developed in the next two years even further: a spin-off has been launched, and a full-length movie will begin in 2020.

Aeroplane has announced a new season of its flagship project The Fixies.

The series, dubbed into more than 20 languages, has gained huge success in China with over 11 billion views on VOD and is now conquering audiences in Europe, US and Latin America. The brand-new Season 4 will be launched in production in 2020 and will introduce new characters and twists to the project. There are already two full-length features based on the se-

TOTAL LICENSING ries – Fixies. Top Secret and Fixies vs.

Crabots. Both films are distributed globally by Central Partnership.

Aeroplane is also introducing The Crabots this autumn. This brand-new IP in development stars the diminutive and dimwitted AI robots. The comedy series revolves around Erica, the inventor of crabots, and Gordy who sees them as an easy way to get rich. The company is looking for co-production partners for this project and will show the pilot episodes at MIPJunior and MIPCancun.

Product from 100Kilowatt AA studio will launch several new projects in the next few years. WoofMeow, with the second season in production, is already quite popular around the globe: it will travel to Latin America, China, MENA, Turkey, Romania, Italy, while deals with Vietnam, Indonesia and Canada are on their way. The Princess and the Dragon, a pre-school series in production, will be co-produced with China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore. Another coproduction with China, The Mystery of Haunster, is currently in development and scheduled for 2021.

100kilowatt belongs to All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting company (VGTRK) and has four pre-school projects in progress. Eager Beaver tells about the adventures of Beaver and his friends in the woods.

Homies is set in the universe of buildings, where you can meet the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben. Nick the Inventor tells the stories of a 10-year-old boy

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who creates robots on his 3D printer.

Magic Kitchen centers on Maya who dreams of becoming a chef and uses some magic to get there. The series have already attracted the attention of major licensees in Russia. Publishing and children’s knitwear are produced under the Homies brand, range of creative kits has been released upon the Eager Beaver, plus a collection of children’s knitwear and toys will be released this Fall.

Little Princess, a series from X-Media Digital about a naughty yet funny princess, is still in production, with 18 episodes broadcast already. Some licensing deals with local companies are already in place for branded dishes (Russia and CIS), dolls (Russia, CIS and Israel) and coloring books (Russia, CIS and Ukraine). The company is hoping to get international licensing partners for this, as well as its other titles: Cars, cars, Magic Pik and Captain Kraken and his team.

Red Carpet Studio produces webseries and will announce its animation line-up this autumn. Blinky and Knobby is a no-dialogue 3D web-series that already airs on VOD and Youtube. This is a story of two space buddies sent to Fairy Teens from Agama

Earth for their bad behavior and living adventures on the new planet. Space Doctor Cat is an educational toyshow in production, also set in space – it centers around a cat who works as a pediatrician on a small secluded planet and cures his alien visitors from all over the galaxy. Each episode includes advice on healthy lifestyle, safety rules and craft workshops. The company is also developing a tentatively titled Bugabooz 2D project about the magic creatures who help kids discover the world around them and overcome their fears.The first season is currently in development, the project promising to become a flagship one next year.

Masterfilm are presenting two headliners. The F.A.R.M series is a popular science rural fantasy around the adventures of a 10-year-old big city boy who finds himself at his uncle’s house in an alternate reality, where there is no Wi-Fi or mobile connection. The other series, Ladushki, is also set in a fantastic house in the woods, where a girl arrives to spend her holidays with her grandmother.

Agama Film Studio, founded by Masha and the Bear co-producer Dmitry Loveiko, are presenting Fairy teens, a story of five fairies living in a human apartment.

The series will be released on the top-rated Russian kids’ channels this autumn, plus 4 seasons will be produced by 2022. Global licensing rights on this project are handled by Megalicense who also take care of the Project First titles.

All in all, Made in Russia brings together eighteen companies that will present animation this autumn in Cannes – from renowned hits to sequels and spin-offs of the well-known stories as well as projects at an early stage of development.

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Valentina Koursanova, Director of Business Development and Licensing,

The Growing World of

0+ Media 0+ Media is a unique Russian company that implements a unique brand development and licensing model. The company is a part of the biggest media-holding in Russia in terms of kid’s resources and not just DTR/ Digital Television Russia, the market leader of thematic TV. Licensing has been maturing during the last 15 years in Russia, while in the early part of this century, the business model was not developed at all. The first licensed products and projects came from international markets and were not that visible in the Russian market. Years later, Russian animation

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studios launched their first local franchises. The Walt Disney Company CIS opened its direct office and the market was able to meet beloved cartoon characters offline in the form of toys, magazines, books, fmcg-goods, etc.

Today the Russian market offers the B2B sector a variety of licensing brands and the competition is very high. At the same time, customers have become more loyal to local franchises which 100% reflect their mentality and values. Many projects are designed to touch main national and socially important points, based on local fairy-tales and ancient legends, which makes Russian brands very native, clear and attractive for Russians, while at the same time very original, unique and interesting for the rest of the world. Whilst creating a new roject 0+ Media unites traditional habits with global trends, creating fully international stories, appealing to kids and their parents in all parts of the world.

0+ Media was established in 2015, bringing together all the kids’ business units of the media-holding, in order to meet the demand of customers to have an alternative to the major international studios.

0+ Media has vast lines of business: they monetize television channels for kids – Moolt, Mool&Music, Mama, Ani, Tlum.hd, whilst their Moolt channel holds second place in Russia among all TV-channels for kids after Karousel. The Company leads in terms of advertising sales on these TV-channels together with all kinds of media-promotions and organizes the biggest kids animation festival in Russia – Mooltimir. In addition, the company operates YouTube channels, digital projects including websites, mobile applications and develops their retail business.

“Such a variety of strong media resources gives us an opportunity to offer unique support resources for our licensees. We use all available salesdrivers which our company has that can help our licensing partners to get the best possible results for their projects featuring our brands,”said Valentina Kursanova, Director of Business Development and Licensing.

Licensing Portfolio 0+ Media’s licensing portfolio consists of top Russian animation brands that steadily hit both Free to Air and Pay TV ratings. Be-Be-Bears, Leo & Tig,

TOTAL LICENSING Fantasy Patrol, Woodventures, Rolando Locomotov, Paper Tales and many other projects play a significant role in the local market and have started their expansion into the global animation arena. Their brands cover a wide target audience range – children aged 0 to 12 years old and their parents. This allows 0+ Media to launch 360 degree projects in terms of both licensing and media.

The Be-Be-Bears series is about Bucky and Bjorn’s funny adventures.

Two little bears and their friends play games, discover the world and have a lot of fun in each of the 182 x 5.5-minute episodes. The characters try to balance their respect for nature with their interest in technical progress by experimenting with both, always with a constant positive attitude. Every child in the world has a teddy-bear as one of their first and most beloved toys and every mother tries to surround her baby with cute and cozy characters. Every girl and boy loves fun and friendly cartoons that make them laugh and dance along with curious and exciting stories. Be-Be-Bears are so beloved by kids in Russia and constantly hit the top of all ratings among preschoolers in Russia.

Fantasy Patrol is the leading franchise in Russia, according to NPD 2018. Fantasy Patrol enjoys millions of views on YouTube and on TV and has a huge fan community of girls aged 6 to 11 years old, as well as gaining extremely positive feedback from boys.

This is continuing to grow through the third season of new spin-off animation, telling kids the story about each of secondary characters and increasing the interest and love for each of them.

The story of Fantasy Patrol is an epic animation series about four ‘ordinary’ girls who have superpowers. They live in an ‘ordinary’ fairytale town and have endless adventures trying to balance the world of fairies with the human world. With three seasons of 26 episodes in each, the brand achieved the main Russian television award for Kids – ‘TEFI-Kids’ as best animation series.

Hundreds of licensed products in all categories are favorite gifts for girls in Russia.

Leo and Tig is the story about the untrodden and unbelievable nature of the Far East, where the forest, a mountain range, and the sea exist together.

In this whimsical world, live two cubs who are best friends - an Amur tiger and a Far Eastern leopard. 52 episodes have been created with unique technologies and 3D CGI animation quality which not only has had an impact on the series’ small viewers but also on the animation market professionals.

Woodventures is an animated series for toddlers and the youngest preschoolers. The main characters are wooden toys: Kitten, Doggy, Piglet, Horsy and Elephant. The toys live in a small wooden town (reminiscent of a child’s playroom). Each of the toys has its own personality and reacts in its own way to various life events. With the help of the voice of the invisible narrator, the toys, along with the audience, face different challenges while they play and enjoy their adventures.

Expanding Overseas 0+ Media is rapidly expanding their licensing business outside Russia. Their animation series are being broadcasted on many leading European and Asian television channels for kids in line with content availability on Netflix. Eastern European countries, Italy and China will welcome the first international licensed products in 2020.

“Currently we are at the beginning of our international success and building up our strategy in partnership with the

best licensing agencies in each territory, said Valentina Kursanova. “Together with DTR, we are expanding our media-presence in every country.

I am sure that the success which our top properties are already enjoying in in Russia, with thousands of SKUs suc-

cessfully sold in all product categories, is just the start of our international ‘career’ for our brands. We proudly work as a team with the best professionals in the licensing business, marketing, media and creative divisions.

We are open to new ideas, partnerships and collaborations and will be happy to meet and greet everyone at our booth at Brand Licensing Europe 2019 in London and share our plans and opportunities” “During the first six months of 2019 alone, we have confirmed tens of new partnerships, among which are a Be-Be-Bears baby-club project with Perekrestok, one of the biggest retail chains in Russia as well as a privatelabel contract with 1000-store household and personal care retailer, new digital books and personalized licensed photo-albums and story-books, stationery, fashion, home and many food & beverage partners. Moreover, we are the only licensor in Russia that is able to unite our properties under one umbrella-brand – Moolt - which gives our consumers the opportunity of getting products from the whole universe of our characters.”

For more information, contact Valentina Kursanova 0+ Media vk@0plusmedia.ru, www.0plusmedia.ru

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What’s New? A look at the Russian Licensing Market

By Maria Rogozhina, Head of the Project, Vestnik online edition.

Almost five years since the beginning of the financial crisis, the Russian economy still has a number of “thorny” issues including EU and US sanctions, low oil prices and a substantial reduction in consumer spending. However, strong demand for highquality kids’ products remains a driver for the licensing industry in Russia.

While international franchises dominate, Russian licenses are starting to capture a larger market share: sales of branded toys inspired by national characters increased by 37 percent in 2018.

Tough competition in the preschool sector is proving beneficial for licensees, who have plenty of choice, and also for customers, as the quality of content for kids’ is growing. However, licensors are facing new challenges.

Introduction Russia remains an important market for global companies. The country consumed $700 billion in goods and services in 2016, and remains a big importer of finished products.

EU and US sanctions hold back economic growth and, according to The Economist, will remain in place until

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2023. Another negative factor for the Russian economy is low oil prices. In addition, tough fiscal policy, structural weaknesses, insufficient investment levels and a poor demographic prognosis will keep GDP growth below 2% over the next 4 years.

The financial crisis in 2014 to 2016, when the national currency fell to record lows, had a serious impact on the Russian consumer market and deeply affected consumer behavior. As personal income shrunk due to inflation, purchasing power lowered and consumers became more rational and price-conscious. After a downturn, in 2017 consumer spending started growing but still has not reached precrisis levels.

Moreover, Russian consumers are now less inclined to buy products featuring famous brands and seek quality at a reasonable price.

However, when shopping for kids, parents consider high quality, safety, and natural materials to be the most important factors that influence purchase decisions. The issue of price comes fourth in the rankings, according to Deloitte.

Strong demand for high-quality kids’ products is a driver for the Russian licensing industry. Much of the market growth is attributed to this factor.

Experts estimate the Russian market to notch up $50-70 million in royalty revenues annually. A successful largescale 2018 FIFA World Cup licensing program made a strong contribution to these figures. At the time of writing, 64 rights holders are promoting their IPs for licensing in Russia, including 20 animation studios, 12 licensing agents and 7 top global movie production companies. The rest are rights owners of small-scale lifestyle and sports brands.

Target audiences, segments and product categories A little more than 250 brands are now licensed in Russia. 90% of them are characters that come from kids’ entertainment content. As a result, the main part of all licensing programs is targeted at children and is based on animation brands. Competition is tough in the sector, and supply outpaces demand. The biggest source of licensed merchandise sales in Russia is the toy category (18%), followed by apparel (approximately 15%).

Other product categories for licensed merchandise include food, beverage and video games (each category accounts for 6%). Cosmetics, footwear, accessories and publishing equate to 5% (each) of branded product sales.

The home & decor category reports

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3% of licensed merchandise sales.

However, according to the NPD Group, in Q2 2019 the toy category showed a slowdown, which was a global trend. The category’s market share went down due to the reduction in big-name movies sales.

On the contrary, toys inspired by video games saw record growth of 82% with Minecraft and Fortnite licenses at the top. The target audience here consists of teenagers 12+ and ‘kidults’, i.e. adults who show purchasing habits that traditionally belonged to children or teenagers. As a result, the toy sector also boasts an audience beyond preschool age.

Other licensing sectors for adults include sports and museums licensing.

Sports licensing is a major sector in Russia. Football clubs were the first to develop licensing programs driven by high popularity of the sport in the country. Moreover, major events like Sochi 2014 Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup have given a new impetus to sports licensing. In addition, leading a healthy lifestyle is a growing focus for the Russian consumer, which also has a positive impact on sports licensing.

Famous Russian museums are taking their first steps in the licensing industry. The State Tretyakov Gallery, The Pushkin Museum, Moscow Kremlin Museums,The Petergof State Museum, The State Russian Museum and others are developing licensing programs.

While the largest part of all branded merchandise accounts is publishing,

there are also other licensed categories like apparel, accessories, stationery, arts & crafts and puzzles. Interesting collaborations are already taking place in the market. For instance, in 2019, a Wassily Kandinsky’s collection of bedding by Tretyakov Gallery hit the shelves.

As purchasing power is low and demand for cheaper products is high, major retailers generate private labels and collaborate with licensed franchises. In May 2019, a major Russian food retailer DIXI in cooperation with Universal Animation Studios launched a private label range under “Secret Life of Pets-2” brand to celebrate Illumination’s film release. The new line featured 64 SKU’s including food, drinks, snacks, paper pocket tissues, air fresheners and many more.

Top licensed franchises Foreign properties dominate in the Russian licensing market. According to NPD, more than 91 percent of licensed toys sales are based on international franchises. In Q2 2019, the largest share was held by Avengers, Jurassic Park/World, Star Wars and Disney Princesses.

Lately, a considerable amount of Russian animated content has come to the top Russian TV-channels for kids.

Moreover, Russian manufacturers who choose national characters for licensed products obtain financial support from the Government.These factors have a positive impact on Russian franchises. According to NPD, local licenses grew in the toy category in Q2 2019. Sales of licensed toys inspired

by Russian characters increased by 37 percent accounting for 9% (up 2% year-on-year) of the toy market.

Fantasy Patrol (0+ Media) remains the most popular and the fastest growing license in the toy category. It has outpaced Star Wars in branded merchandise sales. It is the only Russian franchise in top-5 fastest growing licenses in Russia, according to NPD’s rating.

Among Russian franchises, Be-BeBears (0+ Media), Kid-E-Cats (CTC Media) and Kikoriki (Marmelad Media) show growing sales. Masha and the Bear has stepped down to second place in the ratings and continues to lose sales.

Other top Russian animated licenses include The Fixies (Aeroplane),

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TOTAL LICENSING al licensing markets: new and already popular franchises, licensed merchandise, law issues and other topics. Licensing in Russia is distributed in 20 B2B exhibitions in Russia and CIS including Kids Russia, PRODEXPO, World Food, MosShoes and others.

Moonzy and The Barkers (Melnitsa).

Tsarevny is a new project for the preschool audience launched in 2018 by CTC Media and Melnitsa Animation Studio. Tsarevny’s branded merchandise is already on the shelves.

Main licensing events Licensing World Russia exhibition is a central event for the Russian licensing market. In 2019, more than 250 companies from 13 countries took part in LWR. It is a unique B2B event which facilitates communication between right holders, licensees, licensing agents and retail. Licensing World Russia takes place at the end of February or at the beginning of March.

Moscow Licensing Summit is another key event for the Russian licensing industry. Major right holders and licensing agents, manufacturers and retail experts are among the Summit’s guests. Apart from an exclusive ana-

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lytical B2B-session, a raft of negotiating sessions for licensors and manufactures in various industries take place at the Summit.

The third licensing event, which is mainly targeted to consumers, is Multimir Children’s Festival. It takes place in the beginning of June and honors the best in children’s animation. In 2019, the event attracted over 120,000 visitors from across Russia.

The festival features engaging activities for kids and their parents, film releases and communication with beloved characters.

More than 100 companies participated in the Multimir Children’s Festival in 2019, including major Russian and international animation studios as well as manufacturers of licensed goods.

Professional editions Vestnik is a leading Russian online publication about brand licensing.

Launched in 2009, it accumulates and provides top news about Russian and international markets, analytics from the key research companies and market experts and analysis of the key market trends. Moreover, the web-edition boasts a universal Catalogue of Licensors, Licensees and Agents which helps to find a brand by characteristics of the product’s target audience.

Licensing in Russia is the first printed edition about licensing business in the country. It is an official media partner of the key licensing events – Licensing World Russia and Moscow Licensing Summit. The edition covers current trends of the Russian and internation-

Main trends • The leading sector of the market

is preschool but competition

is high here; • Licensees working for preschool

audiences have plenty of choice,

which gives them an opportunity

to include more favourable

conditions in licensing contracts; • Although international

franchises dominate, Russian

licenses are starting to capture a

larger market share as national

brands become more popular

among Russian consumers; • Major sports events have

generated a momentum for

sports licensing in Russia; • Low purchasing power has given

a boost to the development of

private labels.

- The future • Higher competition in the pre

school sector will spur high quality projects. There will be

great demand for evergreen

franchises, which are considered

robust. Investors will choose

strong projects with positive outlooks; • Existing brands will receive more

investment. To stay at the top, li

censors will have to search for

new sales channels; • The great variety of brands on

shelves will make children look

for new characters more often

and prevent them from focusing

on beloved heroes; • Brands will go to other niches,

especially those for teen and

adult audiences. Lifestyle, sports,

celebrities licenses will capture

a larger share of the market. The

Russian licensing industry will

gradually adopt the Western

model of the licensing business.

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KONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is an international tournament created to further the development of hockey throughout Russia and other nations across Europe and Asia. The KHL Championship was contested by a total of 24 teams from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Finland and China.

The KHL Licensing Program’s main task is to ensure that every hockey fan has the chance to acquire high-quality, affordable licensed merchandise bearing the KHL and Clubs logos. KHL provides Licensees with the rights to the production and sale of merchandise bearing KHL and Clubs logos and also the look of the League.

To date, 21 Licensees have been signed covering 25 categories including apparel, toys, pucks, sports goods, souvenirs, cosmetics, towels, collectible cards and more.

In addition, www.store.khl.ru is the official e-shop for licensed merchandise which offers a wide range of souvenirs featuring KHL and the Club’s logos.

Helping to promote the brand, KHL.TV is the first channel in Russia to be dedicated entirely to one sport – hockey.

KHL also run a number of special events including an all-star game which is an annual festival featuring the finest players in the KHL. Finally, the official season closing ceremony is an annual event summing up each KHL season with media coverage on state channels, KHL TV and leading mass media.

AEROPLANE PRODUCTIONS Moscow’s Aeroplane Productions, the Fixies brand’s creators and production company, has grown in the last 15 years from a team of about 20 to over 120 employees, with its own animation studio and L&M department working together with a network of agents and licensees around the world.

The Fixies is number one for boys and number two for girls according to Ipsos Comcon research.With 4.5 million subscribers and 4.7 billion views, the Fixies have become one of the most popular and dynamic brands, and not only in Russia. For example, online views in China have exceeded 11 billion on VOD platforms (cumulative on Tencent, IQIYI, Youku, Future TV and others). The series have been sold into 80 countries.

Aeroplane now have the opportunity to work with international agents to more quickly build L&M programs in new markets where the brand is establishing an audience. The most recent deals in Russia are Perfetti van Melle (Chupa Chups chocolate balls) and Skyeng (English as a second language courses). The Chinese success allows Russian licensees to explore new territories: Confitrade (confectionery) has made test sales in Vietnam (with other countries planned), and the Simbat toys range is ready to be localized worldwide.

Aeroplane’s latest production in development is a Fixies’ spin-off series. A slapstick comedy for the tween market, The Crabots (104 x 5’), stars the diminutive and dimwitted AI robots introduced in The Fixies’ second feature film.

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UKRAINIAN BRAND ON NEW WINE COLLECTION Art Nation Agency from Kiev in Ukraine and Inkerman recently presented a new collection of Prima Maria Inkerman wines. The new range includes dry wines Chardonnay, Cabernet, Saperavi; semi-dry Riesling and semi-sweet Muscat, Bastardo.

The presentation took place at the 12th Festival of Cheese and Wine during the Kyiv Food and Wine Festival. The combination of cheese and wine is the main theme of the twelfth festival. The best cheese-makers and wine-makers of Ukraine arrived in Kiev to treat guests with their new products and hits.

In addition to tasting fine wines, guests could also visit the art exhibition “Fantastic Animals Prima Maria” based on the works of the artist Maria Primachenko. The exhibition featured reproductions of paintings, the images of which were used for the labels of the Prima Maria Inkerman collection:Wild Sheep,The Beast Walks,Young Levik, Miracle and others.

Prima Maria is a bright, optimistic brand created on the basis of the works of Maria Primachenko, a brilliant and world-famous Ukrainian artist who worked in the style of naïve art. Behind its simplicity lies a fantastic world of unusual animals and plants, inspired by the power of their native land. Likewise, wine is born from a vine that takes its strength from the earth and the sun. Original taste and refined aroma of wines found their personification in vivid artistic images of a famous Ukrainian artist. Therefore, the Prima Maria Inkerman collection is ready to inspire everyone who seeks to touch the beauty of art and wine. Fantastic animals by Maria Primachenko decorated the bottles of the collection, highlighting the brightness of flavors.

“Prima Maria’s slogan is the strength and energy of the earth. Grapes ripening on clusters absorb this energy. At the intersection of wine and cultural traditions, a new collection of Prima Maria Inkerman was created. Now, buying wine, the buyer contributes to the popularization of Ukrainian art. Product exports could be another step for Prima Maria in the development of brand awareness in the world,” said the general producer of the brand, Eduardo Akhramovich.

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JINGLEKIDS PROGRAM Open Alliance Media is an independent Moscow-based studio that produces the JingleKids (aka Jingliks) 3D animated series.

The series has over 25 international awards and nominations (such as The Best Overseas Animated Series at Xiamen International Animation Festival, Best Animation and Best Storytelling at Shanghai TV Festival in China, Best Animated Short Film at the San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival in USA as well as awards in South Korea, Japan, Italy, Chile, etc).

JingleKids has been dubbed into 17 languages and the series has a 3D quality similar to that of Pixar feature films a quality that Open Alliance Media believes is unprecedented in television production.

An English version of fourteen JingleKids episodes (aimed at the 5-7 target age) was successfully launched on Netflix and Amazon in April 2019 as well as on Tencent Video in China and on a dozen top TV channels in Europe, Asia and Latin America (such as Disney Channel, Nat Geo Kids, Spanish TV3, Portuguese RTP, Indonesian ANTV, Turkish Tivibu, Kidzone in MENA and Baltics, and, of course, on Russian Karousel).

Open Alliance Media believe that they have created an IP which is strong in terms of financing, marketing and distribution and are now looking for a strong worldwide partner in order to take the property further.

NEW MD FOR CPLG PULLMAN CPLG Pullman have announced that Anna Artyukhova has been promoted to the position of Managing Director for Russia and CIS. Based in Moscow, CPLG Pullman was formed in 2018 when CPLG acquired a 49% stake in Pullman Licensing LLC, a leading Russian licensing agency owned by Igor Kuleshov, President and owner of Gulliver Holdings, one of Russia’s premier toy and clothing manufacturers and distributors.

In her new role, Anna will lead the Moscow team in its strategy to drive growth for clients and expand the company’s base of leading entertainment and classic brands.

Anna will continue to report into Slawomir Ekiert, MD CEE & Nordics at CPLG, who will work with Anna to strategically develop the company’s business in Russia and CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States).

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nostalgia the mega-trend is stronger than ever It has been well-documented by now that, in times of uncertain socio-economic times and political strife, consumers turn again and again to the brands that give them comfort and security. This mega-trend is here to stay, and IP owners are coming up with increasingly new and creative ways of bringing the classics to new audiences while retaining the authenticity of their brand’s history.

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Royal Horticultural Society

(RHS) recently saw a collaboration inspired by the brand’s 50th anniversary, for which events and celebrations have been taking place all year.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar-related events have been a feature of four RHS Flower Shows this year and are currently running in four RHS gardens.

Featured on the BBC’s RHS Flower show Tatton Park programme, The Very Hungry Caterpillar activity at the Cheshire-based show also included a caterpillar-themed show garden with

caterpillar-shaped bushes, butterflyfriendly flowers, a butterfly feeding station and bug hotels. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, and is one of the most popular childhood classics of all time.

Another staple in the world of classic children’s books by Dr. Suess, which are over seventy years old, have seen a new partnership with Champion.

Champion is unveiling a comprehensive range of apparel, paying homage to the characters of Dr. Suess, in tandem with the release of a new Dr. Suess book.

The Champion and Dr. Seuss collaboration was a natural alignment for both brands as Champion is an authentic American synonymous with sports apparel and embracing the story of sports while Dr. Seuss is one of the most iconic children’s authors in American history. The collection is aimed to both male and females of all generations united by their love for all things Seuss.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) owns and manages a vast back catalogue of brands that appeal perfectly to the nostalgia trend and

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retro licensing market. The Studios comments, “From Thunderbirds and the Anderson collection (including Space: 1999, UFO, Captain Scarlet, Stingray) through to The Last Unicorn and The Prisoner, we are able to mine a wealth of beloved content and bring these brands closer to fans, old and new.

“Often the challenge with older brands is that they are no longer enjoying new releases, whether on TV or in the cinema, so finding a hook on which to hang product and activities is really important for any nostalgia licensing programme. Anniversaries or fan-led celebrations can be great for providing a focal point for launches of new product or for brand activity. For Space: 1999 we have Breakaway Day on 13th September - a date marked by fans to remember the date the Moon broke free of Earth’s orbit in the first episode of Space: 1999, ‘Breakaway’.

2019 sees the 20th anniversary of Breakaway Day and our licensees will join the celebration with the launch of new products and services.

“Similarly for Thunderbirds, global Thunderbirds Day is celebrated annu-

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ally on 30th September, marking the first air date of Thunderbirds in the UK back in 1965. As well as a launchpad for our licensees and partners, the date provides an opportunity to bring the brand back into the hearts and minds of fans. Social media is a great way of doing this, and spreading the message to fans who are still interested in engaging with the brand on an ongoing basis. Another way of enthusing fans is by partnering with more current and contemporary partners and trends.

For Thunderbirds, we have seen success with our Funko Pop! Vinyl figures (Parker, Lady Penelope and Brains) as well as our gifting range with Half Moon Bay whose designs take a fresh look at the brand and include

popular, relevant products for today such as gin glasses and stainless steel water bottles.

“One market in which we see real effects and benefits of nostalgia brands is Japan, where Thunderbirds is a particularly popular property. For the 55th anniversary of Thunderbirds in 2020, our Japanese partners have lined up a programme of anniversary activity, including a Wind Orchestra Concert of the original music from the series, screening events, touring exhibitions and much more.”

As an established leader in family entertainment for over 60 years, The Jim Henson Company is recognized the world over as an innovator in puppetry, a n i m a t ro n i c s and digital animation. Among

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nostalgia

its many properties are the fantasy film The Dark Crystal, and the science fiction series Farscape.

The Dark Crystal, the beloved 1982 classic film, has been reimagined as a 10-episode fantasy adventure prequel - The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance – premiering on Netflix on August 30. Shot in the U.K., the new series stars an ensemble of fantastical, state-of-the-art creatures created

by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and Brian Froud, the original feature’s conceptual designer. The new series has ignited licensing and merchandising partnerships for both the new series and the classic. For The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance for the YA audience are books from Penguin Young Readers Group: Heroes of the Resistance, an illustrated guide to the characters of Age of Resistance, and Aughra’s Wisdom of Thra; and fans can go behind the scenes in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance: Inside the Epic Return to Thra from Insight Editions. For

The Dark Crystal movie, Henson has signed a multi-product partnership with American retailer, Think Geek, who will offer an exclusive Chronicle Collectibles line of products.

Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House), in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products, has announced the lead U.K. licensing partners for Peter Rabbit 2, the sequel to 2018 box office success Peter Rabbit, from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation. The first movie grossed over £268M ($351M USD) at the global box office in 2018. The first Peter Rabbit book by Beatrix Potter was published in 1902, and Peter Rabbit has long been thought to be one of the first officially licensed characters.

Penguin Ventures, acting on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd (Beatrix Potter’s original publisher and the home of Peter Rabbit and the Beatrix Potter brand) has secured high calibre licensees in key product categories.

Rainbow Designs is confirmed as

plush licensing partner and will be releasing a series of plush including additional characters that feature in the new movie whilst Whitehouse Leisure will be producing a range of leisure plush. World of Confections is confirmed for sweets whilst Solent has been signed for personal care which will include tissues and a dental range.

Puffin (part of PRH Children’s) will launch a range of tie in book formats whilst Phidal will be renewing their licence for the popular Busy Book format. Redan will be producing a one shot magazine. For apparel, Aykroyds & Sons and TDP Textiles will be producing nightwear for children and adults and swimwear plus underwear for children; TV Mania will be launching a range of children’s daywear and Smiffys will be creating a series of dress up options. Dinoski will be launching a ski suit and thermal wear.

Finally, DNC will produce a range of homewares.

Penguin Ventures will be collaborat-

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ing with Cadbury for a second time to launch a licensing campaign and in-store activations in key accounts across the UK to support the launch of the movie.

Penguin Ventures has also appointed global licensing agents in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Haven has recently signed Jasnor for plush and Showtime for mall events in Australia and New Zealand.

Global content business Beano Studios has announced its partnership

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with Happy Monkey Drinks, with an onpack tie-in to its hit TV series Dennis and Gnasher: Unleashed! The original Dennis the Menace cartoon strips were published first in 1951, and Dennis and Gnasher: Unleashed! debuted on CBBC in 2017.

A quarter of a million Happy Monkey drinks will be redesigned to feature Dennis and Gnasher from the hit CBBC TV show and packs contain the chance to win Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! themed prizes, including

goody bags, Beano rucksacks and key rings, and tickets for a family of four to the Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed!

Musical premiere in 2020.

Yet another much-loved property, Moomin, which saw creator Tove Jansson’s 105th birthday being celebrated in August, has appointed WildBrain to manage Moomin on YouTube.

WildBrain and Gutsy Animations will work together develop a global YouTube strategy for Moominvalley, the brand-new animated adaptation of stories about the Moomins. The first new Moomins series in almost 30 years, Moominvalley brings Jansson’s characters to life with beautiful 3D CGI animation in 13 episodes for a new generation of kids and families.

In addition, WildBrain will manage the library of past Moomin content on YouTube, including the previous series from the 1990s, behind-the-scenes material and other content created exclusively for YouTube by Moomin. com.To celebrate Tove Jansson’s 105th birthday today, fans can enjoy exclusive new Moominvalley content now live on the WildBrain network.

Italian boutique animation studio Enanimation has secured the rights to develop – globally and on all platforms – the popular pre-school publishing property Olga the Cloud, created by legendary writer and illustrator Nicoletta Costa.

Nicoletta Costa’s creation – a global publishing success for over 30 years – is a cute, funny and soft cloud, who is friends with the moon, the stars and

TOTAL LICENSING the sun – and also children! And of course, as a cloud she wants to rain – but when is the right time?

For the series now in development, called Nina & Olga, Enanimation has developed a new character, Nina, who is a special friend of Olga, helping her to cope with everyday challenges.

It’s a rich, colourful world of children, parents, grannies and teachers, not to mention animals, birds the sun, moon and stars, all of whom come together as part of Nina & Olga’s daily adventures.

The first Olga the Cloud storybook was published in Italy in 1982. Since then, more than 80 titles – in picture book, board book, activity book and cloth book formats – have been published in Italy and abroad, through publisher EMME Edizioni. Olga the Cloud has enjoyed a strong response in many countries outside Italy, but is particularly popular in China, Russia, Spain and the US. Writer and illustrator Nicoletta Costa’s work has graced more than 300 books to date. Her unique ability to see the world through the eyes of a child and her endearing characters like Giovanna the Moon, Mister Aquilone, Margherita the sleepy Teacher, Teodora the Witch and of course Olga the Cloud, have gained her, and her work, global fame. Enanimation Producer Federica Maggio says: “The work of Nicoletta Costa is known and admired throughout the world and Olga the Cloud is one of her most delightful characters. We are delighted and

nostalgia

honoured to have the opportunity to bring to life this great favourite of children everywhere and are certain that her move to a multi-platform environment will be an enormous success.”

Nicoletta Costa says: “Enanimation has a strong track record in children’s animation, which makes it an ideal partner to bring Olga and her friends to the screen for her many fans. We are looking forward to a long and highly successful partnership on this exciting project.”

From products made with children and parents in mind to a slightly older audience, Australian based graphic artist and illustrator, Steven Rhodes, continues to develop via deals brokered by the brands licensing agent - Blue Chip Brands. The collection of nostalgic designs that feature a twist of darkness are already a success in the USA through youth retailers such as Spencer Gifts and Hot Topic and is set to expand into new territories and new

product categories. Pyramid International has inked a multi-territory deal to develop a comprehensive range of products including wall art for North America and an array of wall art, giftware and stationery for the rest of the world. Australian based apparel company DFM Australia has been appointed to manage the apparel and accessory rights across Australia & New Zealand and will be launching the first Steven Rhodes T-shirts through local retailer Zing in September.

H&A are bringing the nineties back with their nostalgic Simpsons range available in Primark and Boots.

Launching in September, the male gift range will be Primark’s first foray into licensed male health & beauty and the retro-feel female range up for grabs at Boots. Products will include Patty & Selma Sleeping Eye Mask, Flanders Grooming Kit and Duff Beer Wash Bag.

Robert Marick, Executive Vice President Global Consumer Products and Experiences, talks about the studio’s extensive work in the nostalgia arena: “The topic of nostalgia is a very interesting and topical one for MGM – in our library are 4,000 film titles and 17,000 TV episodes!

This year we are focussing on two properties in the nostalgia arena – Pink Panther and Legally Blonde.

Pink Panther has a 55 year legacy, and it resonates around the world. Given the huge trend for classic brands, it translates to all markets and both women and men. Lately we are targeting younger Millennials who see it as a cool and hip brand, looking at the fast fashion category, and Pink Panther is also extremely popular with consumers 35 and older, who grew up with it. Legally Blonde was released in 2001, and is admired particularly by Millennials and women. With themes of empowerment, educations, fashion and passion, it really strikes a chord with the people of today, especially given the #metoo movement – it hasn’t dated and is very relevant with today’s society.

There is a new Legally Blonde film set to be released next year. “

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nostalgia

Russell Dever of Those Licensing People talks about the enduring power of The Little Prince...

The story of The Little Prince is bound up in the life of Antoine De Saint-Exupéry, famous aviator in the pioneering early days of commercial flight.

When Those Licensing People considered the works of StEx as he was known to his friends, one recurring theme came back time and again and that was his passion for the stars in the night sky under which he flew.

Even the perfumier Guerlain named its most enduring fragrance after one of his titles, ‘Vol de Nuit’ (Night Flight).

The title which established StEx as a serious writer.

TLP wanted to bring a reinterpretation of StEx most famous work to market in such a way that one could share in an emotional connection by owning one of the stars that The Little Prince can see from his rocky asteroid home B164. The Little Prince is more than just a simple children’s tale. It is work of prose and philosophy, semiautobiographical it reflects the life of

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StEx who remained more boy than man all of his adult life. A redacted passage from the original work but penned by St Ex said this; ‘I’ve never told the grown-ups that I’m not from their world. I’ve hidden the fact that I have always been five or six. And so I have hidden my drawings from them.

But I love to show them to my friends.

These drawings are my memories.’

StEx drew so much from his childhood a magical world he created with his siblings at the Chateau St Maurice, some of his characters are certainly memories of people who came to influence him is some way or another.

Russell Dever MD of TLP tells Total Licensing: “I first met The Little Prince in 1969. My Grandmother, who was not prone to sentimentalism, read the story to me from a copy she had borrowed from a public library. I think she saw it as a cautionary tale in some respects and I think it unlikely that she knew much if anything about the author. But the book has been a central theme for my life and set me upon a road that led to a lifelong obsession with books, with reading and as it turned out as a Publisher and Licensor, I now have over 20m books in print worldwide. I have longed for some time to be able to bring this really very special and famous work to life in a format that will enable the reader to look into the night sky and establish that same emotional relationship within the Universe of The Little Prince that I have enjoyed for the last fifty years.”

In the last chapter of this book StEx writes: “Anything essential (to the heart) is invisible to the eyes.” When you look into the sky toward where the special star named for you is located, what really matters is not what we see, or indeed how we are seen but what we feel about ourselves but more importantly what we feel for others. This is a work all about giving not taking, of receiving not demanding.

It has been created with our humanity

in mind and therefore it makes a wonderful gift for all the most important occasions, for births, for anniversaries, for engagements, for weddings, for that first kiss or for that last goodbye and in its original format is quite possibly the best selling children’s book ever to be published.

At the end of the story, The Little Prince disappears in his plane and in an almost parallel experience in April 1943 just seven days after its first publication in the USA, Antoine De Saint-Exupéry, got into a plane for a solo flight in an allied rekey over the Mediterranean and was lost without a trace. “In my mind’s eye,” says Russell, “he still flies the night skies with the wind blowing through is soul, enjoying the wonder that is the milky way and beside him flies The Little Prince and The Fox gazing together at the very stars they have gifted in a unique universe of his creation.”

Those Licensing People is a boutique Licensing Agency which seeks to reimagine Classic properties into new and unique products, many of which are sold direct to consumer through various drop shipping arrangements.

TLP is also the home of KidsCast the Children’s SVOD platform which is a combination of TV, Media, Publishing and Music. The Little Prince Star Registry and The Peter Pan Star Registry will be launched in October 2019 in time for the seasonal gift market. The Wizard of Oz Star Registry and the Alice in Wonderland Star Registry will launch in 2020. TLP is keen to establish that the naming of stars is discreet within the specified universes of specific Intellectual Property whether within or without the public domain.

TLP does not hold out to rename stars which exist only in the single dimension of the human experience but rather within the imagination of the original creators. Each product is personalised by the consumer as a unique gift book and is delivered direct to the door.

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In 2018, the improvement in economic indicators in Spain which happened for a fifth consecutive year contributed to increased consumer confidence. The basic level of consumption in the Spanish economy is still below the pre-crisis position but the positive development in indicators such as GDP growth was among the main drivers that helped an improved performance in retail.

As in so many other territories, it appears that millennials and later generations are the customers of the future. They are the one-swipe generation who use technology in every aspect of their lives.

Mercadona, El Corte InglĂŠs and Centros Comerciales Carrefour were the largest retailers in value terms in Spain in 2018.

Within grocery store-based retailing the competitive environment is highly concentrated, with Mercadona accounting for by far the largest share, followed by Carrefour and Dia. In common with other countries, internet retailing achieved the best performance in 2018.

This was mainly due to the fact that the largest retailers focused on applying multichannel strategies in an

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effort to be more competitive against pure e-commerce players, as well as adapting to changing consumer habits and the increase in the role of the internet in daily life.

Mobile sales showed very strong

growth during 2018 compared with a slowing down in other more saturated markets.

According to a recent study by Eurostat, Spaniards’ usage of mobile phones is above the EU average.

Top 10 retailers in Spain Turnover in Spain for 2018 in $ Million

Rank stores 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Retailer

Turnover

Nr of

Mercadona 24,305 1,629 El Corte InglĂŠs 15,935* 467 Carrefour 9,682 997 Eroski 5,505* 1,651 DIA 5,147 3,474 Auchan 4,597* 359 Inditex 4,253 1634 Lidl 4,009 561 Consum 2,731 707 Media Markt 2,002 **87

* = 2017 figure ** = 2019 figure

TOTAL LICENSING

KIDS AND BRANDS IN SPAIN Spain is an interesting country with a nice blend of international brands form multiple origins (The US of course and UK but also from Japan) as well as having national brands (such as Pocoyo).

In addition, the market is concentrated even further on the top 20 favorite brands - the No 1 favorite brands gained 14 points over the year, leaving less for the remaining brands - 159 on average.

Population 2018

Screens 2017

Brands

Births (2017)

391,930

% mobile users (3-14)

53%

No entertainment brands 159 kids 0-14 know average

0-14 population

7.535m

% tablet users (3-14)

41%

Top 5 favorite

37%

0.14 % of total

15.2%

Top 20 favorite

86%

Video game weekly time 5h 47m

By Philippe Guinaudeau Kidz Global

Favorite Entertainment Brands - Kids 0 - 14 - Spain - October 2018 - Unaided Mentions 7 - 14 Years Old Sony Playstation

Simpsons

Girls

Frozen

Boing

Marvel

Avengers

Lego

Doraemon

Pokemon Mario Bros

Minions

Miraculous

Batman

Spider-Man

Disney

Boys

Harry Potter

LOL Surprise

FIFA Fortnite Star Wars

Netflix

Barbie

Playmobil

Spongebob

Cars the Movie

Mickey Mouse Paw Patrol

Peppa Pig Pocoyo

0 - 6 Years Old

Doraemon is a popular brand among boys and girls aged 3 to 6 as well as 7 to 9. Awareness is over 90%. The potential for licensing seems very robust at this time as the consumer demand gap records strong results (over 20%).

A large positive gap (demand surplus) indicates that future demand is greater than past or current ownership of the brand.

Miraculous is a new player in the top brands for girls. The brand is extremely popular among girls 7 to 9, and can be compared with Barbie or

April 2019

the worldwide success story Frozen.

Up to 9 years old, everybody knows Peppa Pig – both toys and girls. However, the brand is especially performing among kids up to 6 years old, with a slight preference towards girls. The brand is the No 1 favorite brand, both as the first favorite brand (No 1 with 11%) or among the top 3 favorite (No 1 with 25%). The best scores ever.

Fortnite, although declining slightly in the short term, is still at 4th position in the top favorite brands for kids up

to 14 years old. Fortnite is the favorite brand among boys aged 10 to 14 with 16% of the mentions. And 31% of mentions within the top 3 favorite.

After 15 years old, competition gets stronger and the brand lowers its performance. But it is still at a high level.

The BrandTrends report combines consumer research, in-depth industry analysis and international trends in a single, comprehensive information source.

Several times a year, a total of 105,040 children and young adults are surveyed via an online questionnaire on 42 countries across the following five age groups: Infants 0-2 years, Preschoolers 3-6 years, Children 7-9 years,Tweens & young teens 10-14 years, Young Adults 15-25 years (10 countries only).

Each age group comprises 50% boys and 50% girls. For infants and preschoolers, parents are the respondents on behalf of a nominated child.

Visual images of each brand are used to test awareness, ownership and purchase intentions, once all unaided questions have been submitted. Analysis and reporting are conducted in the week following fieldwork.

More details? www.brandtrends.com

Paw Patrol is known by kids aged 3 to 6 and 0 to 2 who know the brand and love it. And although ownership is quite general, consumer demand remains very robust, with even more kids willing to have products than kids already having products.

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El Ocho Licencias y Promociones is one of the most successful licensing agencies in Spain, with almost two decades of experience. The agency works in conjunction with a number of properties and licensees to represent and develop the best brands in the Iberian Peninsula.

El Ocho’s market position can be attributed to its wide range portfolio and diversity of brands. It offers the best brands to its clients from preschool and kid’s brands, to brands for teenagers and young adults as well as design and sports brands.

The agency looks for brands with the best content, originality and growth potential. El Ocho’s current portfolio is composed of the following brands for kids and preschoolers:

Distroller, Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Simon, Bing, Yoko, Lunnis de Leyenda, Ben & Holly, Pinypon, Barriguitas, Nancy and Chuggington. Further

TOTAL LICENSING brands El Ocho represents for teenagers and adults include Dragon Ball, Molang, Operación Triunfo, Master Chef, Algo de Jaime, Mafalda, Vicky Martin Berrocal, Dolores Promesas, Repsol, Kimmidoll, Anekke, Lady desidia, Hablando Sola & Llama Love.

The agency works with the best licensees for each product category, ensuring the best product quality, market exposure, distribution, marketing and promotions. It also works closely with retailers and broadcasters to ensure visibility and brand awareness. It establishes a long-term strategy for each brand, creating a unique licensing and merchandising program that adapts to its needs, target and the market situation.

One of the newest brands in El Ocho’s portfolio is Distroller, a Mexican brand that describes itself as ‘the most wonderful brand in the entire globe!’ It creates original content with a unique and innovative design and a rebellious communication style which mixes English, Spanish and humor. Distroller has three brands: Virgencita Plis, Chamoy y amiguis & Neonatos.

The brand’s objective is to make the ordinary extraordinary and create a universe full of colors.

Distroller arrived in Spain - its first European territory one year ago after its expansion through LATAM and the USA. With the help of

El Ocho as its licensing agency and CIFE as its master Toy licensee, Distroller enjoyed great success during Christmas 2018, becoming the #1 nurturing doll (Neonatos) and #1 large doll (Chamoy y amiguis).

In less than a year, Distroller has 15 licensees in Spain. Ranging from categories such as magazines, editorial, DTR at El Corte Inglés, home decoration and accessories, gifts, apparel, gift wrapping, arts & craft, arts supplies, back to school supplies, sweets and candy, educational toys and puzzles, hygiene and make up, party supplies, costumes, outdoor and role play, melamine and homeware.

Distroller is unstoppable and its potential in unimaginable. El Ocho looks forward to seeing it grow and becoming even more popular this Christmas.

El Ocho’s main goal is to make Distroller grow in Spain and Portugal and expand it throughout Europe, so it achieves the huge success it has enjoyed in Mexico and Latin America and in other parts of the world.

Another new brand for El Ocho is Simon, an adorable little rabbit who exudes all the vitality of childhood, created by Stephanie Blake. After its huge success in kids publishing, with over 3,5 million books sold worldwide it became a TV series (produced by Go-n) achieving top ratings and broadcast worldwide, making it a license for years to come.

In Spain, Simon was launched on Clan TV in February this year. Since then it has received amazing ratings: #1 Kids show on Clan (July 2019) and #2 Kids show on Clan App and website. Penguin Random House also released two books in May 2019. El Ocho believes that Simon will be the next big preschool license in Spain.

Other Brands in the El Ocho portfolio include: PJ Masks PJMasks is currently one of the top preschool brands in Spain and Portugal. It has one of the best licensing and merchandising programs, with over 50 licensees in Spain and Portugal that cover all product categories.

Key partners include Bandai as Master Toy and Penguin Random House as Master Publishing.

Peppa Pig Peppa Pig has been broadcast continuously from Monday to Sunday since 2011, consistently making it one of the top pre-school series on CLAN TV.

TOTAL LICENSING

After eight years, Peppa continues to be one of the top selling brands for licensees in the Spanish market. It has an extraordinary licensing program with over 60 licensees in all product categories, and key partners include Bandai as Master Toy and Penguin Random House as Master Publishing.

Dragon Ball Dragon Ball is the bestselling manga in the world and continues to grow even after 30 years. In 2019, Dragon Ball Super: Broly the movie was released and became a global success. The film was released by Selecta Vision in Spain.The movie gathered over 261K viewers and accumulated more than €1.6 million at the box office making it the #1 manga movie.

Dragon Ball key partners include Bandai, Selecta Visión and Bandai Namco, and over 20 licensees in many product categories.

An important one to mention is apparel, since Dragon Ball has taken over the fashion world with new licensed products launched by Bershka, Pull & bear and Desigual all through 2019.

Algo de Jaime Algo de Jaime is special project for El Ocho.

This brand was born from Jaime, a young man

Anekke Anekke is a design brand with unimaginable potential.

What makes Anekke different is its attention to detail and the storytelling behind its main character: Anekke, a sensitive and adorable girl who loves travelling, vintage things and the smell of wood.

The property continuously creates beautiful designs and delicate content for all its licensees.

Every product is unique and has an emotional impact, which allows it to grow internationally through its partnership with 22 licensees all around the world. and talented artist with autism. Drawing is his passion and his way of communicating.

Drawing is his main activity and a source of income to provide for him in the future and that allows him to live in a normalized environment. Jaime’s drawings have caught the eye of important companies in Spain such as Zara, El Corte Inglés, Cefa Toys, Penguin Random House, Tantanfan, Safta and 10 other licensees.

To conclude, El Ocho will continue to grow through its brands, its partnerships and it will continue expanding beyond Spain and Portugal. In the past few years it has reached new territories such as Italy, Greece and Turkey through subagents, and is looking to expand worldwide.

For more information, visit www.el-ocho.com

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NEWS FROM IBERIA CARAVANSERAI “if you want something new, you have to stop doing something old,” Peter Drucker.

With this quote in mind, in response to the challenging environment of the licensing business and a team with more than 40 years of experience in licensing, retail and marketing, Caravanserai was born!

Caravanserai is a recently created licensing agent based in Barcelona specifically taking a new approach to the licensing industry where new rules, new parameters and new tools have to be considered.

As Guillem Rey explained, “The licensors that we work with are all facing the same challenges so we team up with them to get the pace of fashion, trends and desires of consumers while understanding new ways of selling and creating loyalty.”

Classic, evergreen and non-traditional properties are the basics of Caravanserai’s portfolio and they are delighted to be working with licensors including King Features, Mercis, Little Prince and Rovio among others.

The 90th anniversary of Betty Boop and Popeye and the 100th anniversary of Olive Oyl are milestones which fashion industry companies such as Inditex are using for their designs and collections for all target groups; Miffy, a worldwide design icon appealing to both infants and women is an evergreen property that licensees such as Womensecret keep using after more than 10 years; The Little Prince was born more than 75 years ago and since then, his never ending journey brings new generations and new licensees on board such as Stor or Lladró who are enjoying worldwide success. Finally, the Angry Birds, stars of the Angry Birds Movie and the mobile games downloaded billions of times worldwide, are possibly the youngest classics in the industry!

Over and above these, Caravanserai represent

The International Space Archives with all the imagery from the space missions. They also represent Rosebonbon, a Portuguese property with huge impact on YouTube and brands like Louis XVI and Gaudí Barcelona which they manage internationally.

As Guillem Rey continues, “We are always open to new opportunities and partnerships. Caravanserai will be present in all the major licensing shows and fairs locally and internationally to team up and help build brands in the upcoming years. “ ART ASK AGENCY Art Ask Agency report that TVBOY is the artistic name of Salvatore Benintende, an Italian artist born in Palermo on July 16, 1980.

TVBOY style is significantly influenced by the American Pop Art movement, in particular by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtestein and Keith Haring, together with Italian art, through the works of Mario Schifano.

His activity is based in Barcelona where he moved in 2004 and where he founded his movement “Urban Pop Art”.

He has exhibited his works in many countries, both in the street and in art galleries and museum exhibitions. In recent years TVBOY has exhibited his works at the Venice Biennale, the MDM Museum in Porto Cervo, the PAC in Milan, in galleries and museums in Rome, Naples, Barcelona, Munich, Bern, Copenhagen, Monte Carlo, Munich, Berlin, Beirut, London, Las Vegas and Miami, Bogota, also alongside great masters of contemporary art such as Warhol, Lichtensten, Haring and Basquiat. He has given lectures in renowned academies without ever abandoning his involvement in the urban art scene.

His latest series Modern Classics portrays iconic artworks giving them an artistic treatment and transforming them with a sense of irony and sarcasm. By creating a mix of styles and juxtapositions between two different historical periods, TVBOY creates beautiful, funny as well as provocative cynical and occasionally politically incorrect images.

TVBOY has featured on TV reports on various occasions, the most recent being on TV3 channel this summer.

A dynamic and international artist, he has numerous licensing agreements with companies

TOTAL LICENSING that produce and distribute all over the world.

The Spain based agency, Art Ask Agency, who specialise in lifestyle licensing, manages the commercial development of his works and brand.

To date, an Eleven Paris cobranded collection will launch in Autumn 2019, Argus have signed for back to school in the Czech Republic and a new worldwide book will launch this Autumn.

BRANDS & RIGHTS 360 On the back of its success story in a number of European and Asian territories, the preschool animated series Robocar Poli, produced by Roi Visual and EBS Korea, continues its expansion in southern Europe, with a 360º tailor-made strategy from Brands & Rights 360, the Madrid based integrated brand management specialist.

RTP and Panda Portugal, part of the list of 143 countries that have already aired the series, have extended their respective deals to include the most recent episodes. In addition to this, Clan TVE Spain has recently acquired all four seasons.

Broadcasters in both countries, Clan TVE and Canal Panda Portugal, will premiere the series in September 2019.

B&R360 has also appointed Toy Partner as master toy in Spain and Portugal. Thus, Silverlit’s manufactured toys will arrive on the shelves through Toy Partner with a soft launch at Christmas.

Additionally, B&R360 has recently sold seasons 3 and 4 to Star Greece where the previous seasons are enjoying an excellent performance, being one of the top properties on the channel.

The new seasons premiered in September as well. AS Toys is distributing the toys in Greece.

Robocar POLI (104x11’) tells the adventures of super transforming Robocar rescue team who is always there to save their neighbours and friends from danger, under the philosophy of children’s healthy mind and safe life. Through the rescue process of each episode, children get to know the message of ‘cooperation’ ‘consideration’ ‘understanding’ and ‘safety’.

EDEBE Edebé´s most successful license continues to be Santoro’s design-led collection, Gorjuss.

Spain is one of the strongest international markets for Santoro’s Gorjuss, with the collection becoming a huge phenomenon throughout the territory. It is without any doubt the most successful license for girls/women at the moment in Spain and one of the top properties overall.

Gorjuss has been the winner of the best Art & Design license in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the first time that a property has won four consecutive awards in the Licensing Property Awards from the Spanish magazine Licencias Actualidad. This is the front running magazine for the Licensing Industry in Spain.

There are more than 80 licensees already on board covering the majority of categories and the sales performance of the Gorjuss licensed products is amazing. New licensees on board include Blue Ocean (Gorjuss Magazine with covermounts), Clima (umbrellas), Orkla (plasters for Mercadona) and Dolci Ibérica (chocolate eggs with a surprise inside and other confectionery items).

Poppi Loves is one of the newest design collections from Santoro and already has licensees on board including Comercial Nim (stationery collection), Penguin Random House (books), Panini (Activity Books), Dohe (BTS) and Fournier (playing cards). The property targets girls aged two to eight.

Staying with Santoro properties, Mirabelle is a further property in the Spanish market. Edebé has recently signed deals with Safta (BTS), Bluebags (Fashion Bags and fashion acccessories), Jugavi (Beauty bags) and Panini (Photo cards

TOTAL LICENSING Collection). Further licenses will be announced shortly.

Other key properties in Edebé’s portfolio include Catalina Estrada who is the subject of over fifty licensees. The newest deals include Quo Vadis (stationery/France), Textil Tarragó (beach towels/Spain), Top Company (stationery and BTS/Eastern Europe), Leanin Tree (greeting cards/North America), Cerabella (scent candles/Spain), Cristar (glass drinkware/Colombia) and Jugavi (Beauty bags) among others.

Nina & Other Little Things is a premium design brand that has captivated consumers through its minimalistic and cute design. Current licensees include Grafoplas (stationery and BTS), Aznar Innova (underwear and nightwear), Penguin Random House (co-edition books from La Mallia) and Jugavi (beauty bags).

Paddington is a further property. A new animated TV series will be released in the first quarter of next year in Iberia on Nickelodeon and new films are scheduled for 2021 and 2023/4. In addition, a master toy license has been signed with PhatMojo.

Finally, Edebé Licensing has been appointed as the European licensing agent for Kawanimals which will be launched for the first time at BLE this year.

Devota & Lomba, the Madrid Fashion Week top fashion brand is adding licensees to their portfolio including Tartaleta (kids fashion), Marina Rivero (prêt à porter) and Amanecer Nupcial (bridal).

Over and above this, Devota & Lomba has joined forces with Fuji Film, where the new Fuji Film Intax Mini Liplay Cameras became the perfect accessories to complement the fashion brand’s last Madrid Fashion Week show which took place during July.

In addition, Roberto Torretta has developed a project with Krack, a top shoe company in Spain, to develop a shoe collection under the RT Roberto Torretta brand. Part of the shoe collection was exhibited at the last Roberto Torretta Madrid Fashion Week show last July.

VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) Iberia continues to dominate in the local market. Despite a challenging 2018, PAW Patrol continues to demonstrate incredible strength and consumer appeal, maintaining the #1 position in the very competitive preschool landscape. PAW Patrol has a constant presence

ENJOY BRAND LICENSING Enjoy Brand Licensing is a boutique brand extension agency that specialises in lifestyle brands and report significant developments with several of their representations.

through the entire Pay-TV ecosystem and a solid broadcasting commitment from Clan TV, the #1 free-to-air children channel in Spain, which has contributed to a strong appetite for consumer products and placement across all major retailers.VNCP has been able to link new PAW Patrol content themes on TV to special-edition products on shelves, and this alignment is behind the consumer products launches tied to the upcoming “Mighty Pups” episodes going on-air this year on Nick Jr. and next year on Continued on page 122

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THE WORLD OF PLANETA JUNIOR

For more information visit www.planeta-junior.com Javier Honorato jhonorato@deaplaneta.com Tel: +34 93 492 88 79 Borja Igual bigual@1990mcs.com

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Planeta Junior, a company within the Grupo Planeta / De Agostini Group, is one of Europe’s leading companies providing entertainment for children and family audiences. It focuses on producing and distributing animated series and the rights derived from these IP’s. The company has offices in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Central and Eastern Europe. Planeta Junior has joined forces in Germany, Benelux and Northern Europe with Studio 100/M4e.

The following are amongst the portfolio of properties that Planeta Junior manages in Spain and Portugal.

The Smurfs - the adorable little blue creatures with unique personalities and big values who solve problems on a daily basis with wisdom and teamwork; Power Players - a fun comedy-action show with real stakes, large laughs and over-the-top action; Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Catnoir - a series about the adventures of Marinette, an apparently normal teenager girl who leads a hectic double life: when she’s not in the clouds dreaming of her beloved Adrien, she turns into a superheroine – Ladybug; Oddbods - a hilarious comedy show featuring the adventures of seven very individual and quirky friends who survive the perils of everyday life; Pat the Dog - the little dog next door who would do anything to save the day of his owner Lola, overcoming the impossible with his improvised plans and canine genius.

Other brands that Planeta Junior work with evergreen properties such as Heidi, the story of a 5 year-old Swiss orphan girl who is sent to live with her grandfather (a hermit in the Grison/Graubünden mountains); the restless, adventurous and inquisitive young bee Maya the Bee, who, together with her inseparable friend Willy,

discovers a new world around her and becomes friends with numerous forest creatures; the little Italian boy Marco, who, desperate to see his mother, decides to go to Argentina in search of her; Vicky the Viking, one of the most popular characters loved by children and adults alike and Once Upon A time, a TV Series created

by Frenchman Albert Barillé to give families an entertaining way of learning about science, history and biology.

Last but not least, Planeta Junior includes in their portfolio the creation of Baby Heidi, a new version of the iconic character for the youngest members of the family, who will soon expand to include new forms of entertainment and products that respect her values and make the first moments of bonding between parents and new-borns easier; the return of the little Asian girl Pucca who was a hit in 170 countries; and Mikeltube, the first-ever YouTube entertainment channel that is collaborating with Planeta Junior. This channel is presented by Mikel (9 years old) and his brother Leo (5 years old), who live endless daily adventures that they share with their viewers. After four years on YouTube, MikelTube has

accumulated 4.2 million subscribers and more than 2.5 billion views, being the most successful channel in the Spanish territory for boys.

Planeta Junior has strong partnerships with top clients in Spain and Portugal in all consumer products categories including apparel, toys and games, BTS, outdoor, home and furnishings, electronics, publishing, bedding, gifts and stationery, accessories, health and beauty, food, DTR, loyalty programs and live events.

Planeta Junior also continues to invest in its own productions featuring series like Gormiti and Squish, and it has produced in recent years over 200 hours for children aged 2 to 14 with series including Mutant Busters, Egyxos, Bubble Bip, Sendokai, Maya 3D, Heidi 3D and Magiki, among others.

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Clan TV. “VNCP will offer a renewed range of products across all categories,” says Eric Belloso, Senior Director, VNCP for Iberia, France and Africa, “This refreshment should strengthen PAW Patrol’s position throughout the year and into 2020, making it the brand to follow in the next few years in Spain.”

Besides the pups, the birds of Top Wing were launched last June with a strong rollout plan from Hasbro. Following the encouraging results of this roll out, a line across all product categories will be available in the market from September 2019, with the aim of positioning Top Wing as a clear preschool reference for Christmas 2019.

Besides this strong preschool presence, VNCP Iberia is also reinventing two of its most iconic brands: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants. With a brand new look and fresh packaging based on the new series, the emblematic Turtles return to delight their strong fan base. Giochi Preziosi will launch the first products by September 2019 and a range of colourful and diverse categories will be available on shelves.

SpongeBob SquarePants will make a comeback coinciding with his 20th anniversary – the year-long celebration has been running from July 2019 through to the cinema release of the new and highly-anticipated SpongeBob movie in Summer 2020. As the undisputed most-watched TV show on television for the last five years, SpongeBob is in a great position to support the launch of product lines.These have been rolling out since Summer 2019 and will be followed by a soft launch of Bandai products in Autumn 2019 and a strong presence in all categories from Spring.

Finally, one of the best-rated shows on Nickelodeon, The Loud House, will begin to see product on shelves from Autumn 2019. The adventures of Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters make the series popular with kids and families, while its comic-look style makes a great new reference for consumer products.

YPSILON Barcelona based brand management

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agency Ypsilon Licensing - an Ypsilon Films and Multitrade Group company - has inked key international partnerships to manage iconic brands for Iberia and the European market.

Ypsilon Licensing works as a Boutique Agency to develop and grow high profile brands and iconic animated series.

The company has embraced new opportunities with the expansion of its portfolio towards a balanced catalogue which now includes Art & Design as well as universal brand icons targeting all demographics.

Ypsilon and Grumpy Cat Limited have entered into an exclusive representation agreement to bring the extraordinary world of Grumpy Cat to life across categories in Spain and Portugal.

Grumpy Cat was born in Phoenix, Arizona and became an internet sensation given her unique “muddy” facial expression which quickly developed into a cultural hype with more than 13 million followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Ypsilon has also signed a representation agreement with United Agents to expand Jane Foster´s footprint throughout licensing across Europe, excluding the UK and Eire.

Jane Foster is a British illustrator, author and textile designer that illustrates, screen prints, sews and writes books.

In this field, Jane Foster has sold over 300,000 books since the launch in 2015.

The bold, happy, fun and colourful art of Jane Foster has hit the doors of IKEA, Habitat and Heals, Make International and Dinoski among other retailers, proven its power among consumers of all demographics.

As part of Ypsilon’s expansion, they have announced a partnership with Meritxell Duran, an artist with a wide career across illustration, animation, design and 3D sculpture. Meritxell

Duran has been commissioned by daily national newspapers, FMCG and home décor companies to complement her exhibitions in art galleries and her strong career as a teacher in recognized design schools in Spain.

Born Licensing, JoyPixels and Ypsilon, have entered into an agreement to represent the world of Emojis in Spain and Portugal.

JoyPixels was created in 2014 with the mission to deliver maximum joy through masterful design. JoyPixels is the only licensor who sits as a member of the Unicode Consortium, meaning that all Emoji icons you find on your device and social media network, are authentic Unicode-compliant icons.

Ypsilon´s endeavor to grow the Emoji´s business aligns with the objective of the agency, to reach consumers of all ages across multiple platforms.

Ypsilon is also the exclusive agent of Godzilla in Spain.

They are delighted to announce the agreement with Gen X Games which has launched a Godzilla card game named Total War.

Since its launch, the game has recorded great results in the Spanish market and has become a sensation on YouTube enhanced by Youtubers such as Zacatrus! and Análisis-Parálisis. The product can be found on-line and at FNAC, El Corte Inglés and Games Stores all around Spain.

In addition, Gen X is preparing to launch a board game King of the Monsters that will debut this coming Christmas.

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A Rainbow of Opportunities with Rainbow’s Brands The content powerhouse has had a very successful 2019, with plenty more to look forward to in 2020...

2019 marks a great turning point for Rainbow Group, celebrating a milestone and taking on the world stage with ambitious new projects and brand new top-quality properties.

A cat-tastic story of success Spotlights are shining on 44 Cats, the pre-school property from Rainbow that has been gaining instant success

and huge interest from the licensing industry, with major agreements in a variety of product categories.

The show is a Rainbow production in collaboration with Antoniano Bologna and Rai Ragazzi, and has been the company’s first venture into preschool. A synergy of excellence that is making 44 Cats a resounding success, spread around the world so fast that

after the first season, comprising 52 x 13min episodes, Rainbow is already producing a second one. 44 Cats is Rainbow’s first project to be jointly developed in the three production headquarters of the Group in Loreto, Rome’s Rainbow CGI and Canada’s Bardel Entertainment studios, with top-notch animation quality and a dedicated soundtrack with songs and

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melodies that appeal directly to preschoolers’ love of dancing and singing.

The powerful outreach of the show lies in the balance between comedy and edutainment: this really makes the brand stand out, as young children can easily relate to the themes of friendship and altruism promoted. The daily adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou, and Meatball - four kittens who are part of a music band named The Buffycats – are an enthralling mix of fun, music and action with the four cats helping others and always finding creative solutions to everyday hitches. In Italy, the show was launched in November 2018 with record-breaking TV ratings and its success is growing steadily also on digital platforms like YouTube, with 3 official channels and more to be released, 35 million views in June 2019 and an average of 20 million per month. On the licensing landscape, 44 Cats made an immediate impact with

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major deals signed before the show even hit TV screens: Toy Plus is master toy partner, Simba Dickie Group is special partner and distributor for Europe and the Middle East, while UNITOYS is the exclusive distributor for Russia and Bandai America distributes the pawesome toy line in the USA and CANADA territories. Major deals with prestigious partners like Sony, Artsana, Ravensburger, John Toys, Clementoni have followed, developing a wide range of product categories with multi territorial deals. The show offers plenty of potential and keeps growing, and partners can rely on the outstanding expertise of Rainbow Group, producing brands that wow the world since 1995.

44 Cats are live In the wake of the success of the show, the “44 Cats Live Show” has arrived in Italian theatres: the first live show for the whole family with the cutest kittens of the world. A fun and exciting show that will involve both children and adults in a unique live experience from the TV Series of the year.

Rainbow, which produces the tour, announces the first dates for the 2019/2020 theatre season, and the show will play host to all the elements of the series’ episodes, focusing on edutainment, transmitting positive values and confronting important topics

such as solidtiry, tolerance and diversity.

Winx Club: The timeless saga turns 15 and launches chapter 8 Rainbow never stops to amaze, and 44 Cats is just one of the gripping brands currently available on the market. Renewing its 100% made in Italy classic for girls Winx Club, this year celebrating fifteen years of success, the group is back in the spotlight with a solid brand that confirms Rainbow’s unique talent to grasp new tendencies and styles.

The new season of the saga promises to amaze fans with a stellar new look and appeal: The fairy team will embark on a cosmic adventure across the Magic Universe to save the stars from going out! The six fairy divas will lead the audience in a tremendous journey, meeting new friends but also old archenemies, ready to come back and surprise the fans in an unpredictable turn of events. A constantly growing brand present in over 100 countries worldwide, Winx Club offers the licensing market a series of unique opportunities to develop themed products.

Expanding visions under the sign of innovation: S.O.S. Pets Rainbow has just announced it will tap into the collectible phenomenon with a unique new brand that will hit shelves later in 2019: S.O.S. Pets,

TOTAL LICENSING a web series inspired to the original collection of 48 characters created

by Rainbow. S.O.S. Pets consists of an educational surprise play set of figurines aimed at a target 3-8 y.o. boys and girls, a groundbreaking concept of collectible toys based on edutainment. A colorful, glittering and super cute collection that will innovate the unboxing experience and promote positive values such as help, community and fun. The anticipated web series starring the S.O.S. Pets will be released starting September.

Live action with Club 57 Club 57 is the new live action coproduced by Rainbow and Nickelodeon and set between the present and the ‘50s, aimed at a young audiences with an overwhelming love story between past and present.

A plot full of twists that winds through 60 episodes of 45’ in which the protagonist Eva, played by the famous singer and actress Evaluna Montaner, will find herself back in 1957 with her brother Ruben, where she will live an incredible series of adventures with her friends and JJ, played by the Italian Riccardo Frascari, the guy Eva will fall in love with.

A romantic sci-fi plot full of time leaps, whose leitmotif is the exclusive Club 57, it’s a TV show that serves as a backdrop to the dreams of the characters. Science, music, love, family and friendship are the main themes of the show that, with a great International cast, is ready to make everyone dream with its energy and many songs.

It has launched in Italy on Rai Gulp and in Latin America on Nickelodeon, to a strong response from the audience.

tiful children’s songs in the episodes, which have proved very popular in Italy, and far beyond as well. It has been a fun challenge to translate the songs – which of course includes all the lyrics and rhymes to music – into 30 languages!

I think in terms of the show’s success, we took our time in working with the

right partners to make it absolutely perfect. The content is always the big key, and the animation on 44 Cats is extremely high production – more like movie-quality.

How have you found the US market?

44 Cats launched in July ’19 in the US,

Iginio Straffi, Founder and President of Rainbow Group, spoke to Total Licensing about everything that Rainbow has to offer 44 Cats has seen great success, especially since it launched such a short time ago! What do you think has given it such global appeal?

44 Cats is a mix of character-driven stories, entertainment and original settings. There are also original, beau-

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With everything Rainbow has to offer, would you say you are now heading a 360 company with something for every age?

Absolutely. With the acquisition of Bardel and Iven Group, we have brands targeting every age group, from preschool to adult. We also have a live-action in-house department, as well of course as all our animation production. We are involved in the whole process of bringing content to the market.

with very high ratings, catching a wide audience on Nick.

And what about the UK market?

This can be notoriously saturated for a new preschool show to enter.

In the UK there are a lot of good preschool shows, but with 44 Cats we found a gap in the market for this kind of show, and as I said, the characters, storylines, music and high quality-animation make it unique.

The explosion in use of viewing platforms such as Netflix has obviously given content producers an

audience range like never before. Is this the same all over the globe for 44 Cats?

Absolutely – let’s take China for example, it is on three different viewing platforms in the country, and licensing plans are well underway in the region.

This is the first preschool venture for Rainbow – how has it been?

We knew there was a space for a show like 44 Cats, and in every episode there is a positive message for children. There are many different stories, setting a positive example to the little ones, who connect with the

Speaking of live-action, 44 Cats is now on stage?

Yes it is, in Italy to begin with, and it will be travelling to other countries, so watch this space. Live-action is becoming an increasingly important, immersive part of the popularity of a brand and how kids can really interact with their favourite characters.

So let’s talk about licensing plans for 44 Cats!

We began in Italy, with collectibles and publishing, and this fall we will see toys on shelves, apparel, and food promotions. Countries such as Germany and Russia are also seeing a soft-launch. In the UK, product will start appearing at retail next year. There is a huge worldwide demand for product.

What about plans for Brand Licensing Europe and MipJunior this year?

At BLE visitors will be able to see some exclusive 44 Cats product, as well as offerings from our other brands, such as Winx, which is 15 years old now and in its eighth season! Again, we are a 360 production company with something to offer every age group. At MipJunior, we will be launching two further preschool show – Happy Farmers, and Pinocchio, which we are excited to present.

Pinocchio will be aimed at older preschoolers, and will see a unique and regional angle, bringing to the market something next done before, It is 150 years old now, and this new show will see a really interesting take on the beloved fairy story.

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Meet new Robocar Poli Educational toys at the ToysRus Asia this Christmas season Roi Visual will launch new Robocar Poli Educational toys at ToysRus Asia.

The total number of new toys set to launch is eleven including Poli Microphone, Push and Go Fire Truck, My First Driving and Workshop Playset.

All products will be available at ToysRus Asia during this Christmas season.

The concept of the new toys is a combination of education and toys so that preschool children can easily enjoy them.

A special QR code is inserted into each toy so that both children and parents can enjoy learning to play watching Robocar Poli’s media content via their mobile devices.

The media content will be about how to prevent accidents in children’s daily lives.

In addition, Roi Visual is planning to launch these new Robocar Poli products not only in Asia, including China, Japan and Taiwan, but also all around the world.

A New Mission for Robocar Poli – The New Robocar Poli SongSong Museum

Robocar Poli’s new spin off series Robocar Poli SongSong Museum produced by Roi Visual is a new 3D Animated Short music drama, showcasing world’s famous children’s songs through Robocar Poli’s own storytelling and in a music and drama format.

The series is about the Robocar Poli rescue team looking for famous children’s songs such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to bring happiness and joy back to the children at the newly opened song venue SongSong museum in Brooms town.

Robocar Poli Song Song Museum consists of 26 x 5-minute episodes and it will begin to air on major channels in Korea early next year.

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Enjoy Taipei’s Amusement Park’s landmark ride with Robocar Poli!

Taipei Children’s Amusement Park’s (‘TCAP’) landmark ride has been transformed into Robocar Poli.

TCAP is a famous amusement park which is said to be visited at least once if you are a Taiwanese child. And the landmark Ferris wheel at the park has been transformed into Robocar Poli for the Robocar Poli Ferris Wheel Attraction promotions. Twenty-seven compartments within the Ferris wheel have been decorated with Poli, Roy, Heli, and other Robocar Poli’s characters for the visitors to ride in and enjoy.

In addition to the Ferris wheel, photo zones have been installed at various locations within the amusement park, and the entry ticket, signs and pamphlets are all adorned with Robocar Poli themes.

In addition, during the summer holidays of July and August, Robocar Poli special performances will be running at the theater within the amusement park.

TCAP said they expect to attract lots of overseas visitors using Robocar Poli characters that are popular globally.

A two-month-long promotion of Here Comes Robocar Poli at Korea’s Multiflex

For more information, visit: https://roivisual.com https://www.robocarpoli.com

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The Here Comes Robocar Poli promotion which had been held at one of the Korea’s largest multiplex locations, Starfield, from last June to July ended in great success. The first successful promotion was Here Comes Robocar Poli! in Starfield Wirye. This was followed by a second promotion Here Comes Robocar Poli! which was held at the Startfield Goyang. During the period, about 14,000 visitors attended.

Some of the best-selling Robocar Poli toys and books were sold at special

prices during the period and there was also a meet & greet event allowing children to spend time with the Robocar Poli rescue team. Children could also experience getting in and out of a big School-B sculpture. Roi Visual is planning to continue the Here Comes Robocar Poli! promotion.

Robocar Poli confirmed to air in Portugal, Spain and Japan!

A recently agreement will see Robocar Poli confirmed to air on major channels in Spain, Portugal and Japan.

Portugal’s Canal Panda has aired the entire series of Robocar Poli since September and Spain’s ClanTV and Panda will air season 3 and 4 of Robocar Poli in early 2020.

It is important to note that Spain’s Clan TV decided to air season 3 and 4 of Robocar Poli as a result of the success of seasons 1 and 2.

Japan’s Free TV Disney Life has aired the entire original series of Robocar Poli and its spinoffs, Traffic Safety with Poli, Fire Safety with ROY and Daily Safety with Amber since July.

As soon as Robocar Poli starts airing, Roi Visual is going to begin a consumer products program with toys and licensing in each country to raise Robocar Poli ‘s brand awareness.

Russian Children’s No.1 Super Hero Robocar Poli Seven years after being aired for the first time in Russia, Robocar Poli’s Daily Safety with Amber began airing on Karousel early this year. In addition, the entire series including Robocar Poli’s original series and the spinoffs have been aired on Russia’s major

channels like Karousel, MULT TV, ANI, Mult Music, etc.

In particular, Daily Safety with Amber which is being aired on Karousel became hugely popular immediately following its release and ranked second in terms of in popular overseas characters and first in the Judges’ choice of The Best International Hero at Karousel’s 2018-2019 Children’s Animation Awards, reminding everybody how

popular the series is.

Robocar Poli is also leading activities to build traffic safety amongst Russian children. Robocar Poli The Safety program which has been aired since 2017 is part of the social education projects to teach Russian preschool children how to be safe on the road and how to prevent a car accident through classes with teachers, educationalists and child education experts.

Meanwhile, Roi Visual is planning to launch new licensing products utilizing Robocar Poli characters with product lines such as toys, food, beverage and books later this year.

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Reach for the Moon Can you tell us a bit of the history of the Clangers?

Clangers was originally broadcast by the BBC in 1969–1972.

The first episode was broadcasted on 16th November 1969, with a further 25 episodes being made. The series was made by Smallfilms, the company set up by Oliver Postgate (writer, animator and narrator) and Peter Firmin (modelmaker and illustrator).

Firmin designed the characters, and his wife, Joan, knitted and “dressed” the Clangers. When the BBC asked Smallfilms to produce a new series for colour television, but did not specify a storyline, Postgate concluded that because space exploration was particularly topical, the new series should be set in space. Postgate adapted the Moonmouse from an earlier show, Noggin the Nog, removing its tail “because it kept getting into the soup!”

The name “Clangers” derives from the sound made by opening the metal cover of one of the creatures’ crater-like burrows, each of which was covered with a door made from an old metal dustbin lid, to protect against meteorite impacts. The distinctive whistles made by the Clangers, performed on swanee whistles, have become as identifiable as the characters themselves, much imitated by viewers. These whistles followed the rhythm and pitch of a script in English.

The new series of Clangers has aired on CBeebies (UK) since 2015.

Of course, nostalgia must play a large part in its popularity. How

much do you think that parents’ influence what their children enjoy?

Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate created wonderful characters that entertained children and their families through creative story telling that was filled with joy. Clangers continues to resonate and appeal to audiences because they inspire us with positivity, kindness and we are all still fascinated by space. Our aim with the new series was to pay tribute to the original series whilst appealing to a new generation of pre-school fans and families. The show is one of the few beloved family brands that has been passed down from grandparents to parents, and now from parents to their children.

The show has gone from strength to strength, scooping numerous prestigious awards including a BAFTA and Broadcast Awards for best pre-school animation.

What are the plans for the anniversary?

We are absolutely thrilled to be marking 50 years of Clangers with 26 new episodes, taking the total number of episodes to 104, introducing a new generation to the loveable, pink, knitted creatures that live on their Little Blue Planet. The new series features a special commemorative episode ‘The Visitor’, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing that inspired the Clangers.

The episode was featured in a series of screening events during the Moon landing anniversary weekend.

Bluedot festival in Cheshire featured a panel discussion hosted by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and a Clangers themed family dance party including a special, cosmic DJ set.

The Science Museum in London also celebrated the landmark anniversary with a screening introduced by series narrator Sir Michael Palin. Sir Michael Palin also introduced a curated YouTube Kids Space playlist on the YouTube Kids app. We released fifty limited-edition prints titled Once in a Blue Moon (Maybe Twice), a neverseen-before illustration of the Little Blue Planet by the late Clangers cocreator, Peter Firmin, on shop.clangers. com which are now sold out. A new limited-edition print is planned to celebrate the 50th birthday in November.

The Clangers were also part of a very special CBeebies Prom which took audiences on a musical journey to the Moon with live orchestral music.

However, the 50th anniversary isn’t just a moment in time, it’s a year-long celebration. This summer Clangers hosted the chill out zone and maze garden at the BBC Summer Social 2019 and there are more celebrations to come for the Clangers birthday on the 16th November which includes a very special ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ family dance party with Big Fish Little Fish and Museum of London Docklands - making London greener and celebrating 50 years of the Clangers.

How have you adapted the Clangers for a modern audience while still retaining the charm and ethos of the brand?

The new episodes have faithfully built upon the foundations of the original and are created using the same stopmotion animation techniques as the original but with improved technology.

The recurring themes around the importance of community, caring for the planet and nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity will always be central the shows brand values, ensuring it retains its charm.

Michael Dee, Director of Content, Coolabi Group talks about the success of the Clangers as they reach the big 50

“We are still fascinated by space...”

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Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere!

Mark Kingston, SVP, International Licensing, VNCP

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As Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products head for Brand Licensing Europe this year, it is on the back of an ever-strengthening and growing portfolio of brands that, in addition to properties including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Jojo Siwa, PAW Patrol and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles now includes properties such as Baby Shark and their recently announced acquisition of Garfield.

VNCP’s key strategy is entitled ‘Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere’ which refers to its goal to create the best product across multiple demos and retail distribution channels.

To find out more,Total Licensing talked to Mark Kingston, SVP International Licensing,VNCP to find out more.

“Making Nick home to the biggest franchises kids love whilst not taking our foot off the gas for SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora The Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol is our mission,” explained Kingston.

In addition to our children’s series and movies, Social Media stars are a growing area for our audience and our business, and we are leveraging our expertise to launch new stars across key markets,” He continued.

And, of course, it doesn’t end there.

With the amalgamation of all key Viacom divisions, VNCP now also focuses on the adult space through MTV, Comedy Central and new and classic Paramount properties ranging from The Godfather and Clueless through to the upcoming tentpoles such as Top Gun: Maverick which will debut in theatres next June with Mattel signed as the master toy licensee.

JoJo Siwa is another VNCP success story. As Mark Kingston continued, “JoJo sells huge amounts of

merchandise. She’s currently on a live tour in the US which will be in the UK this October and we’re now on her fourth range of apparel which is selling even better than the previous ones.”

Influencers are also forming part of the expanding portfolio. Nickelodeon Latin America recently signed an exclusive global representation agreement with teen star and YouTube sensation, Isabella de La Torre (La Bala).

Under this agreement, Nickelodeon will work with La Bala to propel her career internationally on multiple platforms, including consumer products, music, short-and-long form original productions, social networks, live events and editorial, among others.

Back to Nickelodeon’s tentpole properties and PAW Patrol was recently renewed for its 7th year with new episodes and a new made for TV special airing in the US and Australia this September and October.

SpongeBob is, of course, the focus of a great deal of activity in the lead in to the new SpongeBob movie due to air

in early Summer next year.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who celebrate their 35th anniversary also the subject of a new Paramount movie with the third film in the works,.

Blues Clues & You will launch in the US next Fall. The original Blue’s Clues is still the leading preschool property of all time and was Nickelodeon’s first billion-dollar consumer products franchise.

And so to some of Nickelodeon’s newest properties and Ryan’s Mystery Playdate starring 7 year old YouTube sensation is a recent addition to the portfolio. Baby Shark is a further new brand to Nickelodeon who are working on a new television series.

Garfield is Nickelodeon’s latest acquisition with plans to develop a new Garfield animated series.

Clearly, Nickelodeon has everbroadening IP that appeals to all ages in all territories. As Mark Kingston explained, “We are moving beyond the television business to being a company that entertains our audiences through TV, movies, live events, digital and retail. With everything we have, we are continuing to make Nickelodeon the home to the biggest kids’ franchises around the world.

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Everything Nickelodeon does is very much on a local basis within a global overview.

To understand this better, we asked three key executives some questions to see how their business operates in their particular territory.

In the UK, we talked to Marianne James, Vice President, Consumer Products, Commercial Partnerships & Experinces UK, Northern & Eastern Europe, Viacom International Media Networks; in Brazil we talked to Angela Cortez, VP South and Central America, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products; and in Germany we talked to Felix Ruoff, VP Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa,Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products.

What are the key product areas in your territory?

Are there any product areas that are specific to your territory?

Marianne James: The biggest innovation in the UK licensing industry is happening with IP trends. Social media influencers are becoming global stars and major retail brands. We found great success building JoJo Siwa into a top live-action licensed brand.

Since first partnering with Nickelodeon in 2017, JoJo’s brand has grown from a YouTube creator into a global sensation and billion-dollar retail franchise. We are leveraging our expertise with influencers to launch new global and local social media stars.

Nickelodeon announced a partnership with pocket.watch for a new pre-

THE UK What are the key brands that you are promoting this year/ next year? Why are these important and what success have they enjoyed to date?

Marianne James: We have an incredibly strong portfolio of franchises and brands for all ages, kids through adult. In pre-school, properties such as PAW Patrol and Top Wing will be a key focus, as well as Ryan’s Mystery Playdate/Ryan’s World.

Other key franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and JoJo Siwa alongside the MTV brand and theatrical tentpoles from Paramount Pictures all feed into our ‘Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere’ strategy.

school series called Ryan’s Mystery Playdate.

The series will hit Nick Jr. screens in the UK this September. We also expanded our relationship with pocket.watch with an agreement for VNCP to manage licensing in select international markets across all product categories for Ryan’s World and Ryan’s Mystery Playdate.

We are excited about the opportunity to grow Ryan to new categories in the near future.

How do you see the market for children’s brands in your territory? Is this changing? If so, why and how?

Marianne James: The kids’ content market is always competitive. Today, the sheer volume of content is bigger than ever. Content is being driven from platforms beyond linear channels, including publishing, YouTube and social media. Fragmentation is making it more challenging to cut through to audiences, and for IP holders, they need to implement a multi-platform strategy to attract retailers and consumers.

Are there any retail trends in your territory which you see emerging?

Marianne James: Movie licensing continues to work, and retailers are investing in this trusted formula.

At VNCP, we have a variety of exciting tentpoles from Paramount Pictures’, including Top Gun: Maverick, the return of SpongeBob to cinemas with The SpongeBob Movie: It’s a Wonderful Sponge and new animated monster wrestling movie, Rumble that we will be presenting at Brand Licensing Europe.

Retail-tainment also continues to be a big trend. Our retail partners want quality entertainment experiences to drive footfall and increase consumer engagement. Retailers that are getting it right are putting storytelling at the centre of their brand. At VNCP, we are experts in storytelling, and we are supporting our partners with immersive experiences that allow their customers to interact with our characters and brands.

Another trend in retail is with social media influencers. Live action properties are more of a wild card because retailers don’t have as many recent examples to benchmark success. That said, they evaluate influencer properties as they do with any other character license. From JoJo Siwa to Ryan’s Mystery Playdate and Ryan’s World, more and more retailers are seeing that social media influencers can work at retail.

Marianne James VP Consumer Products, Commercial Partnerships & Experiences, UK, Northern & Eastern Europe,Viacom Media Networks

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Angela Cortez,VP South and Central America, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products

Felix Ruoff,VP Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa,Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products.

Are there any other key factors in terms of licensing in your territory?

Marianne James: News media reports about the challenged UK high street continue, but for the right properties who have amassed the right audiences, there is still a great opportunity to become a strong brand at retail.

Audience fragmentation also continues to be a trend, and IP owners need to expand their reach through multiple platforms.Viacom is no different.

Viacom is no longer just a TV company, we are truly multiplatform, reaching audiences through linear channels, the Paramount movie studio, live experiences, digital content, our adsupported streaming platform, Pluto TV, and of course, retail.

Through our Viacom ecosystem, we are able to cut through to audiences and compel viewers to watch, shop and share.

BRAZIL What are the key brands that you are promoting this year/ next year? Why are these

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important and what success have they enjoyed to date?

Angela Cortez: Our key franchises for kids are PAW Patrol – the number one preschool property in Brazil – SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon Slime, and our newest preschool series, Top Wing. We are developing our Adult portfolio with MTV, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (retro style), South Park, SpongeBob SquarePants, and we are placing a big bet on Paramount Pictures’ Top Gun.

What are the key product areas in your territory? Are there any product areas that are specific to your territory?

Angela Cortez: Key categories in our territory include food & beverage, apparel and accessories.

Additionally, we have been growing our mall event activities across the country. These are a fantastic way to support our retailers with a highquality entertainment experience that drives consumers to visit, and it also introduces our characters to more Brazilian audiences.

Are there any retail trends in your territory which you see emerging?

Angela Cortez: E-commerce is a growing retail channel in Brazil, and traditional retailers are looking to build out retail-tainment to act as a differentiator. We have been partnering with retailers to implement some live experiences in malls and stores to help support this strategy.

GERMANY What are the key brands that you are promoting this year/ next year? Why are these important and what success have they enjoyed to date?

Felix Fuoff: PAW Patrol continues to be a big focus. It is the number one preschool franchise across Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA). In partnership with Paramount Germany, we are planning a promotional cinema release in Germany and Austria of PAW Patrol: Ultimate Rescue on September 29th and October 3rd this year.

Additionally, PAW Patrol Live is coming to Germany in 2020.

Spotlight is another key property.

Spotlight is Nickelodeon Germany’s hit show, returning for its fourth season in September 2019.

The show stars an ensemble cast of real-life influencers. They portray a group of teenagers who have one thing in common: they want to become dancers, singers, musicians

or comedians and they want to conquer the world’s biggest stages.

We are developing an amazing range of consumer products for the show and its stars.

A Spotlight magazine will be launched in October, and our first promo with a leading retailer will launch this year. A live stage show is also in development.

What are the key product areas in your territory? Are there any product areas that are specific to your territory?

Felix Ruoff: Germany is a very textiledriven market with textile and discount retailers driving the licensee business.

Are there any retail trends in your territory which you see emerging?

Felix Fuoff: Online and discount retailers (Aldi, Lidl, Penny, etc) have high penetration, which makes it more challenging for specialty and mass players. GSA is one of the biggest markets in the world for Amazon and online retail is thriving. Amazon is also a market leader in toys in Germany.

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The World of Spin Master Proving a good idea can come from anywhere!

Spin Master was bore out of an idea and sheer drive and entrepreneurial spirit. They always believed that a good idea could come from anywhere and that principle holds true today.

To find out more, Total Licensing talked to Tammy Smitham, VP Communicatins and CSR who explained a bit about what makes Spin Master stand out from the crowd.

Master either through acquisitions or licensed partnerships or our own original IP and opportunities to license

of competitiveness, a desire to build and create, and entrepreneurialism.

An early opportunity came about when Ronnen’s mom, Odette Levy, shared a newspaper story of a hot new Israeli item. The nascent entrepreneurs’ first product was the Earth Buddy, a nylon stocking-covered head of sawdust topped with grass seeds which grew to emulate hair, funded with their own $10,000 investment.

With Anton selling the item on the street and to specialty retailers, the operation quickly expanded to a small facility in downtown Toronto and eventually grew to have over 200 staff.

It was at that time that Anton’s college friend and classmate, Ben Varadi offered to assist and became the trusted third partner. When Ronnen’s tenacity scored a $2 million conditional sale to Kmart, the team rolled the dice and produced half a million items on spec Earth Buddy became a novelty hit. This initial success served as the springboard for Spin Master’s entry into the toy business.”

What were the first products that Spin Master launched?

“What is different about our company today is our diversification, our global reach and our discipline,” explained Tammy.” The three original founders are still actively involved in the business, now complemented by a professional and experienced management team and an amazing group of talented designers and inventors.

Spin Master offers global distribution reach supported by a robust manufacturing capability but what sets us apart in our industry is about innovation and invention within toy, entertainment and media. Innovation is and will always be a priority and our unique relationship with the inventor community sets us apart from the rest. More and more doors are being opened for Spin

out. We have diversified the business with representation in every category – providing solid footing and positioning us for future growth.”

Tammy Smitham: “Following the success of Earth Buddy – the next product to launch was Devil Sticks, a set of batons used to perform tricks. By

Can you tell us about the history of Spin Master – when the company began, what the objectives were etc.

Tammy Smitham: “Spin Master was founded in 1994 by two childhood friends, Ronnen Harary and Anton Rabie, soon after graduation from The University of Western Ontario. Ronnen and Anton had a profitable student venture during university and they decided they wanted to start a business partnership together, recognizing their similar backgrounds and shared values

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the end of 1995, the partners had sold more than 600,000 units. Taking inspiration from this new product, the partners renamed their business Spin Master.

In 1998, Spin Master launched its Air Hogs brand, the first products designed to be easily flown by children and required limited assembly. The brand came to the company from two British inventors based on an innovative design involving a miniature engine powered by compressed air.

It has come to represent affordable, technologically-advanced and innovative vehicles and aircrafts with hobbygrade remote control performance, designed and priced for the mass market.”

Please tell us about the development from the early days – the development of new products and brands, particularly those that became very successful.

Tammy Smitham: “In 1996, refusing to settle for the relative safety of a distribution model, the partners risked everything to develop their vision of an innovative research and development company. However, the devel-

opment cycle required to bring this concept to market put great pressure on the company’s extremely limited resources.”

“1997-1998 was the hardest time in our career,” explained Anton Rabie, one of the founding partners.” With no significant revenue, we struggled to keep the lights on with novelty items. Investing everything into R&D, we trusted that in the future we could create a better consumer experience with more cool, fun, and magical products than anyone else.

We’ve created some amazing, iconic products from Air Hogs to Bakugan to Hatchimals. We believe a good idea can come from anywhere and we really support that philosophy within.”

Spin Master is a global entertainment company now.

Bearing in mind you started as a single product company, can you talk about how the company expanded and developed.

Tammy Smitham: “We pride ourselves in our ability to innovate. Fostering creativity and innovation both within our company and with our partners and inventors.

We’ve been able to put in place the necessary discipline to run a large, global company while also allowing the freedom to break molds and try new things.

Our ability to partner is also what sets us apart. We recognize what our core competencies are and then we seek out partners who complement what we offer.

Our broadcasting partnerships with the likes of Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network are a great example of this.”

Can you let us have information about some of your biggest success stories over the last 25 years.

Tammy Smitham: “Spin Master has been responsible for some of the world’s biggest toy and entertainment crazes including must-have Hatchimals, the beloved animated series PAW Patrol which is in its sixth season and has signed on for a seventh

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season and Bakugan. In late 2007, Spin Master launched the most successful product in its history, Bakugan.

The Bakugan brand started out as an inventor’s sketch of a ball that could be opened up to reveal a character inside. The brand immediately attracted a large following among five to ten year old boys and the richness of the Bakugan characters, story and game play provided Spin Master the opportunity to extend the brand with the co-development of a global animated television series. The company’s continued investment and support of its entertainment division has also yielded meaningful results.

One of the hallmarks of Spin Master’s award-winning toys is the element of surprise. Hatchimals was a global phenomenon when it launched on October 6, 2016. The idea of a toy that hatches itself from inside an egg was a series of engineering challenges progressively solved by our internal innovation team and external partners. The entire company mobilized to create these furry little learning robots that became the #1 toy – not just of the year, but joined the industry’s greatest toy crazes of all time.

Spin Master has achieved significant growth over the past two decades, transforming itself from a small, single product toy company into a leading global, diversified, multi-platform and highly innovative children’s entertainment company. The business has progressed through key stages, from start-up growth, building the base, Bakugan growth, refocusing to diversified growth; operating now across all toy industry super categories.

In July 2015, Spin Master completed its public offering and began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Since 2000, Spin Master has received 103 TIA Toy of The Year (TOTY) nominations with 30 wins across a variety of product categories, including 13 TOTY nominations for Innovative Toy of the Year. To date, Spin Master has produced nine television series, including the relaunched Bakugan: Battle Planet and current hit PAW Patrol, which is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories globally. We have

TOTAL LICENSING a growing entertainment division and have received a number of industry nominations and awards for our entertainment properties.

Spin Master has also grown through a number of key acquisitions and we have demonstrated success in acquiring and integrating strategic businesses. Since our IPO we have acquired Cardinal, Etch a Sketch, Toca Boca/ Sago Mini, Swimways, Marbles, Aerobie and GUND.”

How global is the Spin Master business today?

Tammy Smitham: “Spin Master employs over 1,800 people in countries around the world including Canada, United States, Mexico, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the Nether-

lands, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Australia.

Spin Master has been growing its presence internationally for some time and we still see incredible opportunity to increase our international sales.

We now have 28 offices around the globe. One of our four key growth strategies is to increase sales in international developing and emerging markets. The company has experienced fantastic international growth as a company and as at the end of June/end of the second quarter we increased our international sales to 38% of total gross product sales vs 34% in the prior year. In terms of specific markets, particularly in the second quarter of 2019, we experienced a 40% increase in product sales in the European market, making it our second biggest market globally. China is the second largest toy market in the world. We officially entered the Chinese market in 2017 working with great local partners. We think there is a great deal of potential

for growth there and we are looking forward to introducing our innovative product lines and entertainment properties to kids and families. As a result of our growing penetration in global markets we are positioning ourselves to win major licenses.”

As one of the biggest players in the marketplace, as you celebrate 25 years, what plans do you have for the next 25?

Tammy Smitham: “As a result of our growing penetration in global markets we are positioning ourselves to win major licenses. For instance, we just launched our 10-year relationship with Feld Entertainment and Monster Jam and in 2020 we will be launching our three-year global licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products which include the license for DC in the boy’s action category, remote control and robotic vehicles, water toys and games and puzzles.

Our goal remains the same – to produce toys and entertainment that provide kids with the joy of play, inspire imaginations and ultimately bring magic to their lives.

We are focused on four growth strategies: innovating across our portfolio brands and business segments; developing evergreen entertainment properties; increasing sales in international and emerging markets; and leveraging our global platform through strategic acquisitions.”

Can you tell us a bit more about your licensing activities?

building. Strategic acquisitions have also propelled Spin Master’s innovation into new categories, strengthening existing business and creating new opportunities for growth. These acquisitions have further reinforced Spin Master’s position as licensee. Within one year of the 2018 acquisition of premium plush legacy brand GUND, Spin Master secured the first licensee rights for Hilda, Silvergate’s new Netflix animated-adventure TV series and LINE FRIENDS, one of the fastest growing global character brands in the world.

At BLE this year, Spin Master Consumer Products and CPLG will unveil the significant licensing potential behind Toca Life, the award-winning app produced by Toca Boca. Toca Life’s strong brand presence in the mobile app space has expanded beyond the digital world into physical. With over 13 million downloads of the app, this popular brand presents an exciting pipeline of opportunities. Most recently, H&M unveiled a Toca Life back-to-school kids wear collaboration which launched worldwide in August. The imaginative and innovative capsule collection combines the brightly colored and humorous characters of Toca Life with fashion by channeling the spirit of the game. Maintaining a sense of playfulness, Toca Life’s humor and quirkiness is conveyed through the clothing that not only allows kids to move freely but also encourages them think that the possibilities in everyday life are endless. Spin Master Consumer Products has developed a global licensing strategy to expand the brand across multiple product categories in the specialty market beginning with a plush collection from GUND and board game with Cardinal Games.”

Tammy Smitham: “With a diverse and disruptive portfolio, Spin Master encompasses rich licensor and licensee opportunities. Our evergreen global properties including preschool powerhouse PAW Patrol, re-launched global battling phenomenon Bakugan and the magical of Hatchimals have established Spin Master as a leader in content creation, toy development and franchise

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BEYBLADE BURST SIGNS NEW OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE GLOBE ADK Emotions NY Inc, formerly Sunrights Inc, have, announced that Corus Entertainment Inc will pick up season four of the animated action series Beyblade Burst Rise on Corus’ Teletoon network in Canada.

Legendary Blader Valt Aoi has been training the next generation of elite Bladers at Spain’s BC Sol. One day, rookie Blader Dante Koryu witnesses Valt unleashing his newlyevolved Gamma Bey, Sword Valtryek.

To Dante’s surprise, Valtryek radiates a golden light as it rockets around the stadium. Inspired by the limitless possibilities of this “Hyper-Flux” state, Dante seeks to achieve the same bond with his Bey, Dragon. Here begins the story of Dante and Dragon’s rise to the peak of the Blading world.

The Beyblade Burst line continues to innovate with an awesome new way to battle: Beyblade Burst Hypersphere.

Hasbro has teamed up with ADK Emotions NY Inc. to launch the innovative toy line featuring specialized Performance Tips that enable tops to climb the vertical wall of the Beyblade Burst Hypersphere Beystadium, speed

For more information, contact ADK Emotions NY Inc. (currently operating as Sunrights Inc.) at +1 646-284-9801 or info@sunrights-inc. com

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along the brink, and drop in on their opponents for high-intensity battles.

Additionally, the new GT Chips take Beyblade Burst Hypersphere top customization and gameplay to the next level.

Beyblade Burst fans can expand their play digitally by scanning the codes on Beyblade Burst Hypersphere tops’ Energy Layers to unleash the tops in battle, and mix and match their components in the Beyblade Burst app.

The Beyblade Burst Hypersphere line will be available early 2020 while Beyblade Burst Slingshock product will also be available in major retailers across the Western markets.

Following a successful multi-territory promotion with Burger King, Beyblade Burst will further excite fans with an additional launch in France where diners can collect one of four Beyblade Burst -inspired spinning tops and figurines with every King Jr Meal.

This latest Burger King campaign is one of multiple major Beyblade Burst activations with key players in the QSR industry.

“We’re so excited to see the growth of the Beyblade Burst brand across the globe.The season four signing with

Canada’s Corus Entertainment alongside the awesome product launch with Hasbro, as well as continued brand promotions and activations will excite our existing fanbase and create a whole new generation of Bladers,” comments Shuji “Shawn” Wada, President of ADK Emotions NY Inc.

SUNRIGHTS INC. TO BECOME ADK EMOTIONS NY INC. Sunrights, the US subsidiary of drights Inc recently announced a new trade name, ADK Emotions NY Inc effective October 1.

This follows the announcement in Japan of a merger between d-rights, a Tokyo-based production and management company specializing in animation IP, and ADK Emotions Inc, a Tokyo-based content and rights management company and subsidiary of ADK Holdings Inc.

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LICENSING JAPAN CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2020 Organised by Reed Exhibitions, Licensing Japan which is Japan’s largest licensing industry trade show, will be held from Wednesday April 1 to Friday April 3 2020, at Tokyo Big Sight.

In anticipation of its 10th anniversary, there is growing expectation for the next edition of the show. Reflecting this, Licensing Japan 2020 is expected to expand once again with over 1,800 properties from 200 exhibitors and 55,000 visitors expected to Licensing Japan and the concurrent Content Tokyo.

World’s famous properties will also celebrate the 10th edition of Licensing Japan For the next show, a number of leading licensors have already confirmed their participation as exhibitors.

These include Sony Creative Products (Peter Rabbit, Pingu, Japan National Rugby Team etc), Green Camel (Rilakkuma, the Powerpuff Girls, etc), Capcom (Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, etc.), Bandai Namco Entertainment (Pac-Man) and Sekiguchi (Monchhichi etc), Fujiya (Peko, Milky, etc).

Beyond these, companies with various ranges of properties will have a presence, from fashion brands (Anap), sports organisations (Hanshin Tigers, Yokohama Dena Baystars Baseball Club etc), to art/design properties

(Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, V&A etc.). The number of International exhibitors is also expected to increase.

More and more licensees visit Licensing Japan every year.

The exhibition attracts more and more visitors every year and the visitor number reached 48,549 in the 2019 edition, a 5,955 increase from 2018.Visitors were decision makers from product planning/sales promotion departments of various manufacturers and retailers. In addition, visitors from public relations departments from major corporations have been increasing in recent editions, following the trend that characters/ brands are used for corporate branding. As a result, 55,000 visitors are

expected to attend the 2020 edition.

Ideal place for quality business With quality exhibitors and visitors, Licensing japan has established itself as the best platform for the licensing business in Japan and Asian markets over the past ten years. The online Matching System, introduced two years ago, enhances the networking opportunities between exhibitors and visitors. In 2020, it is expected that even more business negotiations for merchandising/collaboration are conducted through this site.

Space reservation.

Although exhibit space is filling up quickly, some space is still available.

For those interested in exhibiting at Licensing Japan 2020, contact Show Management.

Tel: +81-3-3349-8507 https://www.licensing-japan.jp/en/ Exhibiting https://www.licensing-japan.jp/ex_en/ licensing-e@reedexpo.co.jp Visitor Registration https://www.licensing-japan.jp/inv_en/ visitor-eng.licensing@reedexpo.co.jp Press Inquiries mailto: visitor-eng.licensing@ reedexpo.co.jp

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TOTAL LICENSING Chefclub brings the world together in the kitchen by creating fun, easy, and inspiring recipes. And today, Chefclub is the focus of a major consumer products program designed to bring fun into kitchens everywhere.

To find out more, Total Licensing talked to Marie-Laure Marchand, SVP Global Consumer Products & Business Development who is spearheading Chefclub’s launch into consumer products

Where and when did the idea for Chefclub come from?

In February 2016, Chefclub was launched in Paris by three brothers who wanted to have fun in the kitchen.

With a previous track record in the social gaming industry, they identified a growth opportunity at the crossroad of video and cooking. Chefclub was born in people’s pantries with the ambition to create extraordinary recipes with basic ingredients. From the start, they invested in content, turning simple video recipes into popular entertainment capable of reaching millions of viewers. With this unique positioning, over the last three years, Chefclub has been the world’s fastest growing brand on social platforms.

How did you develop and launch Chefclub?

We invested first in building a datadriven production organization with no regards for costs and monetization at a time when most players were trying to maximize advertising revenues while minimizing production costs. What may have appeared as an irrational investment has evolved into high-quality entertainment, leading viewers to an emotional attachment and trust for our brand.

Chefclub has successfully taken advantage of social media platforms to introduce and continuously strengthen the brand in front of the largest possible audience - all while transforming viewers into shoppers. We have entered the commercial world in two ways: directly through the creation of content-based products and services and indirectly by granting Chefclub licenses to expert partners, widening our distribution channels.

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How have you expanded and developed Chefclub since the launch?

Chefclub’s catalogue has grown and is organized into 5 market-driven channels, each capturing a targeted audience.

Chefclub Original: Amaze Your Friends and Family With Extraordinary Recipes.

Chefclub Daily: Everyday Food, Reinvented.

Chefclub Kids: Get Kids In The Kitchen For Family Time.

Chefclub Light & Fun: Lose Weight With A Smile.

Chefclub Cocktails: Spice Up Your Night With Extraordinary Cocktails.

The accurate positioning of each channel creates unparalleled opportunities to franchise the content and offer dedicated products and services.

Direct to consumer publishing is a first example of ways of turning viewers into customers (500K books sold directly so far).

What is the central ‘DNA’ of Chefclub?

Our tagline is “It’s showtime in the kitchen.” We do not film recipes, we create fun, entertaining and extraordinary culinary experiences.

What is the demographic you are appealing to with Chefclub?

Our core audience is women 25-45 years old. However, we address all demographics beyond the core audience. Chefclub reaches 200 million people every month by tailoring its content to fit with each social platform’s DNA and audience. Across Tiktok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, Chefclub’s content appeals to girls and boys from 3 to 99 years old.

What makes Chefclub different from other cookery networks?

Our growth is fully organic and relies on an innovative content strategy that has generated unrivalled engagement

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rates. Engagement is the one thing that has set Chefclub apart and we are now building on it to turn Chefclub into a brand community.We constantly listen to and exchange with our community members and ensure they participate in our strategic choices. All in all, no other food brands have the same foundations as Chefclub. We’ve focused our content on three different pillars: Content, Community, Commerce.

Our focus in these areas ensures that we stand out from other brands.

How has the network expanded globally?

Originally we wanted to build the European equivalent for Tasty/Tastemade but there is no border on social platforms and North America became our largest viewership. Chefclub is building a global cooking brand, from Paris with a very international team. Chefclub is leader in Europe and Latin America. In Korea, Chefclub has been developing through strategic partnerships with local platforms (Naver/Line). In China, Chefclub has been fast growing ahead of local competitors.

How do you see licensing helping to develop and expand Chefclub?

Licensing will really help us strengthen our brand awareness locally and establish Chefclub as a long term brand through the digital world. Licensing will offer our fans the products or services they want and will make their passion and commitment shine brighter. We’ve already experienced this successfully with our Chefclub books that we develop, produce and publish in-house and we have sold more than 500,000 books so far. Licensing will be a fantastic branding tool and we will expand

our reach to many more categories next year.

Moreover; we are now in discussions with local licensing agents who will help raise our company profile in each market and key announcements will be made soon.

As mentioned earlier, we are also developing our own licensed products and involve our community in the cocreation process. It is extremely rewarding for our followers to see their ideas and feedback taken into account.

We have launched a bakery set under the Chefclub Merveilles brand and offer an extra experience with an access to video recipes.

Moreover, we are now preparing the launch of a very innovative concept dedicated to kids and parents called Kiddoz. Known for over-the-top recipes, Chefclub will soon release a new cooking experience designed to empower kids in the kitchen while giving value to vegetables. Kiddoz are clever measuring cups paired with the 5 Chefclub cartoon characters created to make cooking playful and straightforward. The concept and creation took place in Paris and each cup (from color to character) was vetted by our community of followers.

Kiddoz are more than measuring cups; they’re an experience. Carefully paired with a cookbook, app, and short digital videos, accessible via QR codes, they’ve invented an entirely new cooking experience for kids. Seamlessly integrated into our social videos, millions of viewers will soon interact with the recipes featuring the product directly available for online purchase.

As families cook together, Chefclub’s website will showcase user-generated

content as parents proudly post their Kiddoz creations, ensuring a virtuous circle of adoption. We are very proud of this new fantastic kids-friendly cooking concept and are already receiving a lot of positive signs from our community.

Which categories of product are you looking to develop?

Publishing as mentioned earlier is a key category. Although we self-publish our books in

France and Germany, we will probably be licensing out those rights in other territories and will be looking for strong publishing partners in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. Other core categories will be kitchenware, bakeware, tools and gadgets, food and beverage, promotions, homewares, DTR, stationary, in-store events, toys and games and more. We are now in close negotiations with major partners and will be able to make some announcements soon hopefully, so stay tuned.

For more information, visit: https://www.chefclub.tv

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XILAM AT BLE Capucine Humblot, Head of Licensing and Merchandising, chumblot@xilam.com Xilam Animation will be exhibiting from BLE stand A322.

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Award-winning French animation studio, Xilam Animation, is heading to Brand Licensing Europe with its colourful portfolio of internationally successful kids’ properties. Slapstick comedy Zig & Sharko will spearhead Xilam’s presentation slate which will also feature the universally loved Oggy and the Cockroaches and playful preschool brand Paprika.

“It’s an exciting time of growth at Xilam and all departments including development, production and sales are brimming with creativity and innovation” explains Capucine Humblot, Head of Licensing and Merchandising at Xilam Animation. “On the licensing side, the industry is moving very quickly and becoming increasingly varied; there’s more brands than ever before spanning not just entertainment.

As a result, we’re seeing new ways of thinking about brand strategies and new opportunities to forge innovative licensing partnerships.With the whole industry together under one roof, BLE is one of the greatest places to start building such relationships and carving your brand’s narrative.”

Zig & Sharko is gearing up to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2020.

To mark a decade of fun and adventures, Xilam is preparing an exciting calendar of commemorative activity and is looking to make a splash with sports and water-based events for fans, in addition to meet and greets and events to promote environmental awareness and sustainability. Xilam is seeking new licensees to join the brand’s celebrations across outdoor, toys & games, apparel, sporting goods, homewares and food & beverages categories. With the series set on an is-

land, the property’s eye-catching style guide captures the themes of summer, vacation and outdoor fun.

Zig & Sharko continues to be a ratings driver on Gulli in France and K2 and DEA Kids in Italy, with season 3 debuting on the channels this September. Alongside this, the property continues to draw impressive figures on YouTube with 5.3M subscribers and 2.5 BN total views globally.

Xilam will also be presenting new opportunities for its universally loved brand, Oggy and the Cockroaches at BLE. Following the recent celebrations for the Oggy’s 20th anniversary, Xilam is now tapping into the nostalgic appeal of the property and targeting millennial fans who grew up with the series. Key target categories include fashion, accessories, homeware, stationery and collectibles. “Oggy is a pop culture icon for many of the young adults who watched the series as kids. We now want to bring this demographic an engaging range of products with ontrend, eye-catching designs to build upon the brand’s enduring popularity” says Capucine.

Oggy and the Cockroaches currently airs in over 190 territories with exposure buoyed by international SVOD deals with Netflix and Amazon. The popularity of the show continues to thrive in France, where it airs daily on Gulli and in Italy with broadcast partners, DEA, K2 and Frisbee. Over on YouTube, Oggy is expanding globally and has now reached 4.7M subscribers and 2.2BN views. Capucine adds: “We recognise that Oggy is such a beloved character and are keen to use his popularity to highlight causes which align with our company values.

As such, as part of our ongoing brand strategy, we’ll be looking to utilise the brand to promote important causes such as taking care of our planet and child wellness.”

In the preschool space is Xilam’s bright and playful animated comedy series, Paprika. To support the show’s successful broadcast, Xilam is developing an edutainment content offering on YouTube to give kids the chance to play and learn with the two

main characters and, as Capucine explains, “Creating additional, bespoke content is a key part of our strategy to build a full experience with Paprika.” There are currently 50 dedicated videos available centred around musical clips, numbers, alphabets, drawing, vocabulary and more. To support this, Xilam is seeking licensing partnerships for educational toys & games, in addition to publishing products.

From Black Mirror to Peaky Blinders:

How Endemol Shine Group’s brand licensing team work with their hit scripted shows

By Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing & Gaming, Endemol Shine Group

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Endemol Shine Group is the world’s largest independent producer with 120 production labels across 22 markets. We have world-class creative, production, distribution and commercial operations and are behind some of the biggest global entertainment hits such as Big Brother, MasterChef, Humans, Deal or No Deal and Mr Bean.

As Group Director, Brand Licensing & Gaming, I am responsible for expanding our brands through brand licensing and gaming, working with our local teams to drive the commercial performance of our globally-loved shows. And with 700 productions on air across 270 platforms and channels in last year alone, we have a wealth of IP at our fingertips.

Amongst Endemol Shine Group’s diverse portfolio is an exceptionally strong scripted output, including world-class hits such as Peaky Blinders and Black Mirror, both of which have significant brand licensing potential.

One of the most valuable assets of working with brands like these is their awareness and discoverability.They already have passionate and dedicated audiences and we are able to offer

product to their existing and hugely engaged fanbases. The characters are so relatable and audiences invest heavily in them, be it Peaky Blinders’ Tommy or Arthur, or San Junipero’s Kelly or Yorkie. In order to live up to fan expectations, we must ensure that any brand extensions protect the authenticity of the show and the characters, so we work closely with the creators to reflect the brand they love through tone, creative assets and product execution.

The multi-award-winning cult drama, Peaky Blinders, which returned to screens this year with its best ever launch ratings on BBC, is a key scripted title for us. Over five seasons, the BBC and Netflix series has grown an incredibly passionate and dedicated fanbase reaching all corners of the world from the 180+ countries it airs in. The appetite from fans to engage with the show off-air is phenomenal and we have developed an extensive licensing programme for it over the last year, working closely with creator Steven Knight and producer and brand owner Caryn Mandabach Productions, who are great partners.

The enthralling characters, captivating storylines, emotive soundtrack and

classy production means that people fully immerse themselves in the series and want to be a part of the Shelby world. Combined with the fashion and style, we have something really special to offer when licensing the brand.

From consumer products through to much more ambitious gaming and experiential offerings, the first phase of brand licensing has been incredibly well received by fans and the industry alike.

We have already had huge success with the first ever ‘The Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival’ which brought together immersive theatre, live music and fashion inspired by the series; the official Peaky Blinders webstore which offers consumers print-on-demand apparel and the range of licensed products, high-street apparel ranges; the first Peaky Blinders escape rooms; a board game from Just Games; bestselling products such as the Peaky Blinders pint glass from manufacturer and distributor GB Eye; Danilo’s (UK) and Willow Creek’s (US) 2019 calendars; Corsair’s range of men’s grooming products in Superdrug and Boots; gift products in France with Larousse; and Ecell’s global range of phone cases and accessories.

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With Peaky Blinders we are able to play to the instantly recognisable characters and locations created in the series such as the Shelby Brothers, Charlie’s Yard and The Garrison. With such market-relatable assets our style guides really tap to these iconic elements. Peaky Blinders is such a visceral property that we try and capture that with all of our products. Peaky Blinders takes audiences to fascinating cultures and periods in time, from which we can take great inspiration. The fifth season is set in the 1930s and we are continuing to evolve as the series moves on in time, to continue capturing the look and feel of the show The upcoming book ‘By Order of the Peaky Blinders’ from Michael O’Mara is the official tie-in with the series, which in addition to its UK launch on 3 October, will be released globally including in the US. The first of its kind, the book showcases incredible behind-the-scenes stories and unseen images that really tap into the visual and emotional pull of the series and the fascinating true history behind its creation.

Through gaming, we have the opportunity to deliver a truly immersive experience to fans and we will be launching a console title and a VR title next year. The PC and console game with Curve Digital and award-winning studio FuturLab will be a high-end narrative action game inspired by the series with a highly innovative story driven design. Our Peaky Blinders VR game from Maze Theory is being de-

veloped with cutting edge technology which will offer a new level of interaction with its unique VR experience.

Obviously, fashion is an extremely important category for us and we currently have a number of apparel ranges from American Classics in the US to Bravado’s apparel range which created unprecedented pre-order demand across Bravado’s wholesale business.

In addition to distribution in key retailers such as Primark and Next, we are developing a number of ‘How to Dress Like a Peaky Blinder’ collections for ladies and men and part of this will see the launch of the A/W’19 tailored menswear capsule collection from David Beckham’s menswear label Kent & Curwen.

Beyond Peaky Blinders, the multiple Emmy award winning Netflix anthology Black Mirror offers a totally unique opportunity in brand licensing. Created and written by Charlie Brooker, the series taps into our collective unease with the modern world. The critically acclaimed show is a hit worldwide with huge social fan engagement globally.

Unlike our other scripted brands, Black Mirror showcases stand-alone episodes, each a sharp, suspenseful tale exploring themes of contemporary techno-paranoia. With no regular cast or locations, our approach to creating a style guide faces new challenges, as we have to come up with creative assets that reflect the reoccurring themes and spirit of the series, that encompass the overarching feel of suspense and dystopian techno-paranoia.

In addition we draw on the episodic opportunities and key icons from episodes such as the futuristic dark comedy USS Callister, 80s love-story San Junipero and the interactive and ground-breaking narrative branching episode Bandersnatch. These offer a totally unique opportunity for us to develop a licensing programme that delves into the rich and unique worlds created in each episode.

We have already created apparel ranges from partners Bioworld and Hybrid;

episodic themed ranges such as the Nosedive episode inspired board game from Asmodee; and a subscription box featuring a range of products including those based on the episode USS Callister. Further licensing opportunities are being explored in key European markets and Brazil are launching product this year. We are also in advanced talks for a number of experiential and gaming opportunities to really bring the brand alive for fans.

Scripted IP does not necessarily provide a straightforward formula for brand extensions, but they can offer rich storytelling and a narrative layer which opens up huge possibilities for growing the brand off-air in innovative ways. There is often instantly recognisable imagery which lends itself well to visual products, plus narrative options for more complex and developed experiences across gaming and experiential.

As a leading producer of scripted material from around the world, from titles such as crime thriller The Bridge/ Bron, sci-fi series Humans which is being remade in China and Netflix’s German original series Dark, Endemol Shine Group have a wealth of IP coming through the pipeline. We work with producers to explore growth opportunities for these shows, not just globally, but locally too, developing local product as we cater for fans everywhere. We are incredibly lucky to be able to work with our portfolio and we take very seriously the responsibility to deliver truly authentic products and experiences that do justice to the shows and live up to their audiences’ expectations.

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What’s Hot in Kid’s Trends?

With the global childrenswear market outpacing both womenswear and menswear and growing 5 percent in current value terms per annum, demand for SmileyWorld products continues to hot up around the world.

Leading high street fashion retailers continue to enjoy seasonal growth with SmileyWorld, with a host of new launches across multiple categories from leading partners that include; Orchestra, OVS & Zara.

Amongst partners who are seeing success are Orchestra, (one of France and Belgium’s leading children’s apparel retailers) who sold nearly 2 million pieces of SmileyWorld products last year and have grown their business with Smiley by over 150% in the last 2 years. Similarly Lifestyle in India and leading European retailers including, LPP, Original Marines, Alouette are all enjoying success with their SmileyWorld collections.

Smiley has also been busy extending some of their market leading fashion collaborations into children’s apparel, with Benetton, Moschino, Crocs and Palladium all launching best selling children’s apparel collections in 2019.

Magic Light’s endearing and enduringly popular brands feature on a wide array of children’s clothing and accessories, from baby products to dress-up.

Regularly refreshed trend guides and

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evolving look books keep these evergreen brands on trend and in vogue, while staying true to the much-loved core book artwork. This approach has resulted in great performance at retail.

The Gruffalo continues to be a big favourite. MLP’s successful DTR collections with Sainsbury’s are now in their seventh year, and The Gruffalo is the store’s #1 character on Essentials.

Marks and Spencer, Next and M&Co continue to be storng homes for The Gruffalo. Innovative new collections with boutique retailer Cribstar launched earlier this year, with further designs coming for Christmas. Baby MORI, creator of the softest and most comfortable clothing for babies and toddlers using organic cotton and bespoke designs, launched a new range in September – the first licensed partnership in their portfolio.

A Zog-lead partnership with FatFace, featured in windows ahead of the film’s Christmas broadcast, increased the reach of the “Gruffalo brand family.” Further afield, Target carries nightwear from Room on the Broom, the #1 selling picture book in the US at Halloween; and German licensee Spreadshirt is launching apparel in the territory soon.

On the high street, Pokémon continues to extend partnerships and form new collaborations with global giants

and prestigious specialists creating stylish lines for kids and adults. Extended DTR relationships with leading fashion stores Zara and H&M have seen new lines in Zara Kids and expanded adults and kids ranges in H&M globally. Following the first innovative kids’ footwear collaboration with Geox, which won a Bologna Licensing Award for Licensing Project Kids (Boys 6-10), a new S/S high-tech range was launched across Europe.

More exciting collaborations, include the global DTR partnership with Uniqlo, whose competition for Pokémon graphic print T-shirt designs attracted a record 18,000+ entries.

Pokémon continues to work closely with leading licensees across Europe such as Fashion UK, Fashion Lab, Sicem, Sahinler, and Santex – to secure listings with leading kids fashion retailers, including leading UK retailers Primark, Next and Matalan; Kiabi, La Halle, Gémo (France), C&A, (Germany), OVS, UPIM (Italy) and El Corte Inglés (Spain).

In France, Pokémon has continued its successful collaborations with La Compagnie des Petits and popular retailer Maison Labiche Kids, and teamed up with funky fashion company IKKS Junior on an exciting new premium capsule collection of highquality urban T-shirts and sweatshirts.

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Breaking Barriers in

Experiential Licensing

Exploring the huge movement towards the experiential, the immersive and location-based events While not a new concept, the ‘brand experience’ is becoming an increasingly invaluable way for consumers to engage with brands and provides brands an opportunity, in a rapidly changing retail landscape, to stand out and let fans become immersed.

Christine Wacker, Vice President, Location-Based Entertainment, Discovery Inc., takes us through Discovery’s vast offerings in this arena.

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“For us at Discovery, so much of what we do is deepening the audience connection with the brands that they love. We have seen that consumers become more loyal the more touchpoints they have. By having a realworld experience, people are really getting a 360-degree attachment to the brand – and we have been applying this to many of the brands under the Discovery umbrella.

“Through our long and successful partnership with Princess Cruises, guests become immersed with ‘Discovery at Sea’. There are activities from Shark Week, and Animal Planet, for example. Fans of Discovery are all about the adventure, and these cruise ships sail the world. Guests can also discover local communities. There are dining experiences, shark encounters in Hawaii, Whale Quest, an Animal Planet Exclusive in Juneau, Alaska. For the adventure enthusiasts who like to explore, travel and expand their minds, it really is a perfect partnership. Other Discovery experiential examples include the Dalian Discovery Kingdom, an amusement park located at Jinshitan National Holiday Resort in Jinzhou District, China. Attractions here include Crazy Town, Legendary Castle where these is a small train that passes through the Kingdom of Fairy Tales, and Magic Forest, where visitors can start their Amazon Exploration on a hovercraft.We have also seen a Mythbusters travelling exhibition – this has been so successful, as the show itself is all about exploration and experimenting, so this exhibition enabled fans to really get stuck in with the show. Areas of interest for expansion to us now are water parks and

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themed hotels.

“The retail landscape, as we all know, is both changing and challenging. We aim to blend lines, and give consumers an enriching experience – it’s not about going into the gift shop and buying a t-shirt, it’s about truly interacting with brands that fans love. We’re not focusing on the transaction, but the experience.”

Another company forging the way deep into experiential licensing is Beanstalk.

The unexpected, limited and often exclusive nature of these experiences provide brands with an alternative way to make noise in the rapidly-changing and crowded retail environment.

Brand extensions have traditionally involved the creation of new products. Expansion through experiences requires additional considerations to insure the consumers’ expectations of the brand are being met. In today’s digital world, translating a brand’s core equities into relevant, ‘Instagramable’,

moments to connect with consumers is critical, and, in fact, creating social media buzz is frequently the driving force behind the creation of pop-ups and more permanent brand experiences.

Over the last 19 years, Tinderbox client ESL, the world’s largest esports company, has supported the growth of esports to build a world where everybody can be somebody, hosting leagues and tournaments across the globe. Expanding the brand experience further, ESL has partnered exclusively with Esports Holidays to create the first-ever Esports Holiday Camps to offer an exciting yet educational experience to an audience 12 and over.

Equipped with certified coaches and state-of-the-art gaming consoles, the camps will develop students’ gameplay skills with real-time feedback, educate them on the role of the esports industry, and include programmes to develop players’ reflexes and young minds.

The first Esports Holiday Camps are scheduled to launch in Singapore with additional camps planned for Japan and Germany later this year.

In addition, during the holiday period last year, Beanstalk client Baileys, opened its “Baileys Treat Bar” popup for the second time in London.

Building on the brand’s objective to be the number one “Grown Up Real Treat”, the Treat Bar hosted an indulgent getaway for visitors. From salted caramel espresso martinis, to chocolate reindeers filled with a delicious Baileys cocktail, the pop-up provided an alpine-themed space where guests could let their imagination run free and treat themselves with personalised drinks, gifts and delectable Baileys chocolates by licensee Lir. The attraction also featured a cosy snug area with neon signs, candy wallpaper, message walls and an infinity mirror, which actively encouraged visitors to create and share social media moments.

Along a similar vein, Robert Marick, Executive Vice President Global Consumer Products and Experiences, MGM talks about the benefit of live events to a brand, and how this is shaping the future of retail.

“Building location-based events has

long since been a big part of my career – both on the TV side and movie side.

“As an IP owner, we are always looking at ways of deepening the audience experience, and immersive experiences are invaluable.

There are three components of an audience-based experience – viewing the content, engaging with the product, and then the immersive experience.

Location-based experiences prove very popular with older consumers, but also with Millennials and Gen Zs. The utmost immersive experience used to be a theme park. Now this has evolved into multiple industries – for example branded hotels, or dining experiences as well as attractions. I think of it like a pyramid – the low-hanging fruit are the travelling exhibitions or retail experiences, and then up the pyramid you have the much larger investments. The retail landscape is changing vastly, with larger footprint stores going away, but malls and retail centres still need a way to attract visitors. Brands are absolutely infiltrating the mall experience.

Similarly with theme parks, visitor numbers and attractions continue to grow, with massive investments being made. Asia will soon surpass the USA

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as having the largest theme parks with the highest numbers of visitors in the world. Some location-based events can take one to five years to develop, so there is serious commitment behind them.

MGM has always been very active in this arena and are always looking for opportunities for our many properties to reach out to fans.”

Much-loved brands with a strong sense of nostalgia are morphing into real-world attractions. Kilburn Live

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announced a new partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to create “The Dr. Seuss Experience,” an imaginative, interactive and immersive touring experience built to appeal to everyone – after all, “It is fun to have fun but you have to know how.”

A massive 15,000 sq. foot experience, the sensory spectacle presents an awe-inspiring journey through the wondrous world of Dr. Seuss. Each visually-stunning area is themed after the beloved stories and characters that are part of the fabric of popular culture. From “The Cat In The Hat” to “Horton Hears A Who!” and “The Lorax,” as well as other timeless favorites, visitors will encounter and enjoy these classic treasures in a whole new way.”

“We are extremely fortunate to have been given the chance to partner with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to create this truly innovative experience,” said Kilburn CEO Mark Manuel. “Audiences yearn for great new entertainment and at Kilburn we aim to create new forms of live attractions that are compellingly different. Our entire team grew up reading Dr. Seuss and we have watched our children grow up doing the same. There was a lot of responsibility on our shoulders to represent this property properly.”

As the tour moves city-to-city guests can expect new additions based on different books to join the rotation. The launch will also have a special themed carousel and store where guests can buy Seuss merchandise.

“The Dr. Seuss Experience” will kick off in Toronto on Oct. 26th in a standalone space at Square One, Canada’s foremost fashion, lifestyle and entertainment destination.

Rocker Media’s The Next Step in the UK has seen three very different live experiences across the year.

Iconic London dance studio, Pineapple, kicked off the events with a series of The Next Step themed workshops which have been an amazing success, leading to Boat Rocker extending its partnership with Pineapple.

Featuring music and choreography from the series, the workshops sell out soon after going on sale, often before they have been advertised, with waiting lists for many classes. New dates for the rest of the year were added to the original Easter/half term classes due to this incredible demand.

Attendees have waltzed in from as far afield as USA, Malta, Lebanon, Hong Kong and France, reflecting the show’s global appeal and demand for related activity. Additionally, the classes boost sales of tie-in product and generate

TOTAL LICENSING strong social media activity.

Debbie Moore, OBA, MA Chairman and CEO, Pineapple Holdings Ltd said: “This is a wonderful collaboration for Pineapple and The Next Step. It’s so exciting having the TNS workshops at Pineapple and seeing the kids so full of energy and enthusiasm.

It’s the perfect licensing partnership for us.”

Herschend Entertainment Studios (HES) will attend MIPJunior/MIPCOM and BLE for the first time in 2019.

HES will present a complete reintroduction of Chuggington to the global market. Herschend Entertainment Studios is a division of Herschend Enterprises, a family of companies focused on family entertainment and the largest family-held themed entertainment business in the U.S. Over 60 years, Herschend has diversified beyond theme parks, seeking more innovative ways for families to connect and create memories. Within the last decade, Herschend has expanded to aquariums, animal adventure parks, adventure travel and more.

HES is helmed by Julie Phillips - Vice President, Development and Production, Natalie Setton - newly appointed Vice President, Commercial, Content Distribution & Licensing, and is being led on an interim basis by Peter Schube, former president of The Jim Henson Company and COO of Illumination Entertainment.

“With Herschend’s capital intensive infrastructure, and 14 million guests going through the gates of our parks and attractions in 21 locations across eight states, HES offers a true 360 capability,” commented Phillips. “There are only two other companies who can do that – Disney and Universal.

With the media company, Herschend has joined an elite group that can build a franchise from the start.”

ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) has entered into a partnership between hit action TV show Thunderbirds Are Go and Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts.The promotional activation will run over several weekends this fall at all three Gulliver’s Theme Park Resort locations in the UK.

The FAB Thunderbird Weekends will see Thunderbirds Are Go theming throughout the resorts, and visitors will receive a mission brief on arrival, to complete very special inpark challenges as recruits for International Rescue.

Other activities will include photo opportunities with a huge model of Thunderbird 1 and meet & greets with the Virgil Tracy costume character.

Overnight guests during any of the FAB Thunderbird Weekends will receive even more Tracy Island treatment, with FAB Thunderbird Sleepovers including a special Thunderbird 1 launch mission, exclusive meet & greets with Virgil, and much more.

Experiences are proving invaluable all over the world. In the Middle East, Viacom International Media has inked a partnership with The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) to bring the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and The World of Nickelodeon to the capital city of the United Arab Emirates for the next 5 years. Families will be also able to enjoy three days with their favourite Nickelodeon characters at The World of Nickelodeon.

“At DCT Abu Dhabi we are continuing to build Abu Dhabi’s product and experience offerings by continuing our close collaboration with leading industry players, and keeping up the development of new products and events whilst at the same time improving visitors’ experiences,” said HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi. “An event of this stature fits perfectly with our mandate to provide the very best entertainment and activations for all sectors of society, and we are looking forward to seeing overseas visitor numbers increasing as a consequence of securing this significant event for Abu Dhabi for the next five years.”

The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Abu Dhabi will feature a lineup of international and regional performers. This is the first of five annual Kids’ Choice Awards events that will

be hosted in Abu Dhabi, with versions of the event having previously also been staged in Los Angeles, Berlin, London and Mexico City.

Pusheen and Fluid World have teamed up with Artbox to create the world’s first ‘Pusheen Snack Parlour’ in Brighton, UK. The Parlour weekend has been fully transformed to be Pusheen themed.

Over 100 fans from all over the UK queued outside for two hours before the grand opening, including YouTubers and social media influencers. As the day progressed more fans arrived and the queues didn’t die down until 5pm with at least 50 people in line at all times. The Snack Parlour has an upstairs seating area for customers to enjoy their sundaes, within 15 minutes of the venue opening this area was full and people were waiting up to three hours to be seated.

The dedicated retail area downstairs was bursting with fans purchasing the cute range of product available from licensees including, Spin Master,Thumbs Up, Pyramid, Blueprint, Character World and Plastic Head. The majority of the sales transactions were over £100 and many were over £200 with one fan spending a massive £418 in a single transaction.

Mascot manufacturer and supplier of licensed character personal appearances Rainbow Productions is working with Cartoon Network to create a unique and exciting activation, in a bid to build brand awareness and enhance the shopping centre experience.

The activation will consist of branded activity stations based on popular Cartoon Network shows Ben 10,We Bare Bears, The Amazing World of Gumball and Adventure Time. At each station children can take part in carnival style games and arts & crafts, giving them

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the chance to win prizes and enjoy a fun-filled family day out!

To complement Rainbow Productions’ licensed character meet & greets, narrations and mini shows, the mascot company continue to expand their offering for live events. Other brand activations available include PJ Masks’ ‘Hero Moves’ and PAW Patrol’s ‘Pup Pup Boogie’, where little ones can sing and dance along with a presenter and spin the wheel to learn their favourite characters’ signature moves. There’s even a chance to high-five the heroes themselves!

Recently announced, also in the UK, The Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival will bring together immersive theatre, live music and fashion inspired by the series, a cinema showing, a museum,

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food, drink, poetry and more.

With 5 stages of music, live recreations of Peaky Blinders scenes involving 200 actors, fashion shows and mens’ grooming fans will be living in the show’s world, encompassing the Digbeth, Central Birmingham area.

Using its historic streets, warehouses and factories and employing lighting, sound, smoke, video mapping and special effects, the post World War 1 era will come to life for an unmissable day.

Artists confirmed across the weekend include Primal Scream, Anna Calvi, Slaves, Nadine Shah, a BBC Introducing Stage and a host of excellent music performances, reflecting one of the sharpest soundtracks on television.

From grown-up entertainment back to the children, a new musical version of My Little Pony has been announced

by Hasbro and Mills Entertainment.

The inaugural tour of My Little Pony Live will premiere in the States in March 2020.

Inspired by the My Little Pony’s signature themes of friendship and magic, the original stage production features the beloved pony characters affectionately called “the Mane Six”—Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Rounding out the lineup is Spike the Dragon.

“We’re thrilled to work with Mills Entertainment to bring My Little Pony and the magic of friendship to life in a whole new way,” said Samantha Lomow, President, Hasbro Entertainment Brands. “Mills Entertainment has produced some of the most exciting stage shows with a variety of brands, and we can’t wait for fans to experience My Little Pony Live!

Bestselling picture book Giraffes Can’t Dance will be turned into a stage show for 20th Anniversary year in Christmas 2019.

A brand-new production based on the number one bestselling picture book

by Giles Andreae and Guy ParkerRees, Giraffes Can’t Dance is produced in association with Hachette Children’s Group and Coolabi Group.

Karen Lawlor, Head of Licensed Content for Hachette Children’s Group comments: “Giraffes Can’t Dance is a modern classic, beloved by millions of families all over the world. At its heart is an important message of selfacceptance and being yourself. I know children will love boogieing along with Gerald as he discovers the joy of dancing to his own tune,” Twice Emmy-nominated comedy series, Oddbods, has partnered with retailer SPAR in Belgium, on a six-week promotion giving fans the opportunity to earn exclusive Oddbods merchandise when they shop in-store.

The multiplatform campaign will run in all 113 stores across the territory.

Consumers who spend €10 in store, will receive a free Oddbods pack, including one Oddbods OmniMagnet and one stamp.

In a deal brokered by CPLG Benelux & Megapromotions Worldwide B.V., SPAR Lambrechts will be throwing its weight behind the promotion with in-store POS, window decals, printed leaflets and social media activations.

One Animation will also be supporting the initiative with a geo-targeted digital campaign, leveraging their huge digital presence to ensure that their fans are aware of and looking for the promotion in store.

Sashim Parmanand, CEO of One Animation, commented:“It’s a real honour for Oddbods to have been chosen by one of Belgium’s largest and established grocery chains to promote footfall into its stores. The popularity of the brand throughout Belgium is following an incredible trajectory of growth, alongside the rest of the world, and we are delighted to be getting product into the hands of those loyal fans in such an exciting and easily accessible campaign.”

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Showcasing some of the top licensees and the brands they work with across many different categories

The

Licensee Lookbook 2019 Rainbow Productions is a global leader in manufacturing bespoke brand and sports mascots as well as the UK’s official supplier of licensed children’s character appearances.

Rainbow manage the personal appearances of over 120 famous characters – including Peppa PIg, PAW Patrol and Paddington – at venues such as Shopping Centres,Theme Parks, Leisure Attractions, Festivals and Trade Shows. Licensed character appearances provide IP owners with an excellent marketing tool to help increase the profile of their brands.

The award-winning company also specialise in the manufacture of custom-made mascots and have produced costume characters for a majority of the world’s leading Licensing studios, International Sporting Associations and Tournaments, Brand Mascots, Leisure Attractions and Film Producers. Rainbow offers outstanding reliability, second-to-none quality, distinctive attention to detail and world class character costume mascots that support the objectives of your brand marketing campaigns.

Rainbow Productions recently partnered with Cartoon Network to create a unique and exciting activation, in a bid to build brand awareness and enhance the shopping centre experience.

The activation will consist of branded activity stations based on popular Cartoon Network shows Ben 10, We Bare Bears, The Amazing World of Gumball and Adventure Time. At each station children can take part in carnival style games and arts & crafts, giving them the chance to win prizes and enjoy a fun-filled family day out.To complement Rainbow Productions licensed character meet & greets, narrations and mini shows, the mascot company continue to expand their offering for live events.

Other brand activations available include PJ Masks’ ‘Hero Moves’ and PAW Patrol’s ‘Pup Pup Boogie’, where little ones can sing and dance along with a presenter.

Pandora has announced a Christmas collection in collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

The 12-piece Harry Potter range will arrive globally across all Pandora’s stores and online from November. It will include hand-finished products such as charms, pendants and a bracelet inspired by the characters and symbols from the films. “Harry Potter has brought joy and a belief in magic to generations and Pandora fans have asked for this collection for years,” said Stephen Fairchild, chief creative and brand officer at Pandora.

“Pandora jewellery brings personal stories to life, and the friendship, love and bravery told in Harry Potter resonates with Pandora’s fans.

We’re thrilled to bring this collection to fans around the world.”

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TOTAL LICENSING Pyramid International is gearing up to open a new showroom in Hong Kong, adding an exciting new dimension to its South Asian and Global operations. The extensive showroom will expand Pyramid International’s current China office. It has been designed to showcase Pyramid International’s comprehensive product and license portfolio, as well as a venue to launch new ranges to trade throughout the year. The showroom can be found along the beautiful Kowloon harbour and is expected to open 20th July. “This showroom presents Pyramid International with a fantastic opportunity to engage our customers Internationally via Hong Kong. It’s an exciting time to be launching this showroom especially as the second half of the year includes fantastic licenses such as Frozen 2 and Star Wars.” said Kevin Langstaff, UK Sales Manager The expansion comes on the back of the company’s previous developments into the USA and Europe; with Pyramid America, Pyramid Europe (Germany) and Pyramid France in 2006, 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Smiffys was shortlisted for the best-dress up award, at the Licensing Awards 2019, for its 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Barbie Costume. The adult fancy-dress costume re-creates the iconic look of the first ever Barbie doll and is launched to celebrate 60 years of the world’s number 1 fashion doll. Barbie was originally created to show girls that women have choices, and the costume is a fun take on the much-loved doll. With a black and white sequin bodysuit, pink fluffy coat and sunglasses, presented in a collector’s box with a numbered certificate, the costume is an ode to the original curator Ruth Handler and her first ever doll.

“As a girl who grew up playing with Barbie dolls, I have a real connection with the brand. To be shortlisted for best dress-up, is something we are very excited about as we feel we’ve really delivered an authentic style in honor of Barbie’s influence as a fashion icon in celebration of the dolls 60th year!” said Dominique Peckett, Director of Smiffys.

As winner of the award for Best Licensed Dress Up in 2018, with the Roald Dahl collection for Tesco, Smiffys was also shortlisted for this accolade in 2019.The shortlisting is welcomed by Smiffys as recognition of all work, from the whole team, ensuring licensed collections remain current and on trend.

“We’ve worked hard in collaboration with Smiffy’s and the Roald Dahl team to keep bringing new and exciting ranges into store for our customers so we’re very excited this range has been so well received and shortlisted for this award”, said Nikki Duncombe, buying manager at Tesco.

“We are thrilled to be a finalist, especially with the exciting new Mr Fox, Matilda and Mr Wonka designs added for 2019. The additional styles show just how well the range has been received and has ensured the Roald Dahl collection remains a best-seller for the retailer”, said Dominque Peckett..

TOTAL LICENSING Licensing industry veteran Alan Fenwick is currently CEO and co founder with Rob Stevenson of Exquisite Gaming, a global gaming and entertainment specialist, innovating merchandise solutions including the ground breaking Cable Guys. EXG creates distinct products that have standout in the market and huge support from retailers across the globe.

Fenwick previously held posts at Turner Broadcasting EMEA as VP of Turner CN Enterprises, being responsible for several commercial teams across EMEA including Consumer Products, Digital Distribution, Home Entertainment, Themed Entertainment & Commercial content distribution. Across his 7 year tenure, Fenwick delivered sales in excess of $4.2bn across Europe, The Middle east and Africa. With extensive retail experience and deep retail relationships across EMEA, Fenwick was previously the head of Warner Bros. Retail function across all WB divisions in UK and prior to WB held several senior roles with UK retailers.

To date EXG have sold 1 million cableguys worldwide and have signed deals with Rare for Banjo Kazooie & Sea of Thieves, Ubisoft for Assassins Creed and the entire Disney portfolio across Disney Classic, Marvel and Star Wars.

The company has a strong retail presence in many Gaming outlets (Gamestop, Game,Argos), Supermarkets (Target, Best Buy, Mediamarkt , Carrefour) and Gift retailers such as Menkind and EMP.

Mad Beauty has furthered its relationship with Disney building on strong UK success.

Mad Beauty has seen dramatic UK growth in the last two years partly due to the ‘Never Too Old’ ranges of licensed products including Disney, with products aimed at the teen and adult markets primarily.

Seeing huge growth over the last few years and the quality of the product design in the UK has resulted in Disney agreeing to extend its license to allow expansion from the UK to Europe, Middle East, Africa, Israel & Eastern Europe.

“Mad Beauty have been a pleasure to work with in the UK. They have collaboratively grown our licensed business within the teen and adult consumer segment. They continue to bring fun, creativity and innovation to the category for Disney. We are so excited to be able to expand that now across the globe, where a clear demand for this product also exists,” said Samar Selby, Disney.

“Our ‘Never Too Old’ range for Disney has been a huge success in the UK with listings in most of the main high street and online retailers and as a result we are delighted that Disney have recognised that our designs will have a much broader appeal, so they extended our contract to include the whole EMEA region.”

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Amscan International has launched a roll-out of Peppa Pig party goods. The line-up spans Amscan’s top selling products including plates, cups, napkins, table cover, decorations, party bags, and favours. The new party range matches Amscan’s existing range of Peppa Pig foil and latex balloons..

Many licensed balloon formats are already available.

Licensed giftware company Half Moon Bay will release a series of published titles, as well as giftware ranges, under license from IFL Science. The range will be available in 2020, and Half Moon Bay will also be releasing a gifting range that will include kitchenware, ceramics and bags, all under the light-hearted scientific theme that IFL is known for.

Danilo works closely with music acts, TV broadcasters, film companies, sports teams and celebrities as well as giants such as Disney, Warner Bros, Fox, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, BBC, Lucasfilm, Marvel & Manchester United FC to bring its licensed products to consumers Danilo hold around 100 different licenses at any one time. Ranging from Little Mix to Harry Potter to Manchester United and everything in between. The company recently launched a Love Island range.

Kennedy Publishing is one of the UK’s most respected independent publishers, specialising in market-leading preschool and primary publications.The company’s diverse portfolio of thirty magazines includes best-selling own branded titles, as well as popular standalone publications bringing children their favourite characters from global brands such as Mattel, Nickelodeon, MGA Entertainment and Sanrio. Kennedy passionately believes in the power of magazines to encourage screen-free fun and their two-story promise helps foster a love of reading in children from an early age.The company has a long-standing reputation for producing top-quality magazines, both in the UK and overseas, coupling engaging and educational content with innovative gifts to ensure that their magazines reach a global readership of 10 million children each year. This, combined with the long-term publishing ethos, innovation and agility they can offer brands, makes Kennedy the preferred publisher of many licensors.

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TOTAL LICENSING Blueprint Collections, which designs, develops and sells quality licensed stationery, bags, accessories and gifts, has announced that it is to produce a range of National Geographic children’s stationery, bags and gift items for the UK market.

A wide range of useful, decorative and fun items in this collection includes notebooks, pencils, pens, sticky notes, erasers, pencil cases, backpacks, keyrings, umbrellas and more. All the items in the range will use minimal packaging and, where possible, either make reduced use of plastics or use recyclable materials in line with National Geographic’s multi-year effort to raise awareness about the global single-use plastic crisis.

The design of the range is inspired by a number of themes that National Geographic has been expanding throughout its consumer products for children during 2019. They include Amazing Animals, STEM and Space, and Explorers in Training.

The National Geographic logo and packaging style is used across the range. This is then put together with graphic imagery based around the animal and space themes and lots of fun facts, which have incorporated into the product designs.

Arriving at retail in February 2020, the items are aimed at a core target audience of primary school children and gift givers. They will be available in department stores, the grocery sector, toy shops, book and stationery specialists and online.

Lisa Shand, Managing Director, Blueprint Collections, said: “We are thrilled to be working with a property that has been loved and admired by children and parents for over a century.The colourful animal and space designs and fabulous facts are a winning combination that, combined with our on high-quality products, will keep children amused for hours.”

Helena Mansell-Stopher, Director Consumer Products, Publishing and Retail, National Geographic Partners UK, said: “We are delighted to be partnering on this range with a highly respected company that has been a leader in its field for over 20 years. This colourful, beautifully designed range is a perfect combination of the practical, the elegant, and the fun.”

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TOTAL LICENSING Fashions-UK has signed a deal with Santa Pod Raceway to create a range of Automotive Racing themed apparel and nightwear. Santa Pod Raceway is Faster Brands first worldwide client and has been the home of European Drag racing for over 50 years.

Fashions-UKs Shailee Chudasama said, ”We are delighted to add Santa Pod to our licence portfolio. The Santa Pod brand is the fastest and loudest motorsport on earth which is appeals to the whole family with numerous car shows and race events and is a fantastic lifestyle licence for retailers.” The range will include adult fashion apparel as well as children’s sleepwear.

Posh Paws, the well-established name in licensed plush, has signed a multi-year global deal to manufacture and distribute premium Chic & Love plush and build it’s awareness using Swarovski crystals and ‘certification of authenticity’ seal to enforce the positioning and USP – marrying up beautifully created plush with these iconic Austrian crystals from this globally iconic brand. Aimed at young adult gift givers and the fashion savvy wanting to make a statement, this new collection further positions Posh Paws into the gift and lifestyle sector adding to its foothold in the character and entertainment space. “We are incredibly excited to be working with Posh Paws on this beautiful range of plush that absolutely fills a gap in the market to deliver a range of considered and emotionally-based gifts celebrating key life stages and events,” said Julien Barbier, Global Agent, Chic&Love.

With over 30 years’ experience in producing market-leading beauty & bathing ranges, H&A are category experts.

In addition to its well-loved seasonal gift ranges, its extensive capabilities cover Beauty Accessories, Bathing, Hair Accessories, Fragrance and Bath Accessories. H&A was the winner of the Best Brand Licensed Health & Beauty Range at the B&LLA’s for two years running.

The team of designers works collaboratively with major retailers to develop bespoke licensed, branded and own-label ranges, catering to all retail segments, markets and requirements.

Key licenses include: The Happy News, Disney, NASA, The Simpsons, Marvel, LOL Surprise, Rick & Morty and many more…

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Julie Jones, Redan Publishing Ltd, MD, talks about the business and the areas in which the publishing company is flourishing:

“As leading independent publisher of pre-school magazines in the UK we are constantly looking for ways to strengthen our position in the market and offer our customers more of what they want at great value for money. A key part of this is ensuring we have the most popular and exciting characters to grab the attention of both parents and children alike. This is why Licensing and the relationships we build with our licensing partners is absolutely critical to maintaining our success.

“We know we produce quality content which is fun and engaging, that ticks all the boxes in terms of the latest educational guidelines and provides plenty of opportunities for parents and carers to read and create with their little ones. However, if we don’t have the latest, hot properties to create this material around and position on the front cover, then our magazines may never make it off the shelf!

“With so many new and exciting characters to choose from, it’s increasingly difficult to pick which ones are going to maintain their popularity. Very often in the proposal process, we will advocate a phased approach to launching a character into our portfolio. This offers our partners a unique opportunity to achieve the broadest exposure

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through building up the brand presence in a stable and informed way.

“Please allow me to elaborate on this approach, at Redan we have three very successful compilation titles - Sparkle World, Fun To Learn Friends and Fun To Learn Favourites.

These established magazines, with a great presence at retail provide us with a valuable platform for trialling new characters where we glean precious feedback from our character polls. We can then utilise our Bag-O-Fun series to publish a one shot to further test the audience appetite for a particular character. If the character profile continues to rise we move onto the ultimate offer in the children’s magazine sector and what all licensors would love to have for their properties - a standalone magazine.

“In order to publish a really flourishing stand-alone you need to identify the evergreen characters which is easier said than done! It’s a costly business launching new titles and publishers really need to have faith in the brand’s long-term appeal in order to make that investment work.

Strong and trusting relationships with our license partners is of paramount importance as well as the faith we place in character creators.

One current example of placing such trust is with the Moon and Me property where the kudos of children’s TV creator Andrew Davenport, plus a landmark commission by the BBC, carried our decision to invest from the outset in a licence agreement with Sutikki to include our compilations and a Moon and Me stand-alone launch early next year. This doesn’t happen very often but sometimes you just believe the risk is worth taking!

“Other properties we have recently signed up to and are excited to be working with soon are Ricky Zoom and Paddington TV through our long established and trusted partners Entertainment One and The Copyrights Group. In the next 12 months as well as launching a brand new stand-alone magazine for Moon and Me, we will be publishing several one-shots under the Bag-O-Fun banner, including a Bing Special in November and Peter Rabbit 2 The Movie in Spring, working with Acamar and Penguin Venture respectively.

“We are very much looking forward to meeting with our licencing colleagues at this year’s BLE, which we really view as a valuable and critical time to build on our relationships, learn about the next hot properties and reinforce our presence as the best publisher of pre-school magazines in the UK.”

TOTAL LICENSING Bioworld Merchandising is one of the industry leaders of licensed merchandise for some of the biggest entertainment brands in the world. It is one of the most trusted partners in the industry, relied upon to bring its brand partners new success. Bioworld specializes in the brand management, design, sale and distribution of brands.

Bioworld tells a complete story from head to toe across men's, women's and kids, covering 12 different product categories, from apparel to accessories.

Bioworld sets a high standard for the industry in terms of product quality and differentiation. Every product should be exactly what the consumer expects. In the eyes of the consumer, there are no territory boundaries. Consumers are shopping the world to find the products they desire, and Bioworld is fulfilling this demand at the global level.

Its infrastructure allows Bioworld to offer specific product lines to retailers in the U.S., Canada, EMEA, Asia and Latin America.

Rubie’s Costume Company this year once again tapped into the popularity of Stranger Things by partnering with Netflix for the third season. After seeing successful launches with the first two seasons, Rubie’s joins Netflix as a partner once again for a new range of costumes. Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s most successful shows, with 40.7 million household accounts streaming the show since July 4th, and 18.2 million having already finished the new season,=, DNC started its business in licensing and devotes a lot of time, expertise and creative energies to this area.

A leading licensee in the lunch, stationery and Back to School categories, DNC has enjoyed long and successful partnerships with major entertainment companies such as Disney, Fox, Hasbro, Mattel and the BBC to name just a few.

Our license portfolio includes a mix of well-loved, evergreen properties as well as the latest hot movies and trends.

DNC has created high quality, reusable housewares and insulated food and drink products for over 20 years. Its brandsbrands – Polar Gear, Clic-Tite, Novo, Optima – and licenced ranges are supplied to most major UK retailers, as well as many international markets.

House of Disaster was named this year as one of the first UK fashion licensees for Frida Kahlo, in a deal secured by Art Ask Agency. House of Disaster is a fashion design and manufacturing company.

Frida Kahlo joins brands such as Moomins and The Beatles within the portfolio of House of Disaster.

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The 13th edition of the China Licensing Expo (CLE) will be held from October 16th to 18th, 2019 in Shanghai.

China Licensing Expo is the largest and most effective licensing event in Asia and is widely recognized as the best vehicle to understand the licensing market, promote brands, and expand the licensing business in China and Asia.

The Expo is organized by the China Toy & Juvenile Products Association (CTJPA) and sponsored by China Licensing Federation (CLF). For over a decade, China Licensing Expo has witnessed the development and growth

presenting over 1,800 brands of which international brands occupy over 80 percent. Exhibitors include top-notch global licensors and fresh new properties. In addition, 40 percent of our exhibitors are new this year,” explained May Liang, president of CTJPA. China Licensing Expo is held concurrently with the China Toy Expo, China Kids Expo and China Preschool Expo.

And this year, more and more records will be broken at CLE. Here are some of the highlights.

International properties After thirteen years of development,

Exhibiting Properties by Category at CLE 2019 Entertainment 67% Lifestyle & Fashion 11% Art % Design 9% Corporate & Brand 7% Non-Profit 3% Sports 3% of the licensing industry in China.

“This year, the exhibition space at CLE has expanded by 15 percent, reaching 40,000 sqm, with over 350 exhibitors

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more and more international companies are recognizing the potential of the Chinese licensing market. Major international properties choose the

China Licensing Expo exclusively as their ideal option when exploring the licensing business in China.

This year, CLE will host new international exhibitors including Entertainment One, Sanrio, Discovery, and Kakao Friends, whilst many famous international properties licensors including Universal, Turner, Mattel, Hasbro, Dark Horse Comics, Activision Blizzard, and Ubisoft have been regular exhibitors for years. Also, top global licensing agents such as IMG and Iconix will participate in the show too, bringing further fresh and diverse properties to the Chinese market.

NBC Universal established an independent licensing team for the Chinese market in 2016, which was also the first time Universal joined the China Licensing Expo. “Four years on and Universal is now a regular exhibitor at CLE. China Licensing Expo has offered us a perfect channel to meet potential licensing partners and establish a very positive image in the industry,“ said Allen Wang, Vice President, Greater China Consumer Products at NBC Universal.

Top and emerging domestic properties As the licensing market in China

TOTAL LICENSING ers include SPLiCE from US, KOCCA from Korea, CBLA from Japan,Total Licensing from the UK and Taiwan Trade Center Inc from Chinese Taiwan.

The dynamic pavilions will bring more fresh properties to the market and expand a much wider category, including entertainment, arts, museums and fashion at the expo.

grows, more and more Chinese companies realize the importance of brand licensing, and are beginning to explore more opportunities in the business.

China Licensing Expo serves as the most professional platform for homegrown properties, from well-known properties to new and emerging brands. In 2019, leading domestic properties including Tencent, Ali Group, Alpha, Wanda, NetEase, QIY will all join the show, as well as popular and new properties from social media such as Yijianyuzhou, Popmart and 52Toy. Art and museum properties Alongside entertainment and characters, CLE covers the whole property spectrum and art and museum properties are in the spotlight this year.

The 13th session of the China Licensing Expo hosts a special museum section at the show, and more museums are participating independently from home and abroad, including Forbidden City, China National Museum, Summer Palace, and Van Gogh Museum. Art licensors are growing in profile too.

Exhibitors like Tokidoki and Fuyun Art have joined the show independently.

Museums and artists create beautiful merchandise, which is well received by the market. Art licensing is becoming trendy and fashionable in China, and more high-end consumers prefer to choose those products to identify with their lifestyles.

More dynamic pavilions There will be eight pavilions at CLE this October, including a European Pavilion, US Pavilion, Japan Pavilion, Korean Pavilions, Hong Kong Pavilion, and Chinese Taipei Pavilions. The organiz-

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More onsite activities More and more on-site activities will be held during the Expo. The eleventh session of China Licensing Summit will further discuss the new media era and its influence on the Chinese licensing industry. At the Summit, organizations like the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Licensing International, as well as companies like Universal, Activision Blizzard, Entertainment One, and Hasbro will share their observations and experiences in this dynamic industry with an audience of over 300 delegates.

The China Tourism Licensing Forum will be the first forum in China focused on the topic of licensing and tourism. The China Licensing Professional Academy will provide one whole day of training for licensors, licensees, and retailers, to educate the marketplace.

And at the CLE Night, the awards of CLE’s Most Popular IPs, Rising Star IPs, Best Licensees, Best Retailers and Best Licensed Products will be presented.

More on-site activities are coming too, including a Licensing Seminar, a Football Fans Club, a Van Gogh Art Cafe Lounge, and Match-Making activities.

In the meantime, to help more manu-

facturing companies get a better understanding in licensing and properties, the China Licensing Federation has launched a professional search engine for the industry.

According to Du Tonghe, President of the China Licensing Federation, the website ‘China Brand Licensing 365’ serves as the online search and matchmaking platform, and over 600 properties from over 200 licensors and agents have registered on the website.

Thanks to the internet, the platform brings great convenience to network building and business exploration. Licensee companies can simply go to visit the website and conduct matchmaking online for 365 days of the year.

Besides the convenience it brings, the network also helps the industry operation to develop in a healthy direction.

“I believe, with the support of both the China Licensing Federation and the China Licensing Expo, the licensing industry in China will surely embrace greater potential in terms of development and it will enjoy a more promising future in the coming years,“ Du added.

Brand licensing is developing rapidly in China. According to the statistics from the China Licensing Industry Report issued by CTJPA, the total retail volume of licensed merchandise in China in 2018 reached USD 12.7 billion, a 14.6% growth year-on-year. Licensing International’s Report also refers to China now as the fifth largest licensing market in the world. Without doubt, China has huge potential to grow even more impressively.

TOTAL LICENSING

As the industry converges on Cannes, amid news of giant mergers between entertainment companies and a changing retail landscape, content is still very much key when it comes to broadcast and licensing decisions...

We’ve seen some major shake-ups in in the entertainment and character arena recently. Hasbro announced it has purchased Entertainment One – providing new ownership for Peppa Pig. CBS and Viacom announced a merger in a bid to challenge giants Netflix and Disney – and of course, Disney+ launches soon as well.

Every October, the global media and entertainment industry converges in Cannes for a week of networking, discovering content, buying, selling, watching screenings and attending conferences. Both MIPJunior and MIPCOM are extremely important for the licensing industry, as it is here that leading players will discover new content, talk in depth to existing partners and see what the next big things for the coming year are set to be. Here, we outline a few of the highlights that are set to dominate the licensing industry.

However, as we know, content is always key, and as we head to Cannes, we will see the bones of the industry come to life.

French animation studio, Xilam Animation, is heading to MIPCOM 2019 with its new comedy series, Lupin’s Tales.

The 78 x 7 minute 2D and 3D animat-

MIPJunior MIPCOM ed series will target upper preschool audiences and is set to be delivered in autumn 2020.

The series is co-created by Laura Muller (Mr Magoo, Zig & Sharko) and Nicolas Le Nevé (Oggy and the Cockroaches). Muller is also co-directing Lupin’s Tales with Antoine Colomb (Moka) and Xilam has already secured pre-sales for the series with Rai in Italy and France Télévisions.

The new series follows the adventures of Lupin, a young wolf who dreams of being like the storybook heroes he admires. From medieval Europe, to Greek and Nordic myths and Asian tales, in each episode Lupin will journey into a different storybook and attempt to become the hero.

Mondo TV, one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content, will be offering a selection of properties established or about to launch during MIPCOM, with a strong emphasis on eco-focused adventures and teen web stars as well as live action tween drama and animated science, romance and spooky comedy.

Visitors to the Mondo stand can hear about the company’s existing and future shows, including MeteoHeroes, House of Talent, YooHoo to the Rescue, Robot Trains, Invention Story, Heidi Bienvenida, Bat Pat and Sissi the Young Empress.

Mondo TV will preview a major new show at MIPCOM: House of Talent: The Web Series. House of Talent is already a phenomenon: a crew of over 20 online talented influencers boasting more than half a billion monthly impressions that has also inspired two novels (with more to come) and multi-venue fan meet and greets that have attracted over 80,000 fans since the beginning of 2019. The 26 x 13’

MIPJunior 12-13 October 2019 JW Marriott, Cannes, France MIPCOM 14-17 October 2019, Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France

House of Talent web series begins in September.

Another major focus will be MeteoHeroes, a Mondo TV co-production with MEC (Meteo Expert Center).

Studio 100 will showcase 100% Wolf, the new TV series which will be ready for delivery in early 2020. The show, produced by ] Flying Bark Productions in association with with ABC Australia, Super RTL Germany as commission-

ing broadcasters, and Studio 56, will be distributed by Studio 100 and stars Freddy Lupin, heir to a family dynasty of werewolves. The show is aimed at 6-10 year old boys and girls. 100% Wolf – Legend of the Moonstone is about a boy trying to find his way in a difficult world - one in which he is an outsider. He is a pink poodle in a world of werewolves and with this

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brings not only the recognizable challenge of the ‘fish out of water,’ but in addition he is the future pack leader and expected to be the very best of his kind, no matter his outward form.

YoBoHo Digital Content, home to the IP HooplaKidz, has partnered with ZeptoLab, founder and creator of the immensely popular Cut the Rope game series and the IP Om Nom, a candy craving character loved by kids across the world, to co-produce new content featuring ZeptoLab characters.

YoBoHo and ZeptoLab have been in a successful partnership for three years that has seen YoBoHo effectively employ its expertise in YouTube and build the series ‘Learn English with

Om Nom’, based on the popular show ‘Om Nom Stories’, in multiple languages. Now the two companies are collaborating on a co-production agreement which will see YoBoHo create ‘digital-first’ Early Learning videos for a new season of ‘Om Nom Stories’ using ZeptoLab’s IP and distribute them across numerous digital platforms.

YoBoHo will also create branded channels across various languages on YouTube, including Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French, to educate a global audience in a localized manner.

TV Asahi will present Super Shiro in Cannes. Aimed at 4-8 year old boys and girls, and produced by Science Saru, the 2D animation follows Shiro, an ordinary-looking dog living with an ordinary looking family in Japan, who is actually a superhero dog. It is a fastpaced slapstick chase comedy series inspired by the popular “Crayon Shin chan” franchise which has aired internationally since 1992.

Dandelooo is set to hit La Croisette with a new 2D animation series Stinky Dog (52 x 11 mins). In a first exclusive worldwide premiere at this year’s MIP Junior, Dandelooo will be showcasing the first two episodes of the slapstick series.

Commissioned by France Televisions, Stinky Dog is based on the famous series of books written by Colas Gut-

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man, illustrated by Marc Boutavant and published by l’Ecole des Loisirs.

Genius Brands International will debut at MIP Jr. this year 52 x 11 episodes of the all-new comedy, action-adventure animated series for children, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Created by the legendary Stan Lee as his last project, the series is a coproduction between Genius Brands, Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, and Schwarzenegger’s Oak Productions.

Schwarzenegger, who also serves as executive producer, lends his voice as the lead character in Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten. Co-creator of Deadpool Fabian Nicieza, who has sold over 100M comics worldwide, is scripting the series. Genius Brands’ Chairman and CEO and multiple Emmy Award-winning producer of more than 5,000 episodes of children’s programming, Andy Heyward, and President of POW! Entertainment Gil Champion serve as executive producers. Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten targets kids ages 4 – 7 years old.

Entertainment One is revving up the broadcast launch of Ricky Zoom on Nickelodeon in the U.S. Nickelodeon in the U.S. will join a top tier line up of partners and is set to launch series 1 in September.

A growing list of global FTA, PAYTV and VOD platforms are lining up to debut eOne’s latest preschool property across multiple territories, including Super RTL (Germany), Clan TV (Spain), Gulli (France), RAI (Italy), Youku (China), and Discovery Kids (Latin America) with further deals in the pipeline.

“The US will play a key role in the rollout of Ricky Zoom around the world” said eOne’s Monica Candiani,

TOTAL LICENSING

EVP International Content Sales, Family & Brands. “Securing a broadcaster of this calibre in this crucial market is a reflection of the high quality animation and storytelling that people have come to expect from an eOne show and we’re delighted to strengthen our long standing relationship with Nickelodeon.”

YoBoHo New Media specialises in creating, distributing and licensing original content in the kids and family vertical. Its latest creation with respect to kids’ content is entitled Mango Minutes.

Mango Minutes is about a mischievous monkey, Mango, who could turn the simplest of a task into a fantasypacked adventure. It is a humorous, non-verbal show, with 52 episodes of

5 minutes each for an audience aged 3 and up.

Available for the first time at MIPJunior from HIP (Henson Independent Properties), the CG-animated series, FriendZSpace (working title) (52 x 11’), targeted to kids 5–8 years old, is

a new character-driven comedy about three fun-loving Earth kids who jet off into the supercluster of stars and hop from planet to planet on a mission to make friends with outer-space kids all across the universe - then share their findings via posts to kids on Planet Earth. The action-packed series, funded by Thailand’s T&B Media Global, is created by Daytime Emmy-nominated Dan Clark and Oscar Covar and is currently in production at Shellhut Entertainment for delivery in fall 2021.

Gaumont Animation and Family will be presenting the new series, The Royal Family, for the first time at MIPJunior.

Based on the popular book series “La Famille Royale” from Christophe Mauri and Aurore Damant, this 52 x 11’ 2D digital animated comedy series

for kids aged 5 – 7 follows a modern day royal family eager to explore the extraordinarily ordinary discoveries of everyday life.

First published in October 2016, five books have now been published in the series in France, and the French speaking territories of Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.

Toon2Tango, Mondo TV & V House Animation will present Agent 203, a CG property aimed at 6-9 year olds. Created by Damjan Mitrevski of V House Animation, Agent 203 is the story of Zoe who lives with her dad in the suburbs. One day, she meets an alien in her garage, who needs her bracelet that her mum gave her. It appears that mum was a secret galactic agent, who is still alive but missing in action. Together with her new alien friend Ulav, Zoe enlists in the IA, pledging to protect the galaxy and finding her mother.

Her mission: guard the universe - save the planet - be home before breakfast.

Follow @totallicensing during the shows for latest news 169

Legally Speaking

TOTAL LICENSING

POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN DRAFTING A TERM SHEET

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE! THE BUSINESS OF LICENSING - The Essential Guide for Intellectual Properties Licensing has has exploded into a $250+ billion worldwide industry at retail and generates more than $7 billion in royalty income for those property owners who are savvy enough to license their properties for a wide variety of consumer products.

About 8 years ago, lawyer Gregory J Battersby and licensing veteran Danny Simon introduced the first Basics of Licensing book. They did a revised version a couple of years later and followed it with a Licensee edition and then finally an International edition. Recognizing that there was a degree of commonality between these editions, Battersby and Simon concluded that it was time for the definitive work on licensing, hence, The Business of Licensing which combines the best of all three prior editions and takes the subject to the next level.

This book takes the reader through the nuts and bolts of how to conduct a licensing program and handle many of the problems that it might face There is a substantial amount of reference material. They have included an expanded history of merchandising, and an extensive collection of the forms that any licensing professional may need which they intend to provide to purchasers with electronic access to the forms via Dropbox.

The Complete Business of Licensing is available at a cost of $39.95 ($34.95 for LI members). https://www.totallicensingworld.com/site/ business_of_licensing

Gregory J. Battersby Battersby Law Group, LLC 25 Poplar Plains Rd. Westport, CT 06880 (203) 454-9646 • (866) 579-9591 (Fax) gjbattersby@gbiplaw.com • www.gbiplaw.com Jed Ferdinand, Senior Managing Member Ferdinand IP www.FerdinandIP.com NY Phone: (212) 220-0523 CT Phone: (203) 557-4224 170

By: Gregory J. Battersby and Jed Ferdinand One of the most effective ways to ensure that the negotiations between a licensor and a prospective licensee ultimately result in a formal license agreement is to use a basic term sheet or deal memo. The term sheet is entered into at the conclusion of negotiations but prior to the drafting of a formal license agreement. The term sheet is normally a one or two-page document that outlines the salient business provisions that were negotiated, but usually leaves out most of the legal points. When the term sheet is initially prepared, specific business terms, such as the royalty rate, advance, territory, etc., are usually left blank and it serves as a checklist for the negotiations between the parties. At the end of the negotiations, the parties can then insert the appropriate numbers agreed upon during the negotiations.

Term sheets are particularly useful when the initial negotiations are conducted by the licensing executives with the understanding that the matter will then be turned over to their respective attorneys for finalization of the formal agreement. Absent a term sheet, it is often difficult to “conclude” negotiations, as there is no memorialization of the terms that have been agreed to by the parties.

Despite the existence of a completed term sheet, one party may occasionally decide to reopen the negotiations during the negotiation of the actual license agreement.The existence of a signed term sheet, however, makes it more difficult for one side to try to renegotiate points that have been previously agreed upon. The term sheet will also facilitate the attorney’s task in drafting the license agreement since it will contain the salient points. When a licensor uses a license agreement with an attached schedule of the relevant business points, it is particularly helpful to the attorney if the term sheet mirrors the prospective schedule.

Ideally, the term sheet should address the following essential elements of the arrangement: • Nature of the grant (exclusive versus non-exclusive); • Clear and specific identification of the

property and product(s) to be covered by

the license; • Licensed territory; • Term or period of the agreement, usually

including specific dates for both; • Renewal options, including any

requirements that must be met; • Royalty rate, advances and guaranteed

minimum royalties, and any specific dates

by which such payments must be made; • Dates when marketing and distribution

will commence; • Amount of product liability insurance

required; and • The time period within which a definitive

formal agreement will be worked out.

The term sheet is intended to serve as a preliminary document that memorializes what the parties have negotiated, subject to entering into a formal agreement within a stated period of time. As executed term sheets can be considered legally binding agreements despite lacking the typical provisions of a license agreement, the term sheet should state that the failure to conclude a formal agreement by a predetermined date will result in its expiration. This insures that the term sheet does not become a binding agreement if the parties fail to conclude a formal license agreement. One such typical provision is: This document does not constitute a legal agreement but is a summary of the deal points being discussed. No agreement will exist until the execution of a formal license agreement by both parties. This proposal shall expire thirty (30) days after the below date.

TOTAL LICENSING

By Martin Brochstein SVP Industry Relations and Information Licensing International www.licensinginternational. org

Tariffs and Brexit uncertainty ... we live in strange times!

Sometimes a writer has to go out on a limb, and craft a column a few weeks in advance about a subject whose parameters may change with little warning, which may make all of the writer’s conclusions moot. Pity the poor writer.

Oh, wait a minute. That’s exactly the situation a large chunk of the licensing community – particularly in the U.S. and Europe, which account for more than three quarters (78%) of worldwide sales of licensed goods – finds itself in, as the seemingly unpredictable economic policies, swirling political winds and social forces surrounding the topics of tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the U.S., and the uncertainty about the ultimate ramifications and shape of the UK’s exit from the European Union (Brexit) play themselves out.

During much of the last 18 months, brand owners and manufacturers around the world have been more consumed than ever with the state of their supply chains.

For U.S. companies, the looming threat of escalated tariffs on goods manufactured in China has seen companies begin (or prepare) to move production to other countries, and/or to strategize cost and pricing moves to minimize the damage to their market shares and bottom lines.

On the European side, it’s about navigating the uncertainty of how Brexit will play out on a wide variety of fronts in the licensing business. Assuming the departure of Britain from the EU, how will licensing agreements need to be

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rewritten (or at least amended) to account for the new geopolitical alignment? What are the implications for where and how goods are sourced and shipped, such as with customs regulations and inspections? These are only a few of the questions that need to be answered as we move forward.

It’s against that backdrop that much of the licensing industry is assembling in London for Brand Licensing Europe, only a few weeks before the latest (as of this writing) Brexit deadline. And among the seminars that Licensing International is sponsoring there as part of the Licensing Academy educational program will be “Preparing for Brexit,” on Wednesday, October 2, led by attorney Victor Caddy of Wynne Jones, on the subject of how businesses can position their operations to deal with the Brexit uncertainty.

All the news surrounding the U.S. and European business has diverted attention from an interesting pattern in the global licensing business that became evident in the results of the Annual Global Licensing Industry Survey published this summer by Licensing International.

(The full survey report is available for download free to members of Licensing International, and for $975 to nonmembers.)

While the U.S. and Western Europe, as noted above, account for the lion’s share of the revenue generated at retail by licensed goods and services, the rate of growth in the business is significantly higher in other regions.

The largest year-on-year increase was seen in Southern Asia/Pacific (up 5.9%

Assuming the departure of Britain from the EU, how will licensing agreements need to be rewritten (or at least amended) to account for the new geopolitical alignment?

What are the implications for where and how goods are sourced and shipped, such as with customs regulations and inspections?

These are only a few of the questions that need to be answered as we move forward.

in 2018), followed by Northern Asia (which includes China, Japan and Korea), where the business grew 5.6%.

The third largest growth rate came in Latin America, where a 5.5% increase was registered.

The expansion of the business in those markets helped drive another healthy year for the business as a whole, with global retail revenue from licensed merchandise and services climbing 3.2% to a record US$280.3 billion, while industry royalties jumped 3.9% to US$15.03 billion.

All signs point to a healthy holiday season, with a raft of major entertainment releases promising to keep the entertainment sector humming, and with brand owners, licensees and retailers continuing to creatively meet the challenge of giving consumers the merchandise and experiences they seek. It’s an ever-changing business landscape….

TOTAL LICENSING

Brand Licensing Europe MIP Junior MIPCOM Frankfurt Book Fair China Licensing Expo Asia TV Forum Hong Kong Int. Licensing Show British Toy & Hobby Fair Nuremberg Toy Fair Kidscreen Summit Licensing World Russia New York Toy Fair Australian Toy Fair London Book Fair Bologna Licensing Trade Fair MIP.TV

Oct 1 - 3 Oct 12 - 13 Oct 14 - 17 Oct 16 - 20 Oct 16 - 18 Dec 4 - 6 Jan 6 - 8 2020 Jan 21 - 23 Jan 29 - Feb 2 Feb 10 - 13 Feb 11 - 13 Feb 22 - 25 March 1 - 4 March 10 - 12 March 30 - 31 March 30 - April 2

0+ Media .........................................................................90, 91 9 Story ...................................................................................15 Acamar ..................................................................................11 ACE Fair.................................................................................73 Asia Television Forum ........................................................49 Australian Toy, Hobby & Licensing Fair ..........................45 Beano Studios ......................................................................55 Bologna Licensing Trade Fair ..........................................163 British Toy & Hobby Fair .................................................161 Bulldog Licensing .................................................................61 Business of Licensing ..........................................................97 China Licensing Expo .......................................................165 Cotton Division ..................................................................43 El Ocho ................................... 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119 Entertainment One ............................................................57 Ferly .......................................................................................41 H&A .....................................................................................159 ITV Studios ...........................................................................63 Kazachok Forum ...............................................................143 Kennedy Publishing ...........................................................157 Kidscreen Summit ...............................................................75 King Features .......................................................................19 Konami ............................................................................27, 29 Korea Character Fair........................................................171 Licensing Advisory Consultancy ......................................67 Licensing China ..................................................................147 Licensing International .....................................................175 Licensing Japan ...................................................................139

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www.brandlicensing.eu www.mipcom.com/mipjunior www.mipcom.com www.buchmesse.de www.chinalicensingexpo.com/en/ www.asiatvforum.com www.hktdc.com/fair/hklicensingshow-en www.toyfair.co.uk www.spielwarenmesse.de/toys/trade-fair-2019 www.summit.kidscreen.com/2019/ www.licensingworld.ru www.toyfairny.com/ www.toyfair.com.au www.londonbookfair.co.uk www.bolognalicensing.com www.miptv.com

Licensing Market Germany ...............................................39 Licensing World Russia ......................................................95 Little Brother Books.........................................................156 Magic Light ............................................................................69 Mercis ...................................................................................... 9 MIPCOM/MIP Junior ........................................................153 Mondo .............................................................................35, 37 New York Toy Fair .............................................................173 Nickelodeon ....................................................21, 23, 25, 176 Outfit 7 ............................................................................... 4, 5 Planeta Junior ............................................................ 111, 121 Pokemon ...............................................................................59 Rainbow Productions .......................................................154 Rainbow SpA .......................................................................... 1 Roi Visual ............................................................................. 2, 3 Rovio .....................................................................................65 Saks Licensing Agency ........................................................89 Santoro ..................................................................................53 Seabelievers ..........................................................................31 SEGA Europe .......................................................................47 Smiffy ...................................................................................155 Spin Master ............................................................................. 7 Studio 100/M4E ...................................................................17 Sunrights .............................................................................137 TF1 .........................................................................................13 Those Licensing People .....................................................71 Xilam ......................................................................................33 List Correct at time of going to press.

Autumn/Fall 2019

Summer 2018

Autumn/Fall 2017

Summer 2017

Winter 2018

BRAND BRAND BRAND BRAND TOTAL

FALL/AUTUMN 2017

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SUMMER 2017

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Design

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WINTER 2017

NADIYA

Heritage

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SUMMER 2018

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Celebrity

Heritage

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