Total Licensing Autumn 21 by Total Licensing

Autumn/Fall 2021

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141

Regular Features

CEE/Russia

Comment........................................................................12 Global news....................................................................14 Cover Story: Rainbow SpA.......................................126 Legally Speaking...........................................................154 The Licensing International Page.............................156 What’s On....................................................................158

Russia market overview..............................................96 News from the Russian market.................................98 Moonzy and The Barkers...........................................100 Brand 4 Rent - a leading Russian agency...............102 Russia - the facts.........................................................104

Europe

150

UK 18 96

Exim leading the way....................................................30 MGM looking ahead...................................................135 Susan Brandt talks The Grinch.................................155

Global ViacomCBS update.....................................................124 Sustainability with Products of Change..................132 The power of brand mascots...................................134 Booba’s digital journey...............................................136 It’s all in the experience.............................................141 Favorite kids’ entertainment brands.......................145 Sustainability awareness in footwear......................148

Asia

136

Smiley promotes sustainability...................................34 1000 days till Paris 2024..............................................38 Back to the future with Pyramid...............................40 The world of Finsbury Foods.....................................42 Latest from the Tonies.................................................44 Sensational year for Pokemon....................................48 Brand Licensing Europe Anna Knight talks BLE................................................. 49 What’s on show this year........................................... 52 Games for every gamer from Asmodee..................78 Boat Rocker at BLE......................................................80 New collaborations for Magic Light.........................82 It’s all go at BBC Studios.............................................84 Getting creative with Vize...........................................86 New brands from Studio 100.....................................87 Rachael Hale and Funky Friends................................88 Celebrating 120 years of Peter Rabbit.....................90 Happy 40th Dangermouse........................................106 Spain Territory overview........................................................110 Snapshot of Spanish market....................................112 Latest from El Ocho...................................................114 Spanish licensing market..........................................117 TF1 Licensing rebranded...........................................130 Pez sets a new style....................................................137 Xilam bring new series to London..........................138 Panini at 60...................................................................139 Licensing Matters Global at BLE..............................140 Interview: The Zoonicorns........................................146

North America

Squid Game - a Korean phenomenon......................32 100th episode of One Piece.....................................107 Licensing China Shenzhen.........................................108 The world of Smilegate..............................................122 Generation Z: targeting consumers in China.......150

Visit Total Licensing at Brand Licensing Europe C152

Co-Publisher Francesca Ash francesca@totallicensing.com

Co-Publisher Jerry Wooldridge jerry@totallicensing.com

Editorial Director Rebecca Ash becky@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

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© 2021 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

As this editorial is being put together, the attention of the world is focused on Glasgow for COP26, the UN’s Climate Change Conference. This brings together consumer brands from across a variety of industries all united in their efforts to help the planet reach its Paris Agreement ambition of 1.5C. Quite rightly, sustainability has become a watchword in the licensing industry – albeit comparatively recently. More and more manufacturers, and retailers, are announcing green targets – from supermarket chains reducing their carbon footprint and gradually eliminating harmful plastics to toy companies who are conscious that creating a sustainable toy will not only help the planet but also makes sound commercial sense. Interestingly, at COP26, toy giant LEGO are hosting a series of events and have launched their own ten Building Instructions for a Better World – a new initiative to inform those in power what youth, and increasingly children, think should happen. Humanity could do worse than follow LEGO’s instructions. Proof of the industry’s concern, the membership organisation Products of Change, founded by environmentalist Helena Mansell-Stopher, now has a impressive 300 members – licensors, agents, licensees, retailers, educators and many others. The groundswell that they are creating is also impressive and the information they provide is invaluable. I would urge others to join this organisation. Of course, sustainability is also a key topic at the upcoming Brand Licensing Europe which, after two long years, is hugely anticipated. BLE will run a Sustainability in Licensing activation with six unique zones – Fashion Innovation, Brand Fashion Swap, Retail Innovation, Brands for Social Change, 1-2-1 Clinics and Product innova-

Reduce pollution and waste

Protect Nature

Cooperate internationally

Change Laws

Leaders change your behavior

tion. In addition the Activation will also spotlight the United Nation’s 17 life-changing Sustainable Development Goals, supported by stats on why being sustainable makes sense for individuals, organisations and the planet in general. This neatly brings us to Brand Licensing Europe and the excitement that is palpably building ahead of what will be the first ‘live’ licensing show in two years. An impressive number of exhibitors are taking part – from the UK and Europe – and the show is giving the industry a much-needed chance to reconnect in person and to be inspired by the thousands of brands and products on display. Following the close of the three day show, a virtual follow-up event will take place at the end of November for those unable to attend or unable to see people they wanted to. To say we are delighted to be heading to Excel again is probably an understatement. Like the majority of people we speak to, the world is pretty much zoomed-out! We’re sure that the well-documented buzz that always exists around BLE will be there in bucket loads. It is also delightful to see so many Europeans coming in for the show. In recent years, BLE has become more and more international and It’s exciting that this element is returning this year. In celebration of the show, this issue of Total Licensing includes a major show preview, highlighting exhibitors and what they will have on offer this year. If you are attending, do please take a moment to visit Total Licensing at our booth (C152). We’ll be delighted to see you and hear all your latest news. You can also pick up your copy of Total Brand Licensing and Total Art Licensing. Francesca Ash Jerry Wooldridge Co-Publisher Co-Publisher

Stop ignoring the problem: do more

Invest in the environment

Educate people

Reduce emissions

Help people and future generations

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GENIUS BRANDS ACQUIRE WOW! Genius Brands International, recently announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Genius Brands will acquire WOW! for approximately US$53million in cash and stock. WOW! Unlimited Media, based in Toronto, Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles, has built one of the world’s leading animation production companies producing for the top broadcasters and IP holders including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sony, Hulu, Dreamworks, Moonbug, Peacock and Mattel. Andy Heyward, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genius Brands, commented, “The acquisition of WOW! substantially accelerates the financial growth of Genius Brands, delivering on our promise to shareholders to execute meaningful and accretive acquisitions, as we seek to rapidly consolidate the marketplace and become the foremost producer, broadcaster, and consumer product licensor of high-quality children’s entertainment in the world.” “I have known and worked with WOW! Chairman and CEO Michael Hirsh throughout my career, and there is nobody more talented, accomplished or well regarded. His track record of many hits includes the first Star Wars animated programs, Magic School Bus, Care Bears, Babar, Johnny Test, and Beetlejuice, among others. “In addition to the animation productions of WOW! today and the exciting new brand brought to the table for Genius Brands, WOW! has a massive social media footprint across YouTube, TikTok, Giphy, etc., expanding the Genius Brands kids’ audience demo into the lucrative teens and young adult marketplaces. The company has over 1 billion views per month on its Frederator YouTube Network, with over 2,500 advertiser supported channels, making it the number one talent driven animation YouTube Network.” WOW!’s Canadian production facilities enable a number of profitable synergies for the company via access to various federal and provincial tax credits, which will allow Genius Brands to transfer its current animation production at great savings from China. Heyward added, “In addition to WOW!’s 3rd party service production, we will now place many of the exciting upcoming WOW! owned content on Kartoon Channel! and activate it through our consumer products and global distribution sales network, further advancing revenues and earnings.”

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LISLE HEAD TO BLE WITH NEW BRANDS

KIDZ BOP IN MEXICO

Lisle Licensing heads to BLE with 2021 having proved to be a stellar year for the northern-UK-based licensing agent which celebrated 10 years in 2020. In this time they have promoted Francesca Lisle to Managing Director, with Colin Lisle stepping into the position of Chairman. In addition to expanding its client roster, Francesca has also restructured the company’s commercial division with two recent appointments which will strengthen its capabilities to support both clients and retailers. Two clients are making their debut at BLE; US-based humorous art and lifestyle brand Kate Smith Company signed Lisle as its exclusive UK agent at the end of 2020. The brand has hit the ground running with licensees Hallmark UKI, Moonpig and Carousel Calendars—all having product at retail for Q4 with a 2022 diary, wide range of cards, calendars and gifting items. The focus at BLE is to extend the brand’s range into stationery, homewares and party. Aspirational lifestyle duo, The Style Sisters, also appointed Lisle last autumn. The two long-term friends shot to stardom and celebrity status with their fashion and interiors ‘know-how’. Lisle has focused on developing a comprehensive style guide for the brand and heads to BLE on the back of of two licensee signings and plans to expand the duo’s range into homewares products such as candles & fragrance, organisational stationery, and kitchenware. Masha and the Bear has had a great year with more than 100 billion global views reached on You Tube. The brand continues to grow its licensing programme in the UK and the BLE focus is to extend existing contracts and tap into new categories including outdoor toys, games & puzzles and food. The Tetris Company has had a successful long-term licensing partnership with Lisle and 2021 has seen the Tetris brand develop a strong presence in the housewares and gifting categories. In 2022 Lisle will focus on adding children’s apparel licensee partners to develop from the new style guide, as well as health & beauty, bags and accessories. In its entertainment and broadcast portfolio, Lisle was appointed earlier this year by Planeta Junior to spearhead the UK licensing programme for its new IP, Milo which launched earlier this year on channel 5’s Milkshake. With a master toy partnership on the horizon, Lisle Licensing will focus on other key categories including publishing, apparel and dress up. Other clients from the portfolio that will be showcased at this year’s BLE include leading action sports brand Nitro Circus plus international artist Lucia Heffernan, in partnership with Rainbow Group.

Following Kidz Bop’s’s launch in Mexico recently Kidz Bop announced that Discovery Kids, the leading kids’ channel in total viewers this year, will serve as the official media partner in Mexico. The announcement is tied to the release of Kidz Bop’s newest global album, ‘Kidz Bop 2022,’ available now. Discovery Kids will support Kidz Bop content across their digital platforms, helping introduce Kidz Bop music and videos to millions more kids and families in Mexico. Discovery Kids will also broadcast a 30-minute special, Kidz Bop Pop Party, featuring the Kidz Bop Kids, in early 2022. Kidz Bop 2022, the biggest Kidz Bop album of the year, features a mix of global pop hits and localized chart toppers in each territory, including “Good 4 U,” “Levitating,” “Girl Like Me,” “Drivers License,” and more. Kidz Bop has sold over 22.5 million albums and generated over 6.5 billion streams globally since the family-friendly music brand debuted in 2001. The best-selling series has had 24 Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200 Chart; only three artists in history—The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Barbra Streisand—have had more Top 10 albums. Universal Music Group is Kidz Bop’s global distribution partner.

Visit Total Licensing on Booth C152 at BLE

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HOWARD ROBINSON JIGSAWS As the COVID-19 virus appeared and spread and the whole world seemed to be put on hold it was not surprising the lock down created a renewed interest in hobbies and crafts with jigsaw puzzles becoming one of the go to activities to fill in the long days and keep people sane, many stores running out of stock. As things begin to ease Howard Robinson saw a surge in requests for new designs from both the US, Europe, South Africa and Australia. He has now agreed an exclusive deal with CEA Ltd for puzzles in India and is now looking to team up for games too. He gained a new client in a new territory for wooden puzzles with Decolaser in Argentina. Much of the recent licensing activity has been in the hobby, games and crafts categories with paint by numbers for Hinkler in Australia and Paintbynumbers.Shop in the US. Howard has recently agreed an exclusive deal with Zuty for Europe with the first 79 designs now in production. Diamond painting kits remain very popular and he has supplied more new design for both Diamond Painting Deutschland and Dozelf in the Netherlands. The artwork and designs are now complete and ready for production of a range of card games for Masterpieces in the US. Other recent agreements include stitch kits with Art Needlepoint Co in the USA and a range of Selfie activity books with Kidsbooks Publishing in the USA.

FRIDA KAHLO GIFT LINE LAUNCHED The Frida Kahlo licensing program continues to grow and Art Ask Agency are pleased to announce the new collaboration with Thalia Bücher GmbH, the key cultural retailer and book store in Germany, for a retailer specific range of home, gift and stationery items through their expansive physical and online store network. Some of the design led products in the collection are stationery, décor pillows, socks, scarves, scented candles, trays, plates, blankets, and hand fans. Thalia’s design team got very creative and worked closely with the Frida Kahlo Corporation’s available assets to create a beautiful collection that will appeal to Frida fans in the territories. Products are nearly finalised and will be available from January 2022. “We are looking forward to our Frida Kahlo collection in Q1 2022 and all our stores are already really excited about launching it” - Robert Schadow, Head of Creative Design nonbook at Thalia. “The Frida Kahlo collection is one which perfectly suits us as a book retailer. Besides books about the artist Frida Kahlo, we can now offer our customers a whole collection that translates the positive spirit of Frida.” - Aleksa-Carina Putinas-Neugebauer, Thalia Team lead Creative Design non-book. “Frida Kahlo had German roots and it is great to see this amazing range on its way to the large number of German Frida fans.” – Maria Strid, Owner Art Ask Agency.

TOYS R US TO RETURN TO UK Toys R Us ANZ Limited and WHP Global, the parent company of Toys R Us and Babies R Us has announced it has signed a long-term exclusive licence agreement for Toys R Us ANZ to run digital and physical retail commerce for Toys R Us and Babies R Us in the United Kingdom. The chain will be reintroduced in 2022, with a plan for web sales to UK consumers over the coming months. As yet there are no details as to where and when shops will open, but a joint statement confirmed the license agreement to run digital and physical retail commerce for the brand in the UK. The brand’s UK stores, around 100, closed in 2018. WHP Global, a New York-headquartered brand acquisition and management firm, said Toys R Us ANZ will run the UK operation. Toys R Us ANZ, previously called Funtastic, relaunched the chain in Australia in 2019. Yehuda Shmidman, Chairman of WHP Global and Toys R Us, said, “Toys R Us today is a vibrant business with over 900 stores and ecommerce sites across 25 countries generating over US$2 billion a year in sales and growing, especially with the new launches for both the US and UK markets.” Louis Mittoni, boss of Toys R Us ANZ, said, “My team and I are looking forward to developing technical and commercial relationships with UK-based vendors and partners and to engage with the many loyal Toys R Us former customers and fans in the UK.”

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DIFUZED EXPAND LIFESTYLE BRANDS Difuzed is participating at Brand Licensing Europe, showcasing the company’s most recent successes in the licensing industry, as well as its goals for the coming year. While Difuzed brings its usual 360° coverage in the gaming and entertainment industry this 2021, the company is making very strong statements in three sectors – animé, sustainability, and its acquisition of global rights to the expansive lifestyle brands, Hard Rock Café. With more than 200 of the most influential brands in the animé, entertainment and gaming, Difuzed brings its unique and creative handwriting, along with a keen global business sense to create commercial fan-focused collections that will resonate with audiences everywhere. Jeremy Orris, Director of Licensing at Difuzed commented, “This year, we will continue to innovate with exciting animé collections. These focus on the massive pan-European fan-base, featuring brands like Naruto Shippuden,

Yu-Gi-Oh!, Hunter x Hunter and My Hero Academia and introducing new brands like the The World Ends with You. Our collections have been a major feature in numerous key retail partners around Europe, who are keen to provide their huge customer base with more. What started as a small trend a few years ago is turning into an evergreen tidal wave which we are here to support with our key sector licensor partners Mediatoon, Crunchy Roll and Funimation.The growth of streaming is bringing these great stories to a wider audience every day. “ Difuzed has also recently acquired the apparel and accessory categories for EMEA and global retail rights to lifestyle brand, Hard Rock Café. “This is an incredibly exciting partnership,” said Jannienke Mulder, Co-Owner of J&M Brands. “We have no doubt that Difuzed will give Hard Rock brand an essential boost that will skyrocket the popularity of this brand to new heights. With their wide range of products, never before seen designs and new, creative and fresh take on the iconic global lifestyle brand, fashion retailers around the globe are sure to jump on this great opportunity.” According to Gustavo Antonioni, Chief Operating Officer at Difuzed,“Hard Rock is very exciting in that it is an iconic brand celebrating 50th years of Rock and Roll history. Their growth plans include more casinos, luxury hotels and notable collaborations as with Lionel Messi this year. They are a brand with a clear vision for the future and are catering to a broader and younger consumer base and families. We have the exclusive rights for our key categories in Europe and this is exactly the sort of long-term partnerships we like to embrace at Difuzed.“ The creative team at Difuzed has created a set of style guides giving the brand a fashion forward appeal targeting the core Hard Rock audience. The Hard Rock Café t-shirt has been the most iconic and best-selling t-shirt in the world. “We’re so proud Difuzed is now able to offer a large and unique range of apparel and accessories encompassing this globally recognized

and beloved brand. The new design approach has already grabbed the attention of leading retailers,” said Rob Zwanenburg, Chief Commercial Officer at Difuzed. In addition to these strong global projects, Difuzed is also turning its wheels and promoting sustainability through its partnership with Australian sustainable fashion brand Piping Hot. This is part of a 5-year plan to show the company’s commitment to a more sustainable future within the licensing industry. Speaking about the partnership, Piping Hot Brand and Marketing Director Amy Low said, “Our partnership with Difuzed gives us the opportunity to expand our clean ocean efforts and global impact. We are excited to be on the journey with Difuzed to introduce Piping Hot to the European market.” The collaboration between these two companies will see the introduction of a collection that will be branded ‘Piping Hot by Difuzed.’ According to Difuzed Creative Director Sara Allwood, “We are extremely excited to partner with a global sustainability powerhouse like Piping Hot, as we witness sustainability moving from being a trend to being a lifestyle. Our partners and brands are increasingly becoming more conscious about sustainability, so it’s the right time for us as a company to move forward with our sustainability plans. We’ll prioritize using recycled materials within our core ranges as we try to save the planet one T-shirt at a time.”

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HP DEBUT PEPPA PIG PRINTABLES

GLOBETROTTERS

HP Inc has recently introduced Peppa Pig Printables featuring little British pig, Peppa, who stars in the most streamed preschool show for kids across the globe - Peppa Pig. Of course, the Peppa Pig Printables include Peppa’s little brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig plus a few of her friends— Suzy Sheep, Rebecca Rabbit, Gerald Giraffe and more. Peppa Pig’s global success can be attributed to its display of strong family values, friendship, compassion, and childhood curiosity—which the HP Peppa Pig Printables bring to life in family’s homes. These printables are exclusively available on the HP Printables platform, a free resource with downloadable activities from coloring pages to learning worksheets and simple projects, that can be printed and ready to use within minutes. Upon downloading the starter pack featuring the Peppa Pig Paper Theater, Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig, plus a few accessories, parents and kids can create their very own Peppathemed scene, acting out their favorite Peppa moments, or creating their very own. In addition to the starter pack, there are six additional printable pages offered where parents and kids can download additional characters, costumes, accessories, and backgrounds. This array of HP Peppa Pig Printable options will give kids the chance to explore their creativity, while of course partaking in some of Peppa’s favorite activities, from jumping in muddy puddles to making loud snorting noises. “We know schedules, particularly around the holiday season, can become increasingly cluttered and we want to encourage moments of family togetherness through simple, creative activities,” said Anneliese Olson, SVP and general manager, printing category at HP. “Peppa Pig is a beloved children’s character who encourages curiosity, inclusion, and imagination, all qualities that we value here at HP.We hope the HP Peppa Pig Printables will give parents, teachers, caretakers and children the opportunity to enjoy less screen time and continue to create memories rooted in those simple moments of togetherness.” Developed in partnership with Hasbro, the HP Peppa Pig Printables are exclusively available in the U.S. on the HP Smart mobile app and at hp.com/printables. Across all seven packs, parents and kids can download and enjoy over 100 unique Peppa Pig Printables. Additional packs include locations, like Peppa’s Treehouse or Playgroup, costumes for Peppa, George and friends, and of course, lots and lots of muddy puddles. “Peppa Pig’s loud snort, mischievous ways and infectious laugh, have long inspired creativity and a sense of every day adventure for our audiences. The opportunity to give kids a new way to express themselves with HP Printables was a natural fit,” said Casey Collins, GM & SVP, Global Licensed Consumer Products at Hasbro. “Working on simple projects, like cutting paper and creating art, enables parents and kids to enjoy a shared experience that can spur new memories, conversations and if they’re anything like Peppa and her family, a few snorts of laughter too.” In addition to these limited edition Peppa Pig Printables, the HP Printables site features learning worksheets, coloring pages, seasonal crafts and even unique greeting cards, business worksheets and organizational tools.

Harlem Globetrotters have announced that Retail Monster have been appointed to support consumer product licensing and retail development for the franchise. The licensing vertical for the business will be at the forefront of brand marketing efforts; Retail Monster will work hand-in-hand with the Harlem Globetrotter team to catapult its global licensing efforts as they build out licensing & retail programs to reach the Globetrotters core demographic. Having inspired generations of fans with the most interactive family sports entertainment experience, the 95-year-old Globetrotters are celebrating their legacy, while adding a modern-day flair to their worldclass basketball showmanship, with a complete brand relaunch. The new, contemporary vision for the team is designed to bring, non-stop excitement and elite basketball action to crowds around the world. “The Harlem Globetrotters are an institution that has captivated fans for generations. We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with the HGI team and are excited to activate opportunities across retail and licensing,” said Michael Connolly, founder of Retail Monster. “We are thrilled to work with Retail Monster to launch an all-new licensing program,” says Natalie Setton, VP, Commercial. “Their team’s thinking and retail and licensing acumen is a vital part of our reimagined and comprehensive licensing program.”

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FIRST HEALTH AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS FOR BING

POCKET.WATCH

Acamar Films are celebrating the retail launch of Bing’s first Health and Beauty products in the UK with new partner Solent Brands. Hitting retail in October, a Bing toothbrush and toothpaste launched in B&M and tissue packs will be available in Poundland. These new products launch Bing into the Health and Beauty category for the first time in the UK, building on the property’s successful licensing programme. There are plans for the range to expand in 2022 and beyond. Bing celebrates the noisy, joyful, messy reality of pre-school life and authentically mirrors the experiences of little ones, especially as they navigate daily domestic challenges. Oral care and tissues are a natural fit for the property and can aid grown-ups as they guide their Bingsters through the all- important bath and bedtime routines. Anthony Balkin, Managing Director of Solent Brands, said “Bing is a great addition to the Health and Beauty category in our Solent Brand group. A much-loved gender-neutral license, Bing supports real life learning and skill development and we are excited to encourage this with the launch of our Bing oral care products and tissues. We look forward to extending the range in 2022.” Louise Simmonds, Head of UK Licensing at Acamar Films, said “It is wonderful to begin this exciting new partnership with Solent Brands and to see Bing launch into a new category in the UK.We hope these fantastic new products will delight Bingsters as they build healthy bedtime routines and equally, support the grownups in their lives.”

Pocket.watch has announced the release of animated comedy series ‘Onyx Monster Mysteries’ and related games, merchandise and original music. This marks an expansion of their successful ‘Onyx Family’ partnership. Season 1 of the series, consisting of 12 episodes, is seeing a wide release across dozens of streaming services, just in time for Halloween. A special sneak preview of all 12 episodes of Season 2 is available exclusively on Amazon Kids+ and will go into wide release in December. In ‘Onyx Monster Mysteries’, created by Albie Hecht, pocket.watch’s Chief Content Officer, and starring the Onyx Family (3.5 million subscribers), the Onyx Family is transformed into cartoon characters in an adventure series to save the most endangered species in the worldmonsters! The family proves that with bravery, compassion, empathy – and a few cool gadgets– there’s no problem they can’t solve together. ‘Onyx Monster Mysteries’ promotes diversity throughout the production, with the voice and musical talents of the Onyx Family as well as diverse production talent behind the camera. The show is proud to include the perspectives of showrunner Doreen Spicer (The Proud Family), Producer Jon Barnett and Creative Consultant Adrienne Lopez.

TOY FAIR IS BACK AT OLYMPIA! After a hiatus due to the pandemic,Toy Fair is back in 2022! Taking place at Olympia London between the 25th-27th January, Toy Fair will be the first opportunity of the year for licensors, retailers, media and the wider toy industry, to get hands-on with the hottest new product launches and trends for 2022, as well as valuable in-person networking with more than 260 exhibiting companies. Toy Fair will be showcasing the biggest brands in the business including LEGO, Playmobil UK and VTech/ Leapfrog, right through to start-up companies exhibiting for the very first time. Toy Fair is the largest dedicated toy, game, and hobby

trade exhibition in the UK. Covering a total of 22,000m² floor space in its new layout across the Grand and National Halls. For 2022, the press office has been moved to stand 160 on the Grand Hall Upper Leve where there will be a fully functioning press office for media. Whilst it is very exciting to get back to an in-person show, health and safety is a top priority and organisers, the British Toy & Hobby Association, will have measures in place for everyone’s protection. Everyone at the show much show proof of either double vaccination or a negative lateral flow or PCR test within 48 hours of attending the event. There will be lots of hand sanitising stations around the show as well as a second entrance by the National Hall to help prevent any congestion or bottle necking when the show opens each day.

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PANINI SIGN NEW CONTRACTS Panini have signed a number of new licensing contracts. The latest deals signed will bring on the shelves products in different categories across Europe. The Panini’s approach is aimed at offering a wide range of products in different categories for both adults and kids.There is no limit to imagination.The company guarantees a continuous updating of its assets (the latest release of the style guide dated 2021) and a complete support to licensees in terms of product creation, activations and marketing activities. Marketing Licensed Products (MLP) is the first French licensee for Panini. Panini has partnered with MLP to develop, produce and market apparel lines based on the Panini brands and marks. With this multi-year agreement, Panini aims to expand its own brand extension business in France and French speaking territories in Europe. MLP’s Panini range is slated to hit retailers at the beginning of 2022. Bloomsbury, Lyle & Scott and the Crystal Palace are the new licensees in the UK. For the first time, the company has granted access to its archives for a book. Licensed by Panini and edited by Bloomsbury, the volume showcases Panini’s UK domestic football, FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship albums, as well as featuring all the big clubs and famous players. The book in now available in preorder. Lyle & Scott, the Scottish apparel brand, has teamed with Panini for a brand collaboration, with a go-tomarket date planned for mid-November 2021. The collaboration will see two drops out respectively next November 2021 and February 2022. A bespoke collaboration was signed with the football club Crystal Palace. Distributed in their own eComm and physical stores, the collection (t-shirts and hoodies) will be featured by the images of original Panini stickers of the club in their most iconic years. LifeStyle Srl with its brand QuyCup is the new Italian licensee for cups and coffee sets. Made with natural fibers (such as bamboo, corn starch and resin) and without using any GMOs, the Quycup X Panini products are sustainable and reusable. Tematico, the apparel brand of the Italian company Sem Manifatture, has renewed the licensing agreement for other two seasons up to fall/winter 2022. The offer of Panini branded products is enriched by Icam with its Christmas and Easter confectionary products, FCP for back to school, Mondo for footballs, Tecnografica for wall papers and lamps, Copa Football for apparel and accessories, Coro Marketing for promotional and loyalty activities in Italy, Leonine Distribution (via Bavaria Sonor Licensing) for audio play series.

DASH AND DELISH FROM IMG Healthy living kitchen brand Dash, in partnership with Delish – the destination for recipes, videos and the latest food news— has launched new innovative kitchenware in time for the upcoming holiday season. Created in a deal brokered by IMG, the Delish by Dash collection includes three new products that combine style and convenience, from compact countertop waffle bite makers and donut makers to go-to lightweight cast iron pans. The new collection includes a Waffle Bite Maker, a Donut Maker and a range of Lightweight Cast Iron Pans. Each package will also include a QR code with exclusive Delish by Dash recipes. This marks the second collaborative product drop of Delish in partnership with Dash after the Delish by Dash Stand Mixer debuted last fall.

WWE AND MATTEL EXTEND PARTNERSHIP WWE and Mattel, Inc. have announced a multi-year extension of their global master toy licensing agreement. The extended partnership includes exclusive rights around Action Figures, Action Figure Accessories and Kids Toy Title Belts. Since 2009, Mattel and WWE have developed a wildly popular and diverse portfolio of innovative toys currently available in more than 50 global markets around the world. WWE Action Figures have ranked as the No. 1 action figure property in the U.S. and consistently holds a top ranking. “Mattel is a true industry leader that continues to surprise and delight our fans around the world with innovative and creative WWE products that drive significant revenue for our retail partners,” said Sarah Cummins, WWE Senior Vice President, Consumer Products. “We are very pleased that WWE has once again chosen Mattel to help bring its storied history and characters to children and fans around the world,” said Nick Karamanos, Senior Vice President of Entertainment Partnerships, Mattel. “WWE is an important partner, and we look forward to continuing our relationship for years to come.” Mattel’s WWE Basic Action Figure Series is the longest-running continuous action figure assortment in history. Over the years,WWE and Mattel have launched multiple collaborations such as WWE and Ghostbusters and WWE and Masters of the Universe.

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COCOMELON HEADS FOR SAUDI ARABIA Spacetoon Event and Moonbug Entertainment, the global entertainment company that creates and distributes award-winning, inspiring and engaging kids’ content, have collaborated with the Saudi General Entertainment Authority to bring a CoComelon Town to Saudi Arabia for the first-time during Riyadh Season, starting October. For three months, Kids and parents will be able to visit the CoComelon Town while at the Riyadh Winter Wonderland, which is set to be spread out over 5 km2. This brand-new ex-

perience, inspired by the #1 mostwatched brand on YouTube with over 3.5 billion monthly views, has been exclusively created by the Spacetoon Event team. Ahmad Weiss, the General Manager of Spacetoon Event has

said, “Our audience has always been at the core of our work and we’re really proud to present this first-of-a-kind experience for all kids and parents of the region to enjoy” adding, “The CoComelon Town takes us one step closer to achieving our goal of expanding the presence of the brand in MENA through our on the ground family friendly experiences.” Ahmad Weiss also stated “Riyadh has really inspired the world with the entertainment events it has presented recently, and now the city is coming back to normal after the pandemic, and we are excited to be creating these unique events for all to attend.” Adam Steel, International Licensing at Moonbug Entertainment said: “We are delighted to bring this exciting new CoComelon experience to kids and families at Riyadh Winter Wonderland. Our beloved CoComelon is the number 1 most watched kids show in the world right now and bringing the town to life was no easy task, but the team at Spacetoon have delivered above and beyond our expectations, it’s going to blow kids minds! We look forward to the continued expansion of both our live entertain-

NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR FUNRISE Funrise, Inc. have a new partnership with video game developer Psyonix to create a range of customizable and remote controlled Rocket League replica cars, in a deal brokered by IMG. The new Rocket League branded collection will feature several customizable cars, including mini-RCs and full-size RCs that allow players to bring the video game Rocket League to life! The replicas are based on some of the most popular cars from the Rocket League franchise, including Octane, Dominus, Fennec, and Takumi. “We are so excited to welcome Rocket League into our family of toys and bring the fun of the game to life for fans around the world,” said Stephanie Simpson Bughi,Vice President of Global Brand Marketing. “Rocket League engages users in endless fun through a riveting combination of soccer and cars, and we are confident that fans will welcome the expansion of the Rocket League world through

ment and licensed goods, giving our fans across the region more chances to interact with the brand” The CoComelon Town will feature five locations, each one a creative, fun, and educational experience. They are JJ’s House: A replica of CoComelon’s famous house, where kids can play and have fun in a creative way; Melon Patch Academy: A place where entertainment is mixed with education. Kids will learn about art, careers, animals, and the world around them; Melon Patch Academy Playground: Little ones will experience outdoor games, with the highest level of safety; JJ’s Grandparent’s Farm: Planting, playing with sand, camping, and many other activities await kids in this section; and the CoComelon Musical Bus: This will be centered in the middle of the town, playing CoComelon songs. Additionally, kids will have the chance to meet JJ and take photos.A range of CoComelon toys will also be available to purchase on-site. Spacetoon and Moonbug Entertainment’s partnership goes back to the beginning of 2021, when the two parties signed a deal that named Spacetoon the master licensee of the CoComelon franchise in MENA, which resulted in the content being distributed across multiple Spacetoon platforms. Last August, they held a successful on-ground event at the Mall of Emirates in Dubai.

our new series of cars.” A high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem, easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition, Rocket League is one of the most popular and recognizable video game brands worldwide. Rocket League is free to play and available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on Epic Games Store.

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Exim has marked a before and after in the promotion of a property in Latin America. After thirty-eight years of experience in the industry, they can assure everybody that they are the agency that, in addition to the development of consumer products, generate a unique synergy to the emphasis and high standards on the production of live shows, concerts and events. Excellence and quality have been their signature mark and this effort has been rewarded with the opening of more than thirty shows that have been a box office success in most territories. In 2018 they premiered, at the prestigious Luna Park Stadium in Buenos Aires, Elvis Sinfonico, a concert that as the Argentine newspaper Clarin quoted, “Made the public feel that Elvis was Alive.” With 48 musicians on stage and a special

presentation by Priscilla Presley herself, Elvis Sinfonico repeated the success in Chile and Mexico. Next January it will return to Chile and during 2022 Exim plan dates in Brazil as well as Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay. *https://streamable.com/2ptcqs In order to continue growing their brand portfolio, Exim are promoting AGB’s (Authentic Brands Group) consumer products in Latin America, starting with some legends and celebrities. Exim believe it is an honor to represent Panini and Nasa Brands (through Bill Schwartz Agency), brands with infinite legacy and projection, under a strong brand seal and with a bank of thousands of images as well as Route 66. In partnership with AM-Licensing, they are promoting Brandalised (the

provocative and impressive work of the world’s most famous graffiti artist, Banksy) and Pets Rock whih approaches the consumer with a unique sense of humor. Under the leadership of headquarters in Miami, Exim has created an important network of agencies and partnerships throughout the region: Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Mexico, with offices in Guatemala and Peru. The seven countries of Central America are also covered. All along these decades Exim has built a strong bond between efficiency and creativity, where there is no limit to imagination. With a top-notch team, their main goal is to continue to grow, offering their usual high standard of quality and trust, just as they have been doing for the past 38 years.

www.eximent.com Brandalised and Pet Rock In Partnership with AM Licensing

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The inexorable rise of streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney + and others has, of course, transformed the content landscape. And, inevitably, had a major impact on viewing habits and viewer loyalty which, of course in turn has impacted on merchandising sales. The figures are extraordinary. More than 74% of US consumers subscribe to a streaming service, according to findings from The Leichtman Research Group, and the landscape has become intensely competitive. There are over 200 platforms now available to viewers globally, and more than 20 in the US alone. Whilst lockdown negatively affected

millions of people and businesses, it without doubt benefitted the streaming services. Whilst most of the streaming services began life with existing content, their foray into creating original content was inevitable. Bridgerton and Tiger King from Netflix became huge success stories. But in mid September - only a matter of weeks ago - a Korean series launched that has eclipsed them all – Squid Game. Squid Game is a dystopian drama from South Korea that has, according to Netflix, been watched by 111 million fans around the world since its debut. It has topped the charts in over 80 countries. The show’s plot focuses on a character called Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jungjae), a man who has accrued a sizable amount of debt as a result of his gambling habit. Struggling financially, he accepts an offer made by a stranger to join a high-stakes game that could solve his monetary woes. He is taken to an unknown location, where he finds 455 other players. They are informed by masked staff — includ-

ing the ominous Front Man — that whoever wins six games will be given a substantial sum of money. However, these games have deadly consequences for the losers. Gi-hun discovers this

when he participates in the first game, ‘Red Light, Green Light’, watching as his fellow players are gunned down. Squid Game has already helped a huge growth in subscribers for Netflix – the most recent figures cite 4.38 million new subscribers against the 3.5 million expected. On TikTok, the #squidgame has been viewed more than 22.8 billion times. And Netflix aren’t standing still. The company is actively creating video games based on its original content – seemingly a perfect extension for Squid Game.

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SQUID GAME - THE FACTS • Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk originally came up with the idea for the show in 2008, when he was in debt and struggling financially. • The script initially took a year to write, but it was rejected everywhere until being picked up by Netflix 10 years later, in 2019. • Hwang originally wrote it as a movie, and when he decided to turn it into the series, he fleshed out the games more and added characters.

Squid Game has become immensely popular in Asia, North America and the UK. And it was only a matter of time before merchandise followed its success. The Korean apparel industry has been badly hit by the pandemic. Today, factories across Korea have seen a massive demand for green tracksuits and pink jumpsuits with orders both from within Korea and around the world. Of course, licensees and retailers are keen to capture the ever-increasingly strong market that the show has created. Retailer Zavvi, who are known for creating unusual fashion lines, are set to

release ranges of Squid Game trainers, T-shirts, jumpers, blankets and even pillows featuring artwork and logos from the show. Of course, whilst younger children are talking about the show and inevitably anxious to see what all the fuss is about, Netflix has rated it age 15 and above and new product lines will reflect Generation Z. And products are flying out of the door. The Squid Game Store (thesquidgame.com) already has several items out of stock and carries an

impressively deep range of different items – from the Rope of War to 456 T-shirts, guard masks and much more. Similarly, The Netflix Store carries a substantial range of different apparel and non-apparel products.

• Hwang says the title and key game are inspired by the real squid game, which was his favorite thing to play as a child. He chose it because he felt that it symbolizes society. • The giant doll from “Red Light, Green Light” is based on iconic character illustrations from children’s textbooks in the ‘70s and ‘80s. • The playground set was made huge to resemble the way playgrounds feel big when you’re a kid. • The set for the glass stepping stones game was over a meter above the ground, which made the cast genuinely scared.

Merchandise is even booming on ecommerce platforms in China, even though the show has not been released in the country as Netflix is not available. Some of the top search results on Coupang, one of the biggest e-commerce sites in South Korea, for the show’s products are listed by companies based in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as Anhui province, among others. Product offerings are also available on Alibaba’s Taobao, China’s biggest domestic shopping app, and on international wholesaler Alibaba.com. In fact, a Chinese merchant cashed in on the success of the show and sold more than 2,000 black masks in three days during the first week of the show’s debut. Squid Game has received a rating of 7.7 out of 10 from more than 229,800 users on Douban, China’s largest movie and book review platform. It is currently ranked the third-most-popular

• The dorm was designed to look like a warehouse, highlighting the way the humans in it are treated as objects. • The coffins were shaped like gift boxes to signify the way the creator of the game felt as though he was a god, giving contestants a gift even in death. • Art director Chae Kyung-sun was inspired by fencing masks — as well as traditional Korean masks for the staff’s masks. • The design of the room with the incinerators was modeled after the Auschwitz concentration camp.

film and television show. And all of this without Netlix! Although nothing has been announced, it is more than likely that there will be a second – and maybe subsequent – series. Not bad really when you consider that it took creator Hwang Dong-hyuk ten years to get Squid Game to screens after a number of studios rejected the project for its ‘bizarre’ content.

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SMILEY BECOMES THE FIRST BRAND EXTENSTION PLATFORM TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY SMILEY have announced their 2023 “Future PositiveTM” campaign, part of the business’s long-term strategy putting the planet and its inhabitants at the forefront for a sustainable future. The licensing company leads by example by driving change in the industry. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the annual global carbon emissions. People, and in particular Millennials and Gen-Z are more than ever concerned about the planet wellbeing. As a result, studies have unveiled an increase of 20% of Google searches which proves the overall growing interest. For 33% of the consumers, brands are responsible for the environment. To tackle that global issue, Smiley will become an active ambassador for change through its Future Posi-

tive campaign. By supporting retailers, brands and consumer product industries to develop innovative solutions to transition to a positive future.

The Future Positive campaign will bring together the most future-thinking brands to curate a range of limitededition sustainable lifestyle products, infused with brand-experience and charitable giving opportunities. By collaborating with and highlighting products with sustainability at its core, Smiley paves the way in the industry. Its packaging, POS and brand assets will also be made from sustainable sources and a percentage of the profits generated by Future Positive products will be donated to a charitable cause advocating for the environment. Smiley’s five-year plan includes the increase of 25% sustainable products with Future Positive branding and aims at +100% sustainably-committed lifestyle brands across collaborations and licensing deals. The Future Positive campaign builds on the structure and processes Smiley has put in place to launch its 50th anniversary project in 16 countries over the world, 92 department stores and retail chains with 66 global brands.

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Smiley’s non-profit, Smiley Movement will be a part of the overarching business planning by supporting changemakers protecting the planet. By connecting, Smiley’s brand-partners to its network of Charities and social enterprises, Smiley Movement adds purpose to Smiley partnerships, creating meaningful engagements with consumers and building a social legacy. Smiley Movement will actively promote Future Positive campaign through its platforms: Smiley News, Smiley Talks and its podcast Defiant Optimism. In 2022 they will launch their 50th anniversary campaign to fill the world with Smiles through unique artists edition collaborations with some of world’s most relevant brands in fashion, design, beauty and food for the Spring Summer 2022. The campaign is curated by Sarah Andelman from Colette and features exclusive, limited-edition artworks by Andre Saraiva. They are setting the benchmark and showcasing their agile and creative ap-

proach to product development with 66 halo collaborations across 12 categories of products. The project will launch exclusively in seven globally recognized department stores retaiI chains, in 92 doors internationally through takeovers, popup stores and events and feel-good experiences, all featuring global PR, marketing, in-store experiences and digital/social activations throughout the world. Smiley was created in 1972 by French journalist Franklin Loufrani, who launched a happiness promotion in France Soir, using the Smiley icon to highlight good news stories. For nearly 50 years, The Smiley has shaped the way we share happiness and express ourselves through iconic products found worldwide. Smiley is an evergreen lifestyle brand that has influenced musical generations, social movements, popular culture and the pursuit of happiness. Today, The Smiley Company is one of the world’s top 100 licensors, with over 420 licensee and retail part-

ners globally to bring products to life across 14 categories.The Smiley Company holds trademarks registered in over 100 countries.

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REIMAGINED MUMFIE TO DEBUT Zodiak Kids, part of Banijay, recently announced it has secured a pre-sale from KiKA Germany for its upcoming new animated series of the heritage property Mumfie (78 x 7’). The series, directed by the French director Daniel Dubuis, is a co-production between Zodiak Kids Studio France and Italian animation studio Animoka alongside France Télévisions and Rai (Italy). KiKA will launch the series in their 6:30 kids prime time slot. Mumfie is a preschool comedy series based on Britt Allcroft’s Magic Adventures of Mumfie (creator of Thomas & Friends and the film Thomas & The Magic Railroad). Told with heart and humour, the brand-new series features the optimistic young elephant Mumfie, who along with his best friends, Pinkey the flying pig and Jelly Bean the colour-changing jellyfish, are the helpful heroes of this whimsical series. As our trio embark on their daily adventures you’ll get to meet their eclectic bunch of animal friends: a cheeky crocodile who thinks he’s a king and his mischievous cat confidant; there’s a hermit crab mayor and a giraffe who runs a hotel on an iceberg; you’ll see a jolly yellow whale and a skateboarding zebra, as well as some pirate wolves and a Greek chorus of funny frogs. In this world, nothing is quite what it seems and no matter what challenges arise, no flop, failure or fiasco is unfixable for Mumfie and his friends. Sebastian Debertin, Head of International Content Acquisitions & Co-Productions, KiKA said, “We are truly delighted to be adding Mumfie to KiKA’s schedule of pre-school programming. I think our audiences will fall in love with the absolutely unique and eclectic cast of characters and adore exploring the magical world of Mumfie with them.” Benoit Di Sabatino, CEO, Zodiak Kids said, “Following France (FTV) and Italy (RAI) Mumfie is now travelling to Germany. It’s found the perfect home in such a prestigious kids house with KikA! We can’t wait to bring KiKA’s audience the funny, exciting and touching adventures of Mumfie and his friends created by Britt Allcroft.” Britt Allcroft’s Mumfie was a beloved and classically animated children’s musical series, first shown in the UK in the 1990’s on CiTV, Fox Kids in the USA, and many other international channels.The series was lauded for its gentle storytelling and earned top ratings.

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APC KIDS SIGN FRANCE TV FOR HARDBALL APC Kids, the children’s entertainment division of APC Studios, has secured a deal with France Télévisions for live action series comedy drama Hardball season two (10 x 24’) and critically acclaimed DisRupted (3 x 23’), both of which are distributed worldwide by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) excluding France. APC Kids is the exclusive sales agent for the ACTF in France and other French-speaking European territories.

Produced by Northern Pictures in association with Screen Australia, Create NSW and the ACTF, Hardball season two will launch on France Télévisions in 2022, following the season one debut on Okoo. Aimed at children aged 8-12, the second season picks up with life being great since Mikey won ‘SasiWests-Hat’ handball tournament, but things get complicated with the end of primary school fast approaching, the arrival of new classmates who seem more like sporting superstar villains, and an important scholarship opportunity for Mikey that could break up the gang for good. A live action series of films produced by CJZ, Sticky Pictures and LateNite Films, DisRupted explores universal themes through unique perspectives. The films have seen critical acclaim, winning the Representation of Diversity in Kids’ Programming award at the 2020 MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards and have been nominated for Best Work in the Primary Category at the 2020 NHK Japan Prize.

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1000 DAYS UNTIL PARIS 2024 With 1000 Days to Go until Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched its first official online shop, which will host all of the Official Licensed Products for the next three Olympiads: Paris 2024, MilanCortina 2026, and Los Angeles 2028. On this occasion, Paris 2024 presented its first Official Licensed Products on sale as well as a preview of the upcoming collections. The IOC recently unveiled the launch of a unified official online shop developed in collaboration with Fanatics. The online shop will offer products manufactured by licensees and suppliers appointed by the IOC and the Organising Committees of upcoming Winter and Summer Games. The shop will feature Official Licensed Products for Paris 2024, such as souvenirs, equipment and clothing for fans. First Official Licensed Products now on sale Forty-one product references from Le Coq Sportif and Weeplay licensees are now available in textiles and accessories on the official Paris 2024 online shop (boutique.paris2024.org) featuring Paris 2024 Emblem and the French Team collections. Edouard Bardon, Licensing & Retail Director said, «With 1000 days to go until the Paris 2024 Games, we are delighted to add to the magic of this exceptional event by unveiling

the first licensed products available on our official online shop. Over the next three years, we will be offering new products to satisfy all tastes and audiences.” Le Coq Sportif, a historic partner of French sport, has developed a complete wardrobe to dress the athletes of the French Olympic and Paralympic Team. These products, showcasing the colours of the French Team, are also on sale for all those who wish to support the athletes. From recently, Weeplay presented a wide range of products with Paris 2024’s emblem (t-shirt, sweatshirt, jacket, tote bag, cap...). This collection, which is already a great success, will be expanded with new products in the coming months. Maison Drago, who specialise in the manufacture of official decorations, badges and medals will also be offering a range of pins for sale in November on the official Paris 2024 online shop. Sport and lifestyle clothing as well as new coins to celebrate 1000 Days to Go The Official Licensed Products are also linked to the project’s current events, such as the major events which will punctuate the calendar until 2024. To celebrate the arrival of the biggest sporting event on the planet, in France, in 1000 days, Decathlon is presenting a dedicated 1000 Days to Go capsule: REVE CREW. This capsule collection

includes a t-shirt, a hoodie, and a parka. These products became available for pre-order on 30 October 2021 on the decathlon.fr website. The Monnaie de Paris, who launched a hexagonal coin celebrating the Paris 2024 Games in September, will shortly reveal a collection of sports coins. The new collection represents sports that will take place at the Games (judo, swimming). In addition, Paralympic coins are being developed for the first time, with the first edition representing wheelchair tennis. A collection set to grow from 2022 The collection of Paris 2024 Official Licensed Products will be expanded in the coming months with eyewear brands including Julbo and Vuarnet, and souvenir products with Nemo and Artertre. Different brand universes will also be developed to satisfy all audiences: the Paris 2024 Emblem and French Team, as well as the “Allez les Bleus” supporter brand, the mascot in 2022, and the pictograms from 2023 onwards, which represent each discipline and are aimed at sports lovers. By 2024, almost 10,000 Official Licensed Products will be sold in more than 30,000 outlets across France With each new edition of the Games, Official Licensed Products contribute to the celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games around the world. Nearly 10,000 items will be on sale between now and 2024 in a wide range of categories: textiles, accessories, stationery, publishing, games and toys, electronics, home, luggage, eyewear, etc. A network of more than 30,000 points of sale will distribute these products throughout France to carry out this commercial programme. This historic programme is also an opportunity to create a team of licensees from different sectors of activity, from all territories, from small and mediumsized businesses, who will generate enthusiasm with creative and meaningful products.

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Back to the Future? Martin Withers, Sales Director at Pyramid International tells us about the company’s strong nostalgia business

Perhaps it’s pandemic inspired, maybe it’s driven by ignoring the melting polar icecaps and desperately clinging to simpler times, or perhaps we’re all just getting older… whatever the instigator, Nostalgia Licensing has never been more current. So, what’s ‘now’ is often not now at all. It’s 20, 30, 40 years ago that really has captured the imagination and is inspiring today’s consumer. As the world wakes back up and returns to some kind of normality after the Covid hiatus, consumers are chomping at the bit for ‘newness’. The collective sigh of relief when No Time to Die finally hit the box office (and the even bigger sigh of relief when it was declared a triumph!) was audible and the unprecedented and meteoric rise of a certain Korean TV show work of genius has taken the merchandising world by storm. However, alongside the over-powering need to consume ‘new,’ there is a huge and enduring demand for all things nostalgic… Martin Withers, Sales Director at Pyramid International told us more about the company’s nostalgia business.

“Some of our recent top sellers have been firmly in the ‘retro camp’ – movies like Goonies, Back to The Future, Jaws, IT, Chucky, Ghostbusters, ET are seeing a resurgence and alongside the always-popular posters and wall art options, demand has led Pyramid to introduce new lines in stationery, gifting and hydration.” More current TV shows have also lay-

ered up our 80s and 90s obsession. “A top selling license for Pyramid, Stranger Things, is like opening a time vault to 80s pop culture – with the demand for merch from the show being unparalleled. Another popular range is, Cobra Kai, which regularly re-visits the 80s in flash-back form. From apparel to hydration; stationery to accessories, Cobra Kai is firmly in our top ten bestselling license ranges.” Inspiration has also been taken from retro gaming such as Pac-man with a full stationery range developed following great sales of hydration, accessories and wall art. Nintendo classics, Metroid and Super Mario Bros have been resurrected and given the Pyramid treatment, featuring as Nintendo cartridge style notebooks. Never forgetting their roots, classic and iconic music brands have always been popular at Pyramid – with button and enamel badges, key chains, mugs and of course wall art and posters always big sellers. Martin tells us: “A new line for us in 2021 has been the vinyl slip mat. People have dusted down their vinyl during recent years and consequently our record slip mats, featuring classic artists like Pink Floyd, David Bowie and The Jam have proved popular.”

Another big seller for Pyramid has been their range from artist Steven Rhodes, who’s dark and slightly twisted take on 70’s inspired children’s book illustrations has translated to Tshirts, hydration, backpacks and more. All this nostalgia comes at just the right time for Pyramid, as they look forward to celebrating their 30th year in 2022. “When Pyramid was ‘born’ in 1992, it was undoubtedly a simpler time and there’s nothing wrong with looking fondly back with our rosetinted specs firmly wedged on the end of our noses! But as we emerge from the pandemic with lots of exciting things to come, we are looking forward to a pop-culture renaissance!”

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TOTAL LICENSING Finsbury Food Group is the leading speciality bakery manufacturer in the UK, producing a diverse range of cakes, bread and bakery snack products for major UK retailers and the foodservice channel. Aside from its own label products, Finsbury has an established roster of licensed brands. Working with the likes of Mars, Diageo, Mary Berry, TGI Friday’s, Vegan brand BOSH!, character licensing brands such as Disney, Warner Bros. Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Universal, BBC, Beanstalk, Carte Blanche and not to mention its long standing, 20 year partnership with confectionary business Thorntons. Daryl Newlands, Marketing Manager of Finsbury Food Group, brings Total Licensing up to speed...

A Legend in the Baking How has Finsbury navigated the last 18 months and what methods did you undertake to adapt to the changing times? Over the last 18 months Finsbury Food Group has made significant changes to our factories for the production and supply to always remain uncompromised and safe. Finsbury manufactures and delivers products daily so it was important for us to diversify as these changes came into operation. Very early on in the pandemic, we made key decisions to introduce significant alterations to both our factories and processes to ensure all Finsbury colleagues could work in a safe environment. As part of this transitional period, we implemented new line designs, one way systems, broader

PPE and sanitising stations to our operations and logistics.This enabled our workforce to manage the situation as best as we could and ensure Finsbury was a safe place to work. The decision to make these critical changes proved fruitful as we were able to continue manufacturing and supplying products across all eight of our sites to key categories in Cake, Bread and Morning Goods. These procedures remain in place today and will continue to do so until we can be absolutely certain it is safe to change back. What about retail during the pandemic – did you see any rise in sales or anything of note? At the beginning we were hit severely and retailers, quite rightly, prioritised every day essential products through their supply chains. We did, however, see over the weeks ahead volumes improve in certain categories whilst others were far slower. Our Food Service and Food to Go business took the biggest hit due to the usage occasion and ‘eating out’

market being adversely impacted. Our celebration cake business also slowed considerably as people were restricted to social distancing and therefore not able to attend large household and celebratory gatherings. Although, children’s party cakes were still in reasonable demand as families continued to celebrate those special occasions on a smaller scale, at home. Categories that did hold up were snacking and sharing cake due to the changing habits of shoppers, who were purchasing more store cupboard replenishments and everyday treats. Where there any of your brands that you noticed increased in popularity while the nation was locked down? Key children’s celebration cake brands continued to be popular as well as adult based branded formats, as families tended to celebrate together in closer knit occasions. Albeit volumes of celebration cakes were less prevalent, but the interest was still noticeable, especially for cakes created with our licensing partners such as Disney, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon and Peppa Pig. New brand launches of Xbox, Baileys Marble Cake and a vegan range in collaboration with BOSH! have also proved to be popular among consumers. Can you outline some of your recent launches and give news of new licenses signed? We have recently launched some exciting NPD across most of our brands and we are constantly launching new formats and profiles with existing licensed partners. Among our new product launches has been the TGI Fridays traybake dessert range. Our partnership extension with Diageo came in the form of the newly launched and hotly anticipated Gordon’s

Premium Pink Gin cake. Also new to the market are two Bundt Cakes under the popular Mary Berry brand. Finally, we have launched new children’s cakes into the market in the form of Sonic and Bing. Do you think the pandemic accelerated changes to the licensing and retail industries that were already occurring, and how has Finsbury Food Group embraced these and adapted to them? I do! Despite the licensed market struggling in some areas in recent years, over the last 18 months it has accelerated. In my opinion, the UK public has engaged more with this category as they look for products that interest them, provide comfort or for nostalgia purposes. People have had more time to reflect, talk and engage with different things that they may have not been able to do previously. I think if the licensed industry has been able to provide a slight glimmer of happiness or enjoyment over this last, very trying, 18 months then we should all take some pride from this.

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Stories Coming to Life with tonies tonies® is excited to announce the arrival of the Soft Cuddly Friends Tonies, in collaboration with German plush toy brand Steiff. Combining the magical power of storytelling with the beautiful, soft plushes, the new Steiff collection is sure to surprise and delight little ones and introduce them to a love of stories. Each of the three Soft Cuddly Friends Tonies contains six charming stories by Katrin Wiegand, adapted by Jayne Kirkham and told beautifully by Rob Rackstraw. Little listeners can join in on the Soft Cuddly Friends’ adventures, as they tell the story of Lisa’s toy shop and Lita Lamb, Hoppie Rabbit and Jimmy Bear coming to life. The characters take a ride on the magical, mystical moonbeam slide to the Land of The Soft Cuddly Friends and their adventures begin. As well as the beautiful Steiff Soft Cuddly Friends Tonies, tonies® is adding three exciting new characters to its incredible portfolio this November: Disney Princess Belle, nostalgic favourite Pippi Longstocking and Sesame Street’s Elmo. Disney’s much-loved story Beauty and the Beast is brought to life on the Toniebox together with a collection of the film’s most popular songs little listeners will love to sing along to. Follow

the adventures of spirited young village girl, Belle as she encounters the Beast, an unruly prince that’s fallen under the spell of a wicked enchantress. A love story with a twist, this magical tale as old as time is sure to capture young hearts. Pippi Longstocking lives in a house with a horse, a monkey, a suitcase full of gold, and no grown-ups to tell her what to do. Gifted with superhuman strength, Pippi is a rebellious but sweet young girl full of crazy ideas. Mismatched stockings, red hair and freckles combined with a unique independent spirit and a taste for adventure, Pippi is a girl who lives by her own rules. A cultural icon and one of the most popular children’s characters of all time, Pippi’s extraordinary escapades have been entertaining young readers for 75 years, and are set to delight another generation on the Toniebox, narrated by television favourite Sandi Toksvig. Everybody loves Elmo! Elmo’s sunny disposition is completely infectious in this wonderful collection of songs, stories, and interactive sketches guar-

anteed to put a smile on your child’s face. Little listeners will love to sing-along with Elmo’s renditions of popular nursery rhymes and children’s songs, including ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, and ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’. The Toniebox comes to life when paired with our whimsical collection of Tonies: hand-painted characters with hours of stories to tell, worlds to explore, and songs to sing along with. Each collectible character magnetically attaches to the Toniebox, making it simple for little listeners to change stories whenever they want!

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GLOBAL INSIGHTS: REFLECTING ME ViacomCBS, parent company of Paramount+, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, today released the findings of its newest Global Insights project, Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen, which uncovers that global audiences feel entertainment companies have a responsibility to increase authentic, accurate on-screen representation. Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen is an in-depth exploration of how television and entertainment teach people about themselves and others, with more than 15,000 people surveyed from across 15 countries worldwide. The study was commissioned by ViacomCBS Networks International’s Race and Equity Taskforce, as part of Content for Change, a global ViacomCBS initiative that aims to counteract racism, bias, stereotypes and hate through the company’s culture, creative supply chain, and ultimately the content it creates. Representation matters to audiences all around the world, with more than 80 percent calling for more to be done to improve representation both

on and off screen. It is also widely recognized that representation has an impact on the real world by influencing people’s perceptions, with 85 percent of respondents in agreement. Those that feel poorly represented suggest that this is not only due to not see-

ing enough people like them on screen but also due to seeing inaccurate portrayals, with more than half (52 percent) of people who feel poorly represented saying accuracy is lacking. “Representation in media is a critical component to authentically connecting with diverse audiences and communities,” said Colleen Fahey Rush, EVP, Chief Research Officer, ViacomCBS. “Along with launching our expanded Content for Change initiative, this study reflects how ViacomCBS is proactively taking steps to transform our entire creative ecosystem to better serve our audiences and create meaningful change now and for the future.” “Through this study, for the first time,

we see evidence of the connection between representation on screen and mental health,” said Christian Kurz, Senior Vice President, Global Streaming and Corporate Insights. “We know representation done right can aid in improving the lives of people globally and have the responsibility not only to continue the changes within our industry but also serve as a catalyst for positive social change around the world.” “From the early days after the formation of the VCNI Programming and Audience Task Force, we knew that in order to succeed, we had to understand the opinions behind the scenes those of our audience,” said one of ViacomCBS’ Race and Equity Task Force Leaders, Susan Nave. “Made up of an international team across all aspects of our business, we worked in close collaboration with the global insights team to identify key markets and individuals, giving us a truly international view around on-screen representation.We think it’s eye opening, thought provoking and an excellent road map for our business.”

DON’T CALL ME JENNYFER

MASTERCHEF: LET’S COOK!

This October Don’t Call Me Jennyfer, the French go-to retailer for trendy casualwear dropped a Chupa Chups collection that Millennials and Gen Z girls will be craving this fall. It offers t-shirts, jumpers, vests, socks, jackets and even sleepwear and underwear to create a free but friendly look that invites girls to get away from bias and stereotypes. The collection is available across the franchise and international network of stores and on its online store. The deal was brokered by WildBrain CPLG. “Approaching Gen Z and Millennials through the eyes of Don’t Call Me Jennyfer, has felt quite natural. The fashion collection developed, expresses joy and having fun by linking the colorful vibes of our sweet Chupa Chups brand.”, saids Vanessa Grande, Perfetti Van Melle Licensing Coordinator. Through a physical network of 300 stores in France, Don’t Call Me Jennyfer has managed, over the 2 past years, to become the leader in the clothing industry market for 10-19 years. Within a new strategy under the motto “No stereotypes” which is about inclusion, tolerance and diversity, values appealing to Generation Z, Don’t Call Me Jennyfer is one of the most influential and active brands on Instagram in France, with a community of 1.3 million members.

Banijay reports that MasterChef: Let’s Cook! is available exclusively on Apple Arcade. Players can choose their ingredients, slice, prepare, plate and serve delicious dishes with style in fun mini-games! The MasterChef jury will evaluate the dish based on performance and speed. Players can also complete and unlock new recipes, challenges, and mini-games along their cooking journey. Playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, the game is available on Apple Arcade which is also part of the Apple One Individual, Family and Premier monthly plans. MasterChef is the world’s Most Successful Cookery Television Format (Guinness World Records), with 64 local versions to-date. Recently hitting a milestone 500 seasons aired globally, MasterChef consistently attracts phenomenal audiences globally. With more than 90 licensees around the world, the MasterChef brand also extends into a huge range of successful commercial activities, with millions of consumer products sold, an extensive publishing range, and live experiences from restaurants to cruises and tours.

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A SENSATIONAL YEAR FOR POKEMON Winner of Best Gaming Licensed Property at the 2021 UK Licensing Awards, iconic pop culture brand Pokémon has enjoyed another sensational year, helped by a dynamic and ambitious programme for its 25th anniversary. Inspired by and celebrating the 25th anniversary, Electric/City is a first-ofits-kind immersive shopping experience giving exclusive access to limited-edition garments from the Charli Cohen x Pokémon range. The collaboration with Yahoo Ryot Lab, Selfridges and London-based designer Cohen launched on 28th September. Contemporary Swedish label Axel Arigato launched their celebratory collection in October. The nostalgic, streetwear-inspired limited-edition capsule with a contemporary twist features some of the most iconic Pokémon across both ready-to-wear and sneakers. Jazwares’ exciting toy range – distributed in the UK and Eire by Character Options – has enjoyed a strong 2021. New launches include a Volcanothemed Backpack Carry Case playset, an articulated Charizard figure and special edition anniversary silver figurines and plush. For 2022, Jazwares will be introducing more innovative product including over 20 new seasonal

skus. Exciting new toy and Pokéball releases have been a feature this year. The Mega Construx™ Pokémon Jumbo Pokéball from Mattel launches late 2021. Amazon exclusive in the EU5 markets, the fully buildable Pokéball, with numerous light effects and a display stand is an exceptional collector’s centrepiece. The Wand Company’s new Pokéballs were showcased at MCM London Comic Con in October, including latest release the Dusk Ball Replica, the holiday season Premier Ball Replica and the Heal Ball replica, due early 2022. A recent highlight of the massive yearlong music venture P25 Music was the release of Pokémon 25: The Album. Featuring new, Pokémon-inspired songs from global superstars including Katy Perry, J Balvin and Mabel, it was released on 15th October by Universal Music Group’s Capitol Records. Eagerly awaited new video games Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl – faithful revitalisations of 2006 classics which first introduced trainers to the Sinnoh region – launch on 19th November. And 2022 starts in style as Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduces fans to the longgone Sinnoh region of old. Trading Card Game Sword & Shield— Fusion Strike also launched in November, containing over 260 cards in booster packs, Elite Trainer Boxes and special collections. In Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series, the 24th season of the iconic animated series, Ash and Goh meet new friends and returning rivals on their exciting adventures. And September’s Pokémon Evolutions, a new web exclusive animated series celebrating

the 25th anniversary, tells familiar tales from Pokémon lore from a fresh perspective. Pokémon continues to evolve its offering with its first 5-on-5 strategic team battle game, the free-to-start Pokémon UNITE, which launched in September on mobile devices enabling cross-platform play. New free-to-play Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, an easily accessible app bringing Pokémon TCG gameplay

to smartphones for the first time, allows trainers globally to play together whatever their preferred platform. The excitement generated by the 25th anniversary celebrations looks set to continue into 2022, with more intriguing partnerships and vibrant activity on the horizon – including the Play! Pokémon 2022 World Championship Series coming to London alongside a dynamic new Pokémon Center.

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BRAND LICENSING EUROPE IS BACK! For the first time in two years, Brand Licensing Europe is set to take place at ExCel in November, bringing the industry together after the most extraordinary two years in any of our lives. To say the industry is delighted to finally get together is an understatement.The show has attracted well over 175 exhibitors and for those unable to travel or needing more time, a virtual follow-up event will be held at the end of November. As the excitement builds, we talked to event director Anna Knight to see what exhibitors and attendees can expect this year. How excited are you that after two long years the industry can finally get together? It’s really hard to put into words, but we genuinely can’t wait to get onsite at ExCeL and back to reconnecting the industry in person for BLE. This is what we do, this is our purpose – bringing the industry together – and it’s going to be a brilliant three days. Licensing is a very sociable industry. We’ve had some great virtual events over the last 18 months.

What do you see as the key benefits of a live event? It really is, and it’s one the reasons we love it so much. Licensing is such an authentic community and it’s been an honour to be able to keep people connected online over the last 18 months through B&LIS, Festival of Licensing and Licensing Expo Virtual. But we also know that people are desperate to get back face to face meetings, enjoy those impromptu networking chats on the way for a coffee and share a beer at our after-show drinks. Online meetings and events have been a Godsend for all of us, but they will never fully replace face to face in the long term.

Moving forwards, do you see live events running alongside virtual ones? Absolutely, virtual events are brilliant at attracting new and more geographically diverse audiences as well as making it possible for those who can’t travel – for whatever reason – to still attend. Let’s not forget that BLE this year is hybrid with a two-day event following on 30 November and 1 December. Despite the UK simplifying its travel system, we know that not everyone will be able to attend ExCeL, yet they will still have the same business requirements, and this is why we will have an online offering and why we have moved the majority of educational content online. You’ve managed to attract a lot of exhibitors. Bearing in mind the virus is still circulating, did you expect the show to be the size it is? No face-to-face events can expect to return to pre-pandemic volumes this year, especially those with international attendees. We’re thrilled that four weeks out we have 175 companies exhibiting across BLE in-person and virtual big and small, across all three categories (character and entertainment, brands and lifestyle, and art, design and image) and from 20 countries. What will be different/new for BLE this year? What are the highlights that visitors and exhibitors can look forward to? Our main feature this year is our Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change, which ties into our What’s Next theme and is a must-stop for brands, retailers and manufacturers. It will be packed with innovation when it comes to sustainable technology, processes, materials, retail, product and fashion design. We’ll have product showcases from the likes of Lego, Keel Toys,

TOTAL LICENSING George at Asda, Natural History Museum, The Eden Project, Teemill and many more. There’ll also be a Health and Wellbeing Lounge, where attendees can enjoy a peaceful respite from back-to-back meetings and find healthy snacks and drinks.

We have two in person keynotes. On Wednesday 17th at 4pm we will be hosting a Team GB panel session featuring two British Olympic gold medallists, including BMX Freestyler Charlotte Worthington who’ll be appearing in-person on stage next to Tim Ellerton and Will Stewart.

3rd floor of the Platinum Suite on the ExCeL Boulevard. Access is to registered attendees only and spaces are allocated on a first-come, firstserved basis. The Retail Trends Lounge is returning with five brilliant retailer-exclusive sessions, plus the Kelvyn Gardner License This! final, which is open to everyone, and I really would encourage your readers to support this brilliant bunch of designers, illustrators and inventors who are keen to break into the industry. We’re also paying tribute to Kelvyn on day two with our Colour for Kelvyn day, when his family will be joining us to open the show at 9am and we’re asking everyone to wear bright colours and make a Light Fund donation. The entrances will feature our Agents of Change galleries – these are the

companies that are driving real change across our industry. And we’ve locked in our social events. Teams BLE and Licensing International are inviting everyone to join us for after hour drinks on the show floor from 5pm-7pm on day one at one of our three bars: the Crunchyroll Bar, BLE Bar and Motul Lifestyle Bar. On Thursday, we will be hosting exhibitor drinks at the Novotel. And finally, excitement is definitely building for the show, and everybody seems to be talking about it. What would you say to reassure those who are still hesitant about visiting? From a content point of view, I would say don’t hesitate for one second longer - your visit will absolutely be worth it. And if you register now, you can start requesting meetings through our online platform for both

The second takes place at 1pm on Thursday 18th November and is a super insightful session from ViacomCBS Consumer Products discussing insights from its Diversity & Inclusion efforts with a specific focus on its recent toy research. This keynote will follow a presentation from Black Lives Matter Licensing UK. Both keynotes will take place on the

THE SAFE RETURN OF LIVE EVENTS Brand Licensing Europe has partnered with ExpressTest by CignPost to facilitate all testing requirements for international attendees. Anyone needing to take a day two test to enter England will be able to purchase a ‘click and collect’ testing kit to be picked up at ExCeL. The tests can be self-administered in any location with results uploaded online.Those requiring a ‘fit to fly’ test for re-entry into their country of origin will also be able to benefit from an onsite service with tests carried out by CignPost staff in secure private meeting rooms at the venue. The test booking service will open during the first week of November and information will be com-

municated via the BLE website, social media channels and direct communications with event customers. ExpressTest by CignPost is one of the leading UK testing providers, an ABTA partner and a UK government listed COVID-19 screening service, which provides fast, accurate and reliable testing.This latest partnership is just one of the many measures in place to help the safe return to live events by organiser Informa Markets. In addition to requiring proof of vaccination, negative test or natural immunity to enter ExCeL and an extremely comprehensive list of other safety measures, organisers are now also requiring that masks are worn by attendees.

BLE in person and virtual to manage your diary and time at the show. It’s also worth noting that our venue ExCeL will have been safely hosting events for more than two months by the time BLE comes round and all attendees will be expected to show proof of double vaccination or negative lateral flow to enter the venue. For full information or to register to attend, visit www.brandlicensing.eu

WHAT’S ON SHOW

TOTAL LICENSING Aardman have continued to deliver through the ongoing UK lockdowns both in terms of its international licensing business and content deals but also in adapting its production protocols to keep the studio operational. The team are now preparing to return to Brand Licensing Europe at ExCel and look forward to meeting with partners in person this November. The Shaun the Sheep brand continues to flourish with festive special ‘Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas’ set to premier on BBC One this Christmas together with an exciting international roll-out across key territories on Netflix. Alongside the much-loved content and successful licensing programs that continue to bring Shaun’s adventures to a whole new generation of international fans, the brand is further supported by an ever-growing portfolio of exciting attractions and live experiences around the world. This year, the team have been developing ‘Shaun the Sheep One Farm’ – an initiative that brings Shaun’s charm to the themes of food, farming and the environment – offering a fun approach to exploring and understanding where food comes from. Going into 2022, the brand team are focussing on a special licensing programme for classic characters Wallace & Gromit celebrating 30 years since Nick Park’s Academy Award-winning film ‘Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers’ was released in 1993. Aardman will be looking for partners across all categories including gift-

Aardman

wares, homewares and collectibles. Alongside their known franchises, the studio will be pushing their brand new

CGI/2D comedy series Lloyd of the Flies; which is currently in production and set to launch autumn 2022. The show, which is aimed at 7-11 year olds, features the voices of Tom Rosenthal, Alex Lawther, Lauren Patel, Teresa Gallagher and Callum Scott-Howells. Aardman’s other new IP, festive musical special Robin Robin is launching on Netflix on 24th November 2021 alongside exciting promotional partnerships, a publishing range from Macmillan Children’s Books and a beautiful Robin plush from master toy partner Aurora. Alpha Group is a highly successful animation and entertainment group founded in 1993. Alpha owns a number of properties including Super Wings, Legends of Spark, Katuri, Rev & Roll and Petronix. Art Ask Agency is an established licensing agency based in Barcelona, Spain.The company offers a full service to licensees and brand owners around the world and works with worldwide rights, offering full service, fast turnaround, approvals, feedback, newsletters etc. Properties licensed by Art Ask include Anne Stokes, Bradalised (Banksy’s Graffiti), Frida Kahlo, IA London The Art of Fashion, iStyle Originals, Jimmy the Bull, Luis Rova, Marie-Antoinette, Pets Rock, Route 66, The Camden Collection, TVBoy and Victoria Frances. Launched in Jan 2021 by a team of pioneers in IP licensing, ARTiSTORY is a specialist focusing on art and cultural IP licensing with unique capabilities of transforming “Artefacts to Merchandise” and storytelling via digital content empowered by teams in London, Barcelona, Boston, Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore. Apart from Dunhuang Inspiration, ARTiSTORY has recently announced global licensing partnership with Brooklyn Museum. As a Master Licensee, ARTiSTORY will license designs created from the Brooklyn Museum’s internationally-renowned collection of 1.5 million works of art, craft, design and artefacts, both for the China market and the global market.

In addition, ARTiSTORY is partnering with The National Gallery, London, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Taipei’s Palace Museum for global licensing programs outside China. ARTiSTORY is also supported by Sinofaith IP Investment Company (SIPIC) – an entity focusing on art and cultural IP investment and protection, which helps ARTiSTORY build a truly comprehensive eco-system of art and cultural IP. Asmodee Entertainment is the division of leading international games publisher and distributor Asmodee responsible for bringing the company’s diverse portfolio of brands into all categories. Asmodee Entertainment works with world-class partners to extend Asmodee’s leading intellectual properties into film and television, publishing, interactive games, locationbased entertainment and consumer products, creating truly global brands by establishing best-in-class partnerships across the full spectrum of opportunities. The Asmodee Group comprises more than 20 game design studios around the world – including names like Fantasy Flight Games, Z-Man Games, Days of Wonder, Zygomatic, Libellud, Atomic Mass Games and more – and holds a portfolio of more than 200 tabletop game brands, among them global phenomena like CATAN, Ticket to Ride, Dobble, Pandemic, Arkham Horror, Descent, Twilight Imperium, Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow and many more.

Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC. Brands include Dark Souls, Elden Ring, Little Nightmares, Ms Pac-Man, Namco Classic, Pac Man, Scarlet Nexus, Tamagotchi, Tekken, The Dark Pictures and Unknown 9.

TOTAL LICENSING Banijay Brands recently announced the launch of new consumer products programmes for hit property and garden makeover shows including Interior Design Masters,Your Home Made Perfect and Your Garden Made Perfect. The brand and commercial unit will supercharge off-air opportunities for the brands, using Banijay’s multi-territory reach and brand management expertise to drive deals for the hit series. Accompanied by modern creative assets and fresh style guides, the extensive licensing programmes will cover multiple categories spanning consumer products, gaming, experiential and publishing. Hosted by Alan Carr, Interior Design Masters, from Banijay label DSP, takes ten fledgling stylists and launches them into the competitive world of interior design to fight it out for the chance to win a life-changing design contract with a prestigious commercial client. The first series of Interior Design Masters premiered in August 2019 as BBC Two’s No.1 show of the day and series two, which launched in February 2021, built on the share of 16-34s by 191% compared to the previous series. Created by Banijay’s Remarkable Television, Your Home Made Perfect and Your Garden Made Perfect encapsulate the desire from modern homeowners to transform their indoor and outdoor living areas. The series use cutting-edge technology and VR to show homeowners the potential of their spaces, resulting in extraordinary

Brandgenuity

and breath-taking transformations. In the UK, Your Home Made Perfect was awarded Best Original Programme in the 2021 Broadcast Awards and the third series, which launched on BBC Two this year, had its highest ever audience, making it the channel’s number one show of the day. The format has also travelled to the Netherlands and France. The first series of Your Garden Made Perfect delivered an average audience of over 2m viewers, +58% above BBC Two’s primetime average market share and a second series has been confirmed. Brandgenuity has enjoyed an exciting year,  continuing to service clients from the London and Munich office, and building licensing programs for new clients and brands. Mini, ranked among the top 100 most valuable global brands 5 years in a row, promises to spark individuality to uplift people’s lives with a minimized footprint and maximized experience. Brandgenuity will seek sophisticated partnerships for MINI in lifestyle and mobility categories for adults and kids. Southern Comfort is a versatile dark spirit; liqueur with whiskey flavouring that’s full of laid-back soul and best enjoyed with friends. Fun, unpretentious, straight-forward and always a good time. Now, Brandgenuity will extend Southern Comfort into food and lifestyle extensions as well as brand collaborations. Fireball Ignites the Nite with snarky, authentic wit and one-of-a-kind flavour. It’s bold, hot, energetic and a true party catalyst and Brandgenuity will build the Fireball licensing program in collaborations, lifestyle and food and beverage categories. Kahlua is the #1 coffee liqueur in the world, made with 100% arabica coffee beans sourced from Mexico. Fuelling Kahlua’s double-digit growth is the explosion of coffee culture globally, with 2 billion cups of coffee consumed daily due to double by 2050. Now, Brandgenuity will extend Kahlua beyond spirits and into food and beverage categories for consumers who love coffee, coffee cocktails, coffee culture and more. Brandgenuity continues to grow licensing programs for existing clients.

The agency continues to elevate the BMW licensing program with fashion and luxury goods, including watches, eyewear and apparel with global partners Fossil, Marcolin and PUMA respectively. The NFLPA licensing program has expanded into new retailers in the UK and Germany and EA has had their most successful year with the Madden franchise.   The Hawaiian Tropic body mists continue to offer innovative new fragrances and formulations.The first products for Unilever hit the shelves of Zara during the summer months to provide consumers with fun-filled, Unilever ice cream inspired apparel. Finally, Ed Stafford experiential kids summer camps were a huge success post lockdown, and forest smock jackets have recently launched providing adventures with the shield they need against the elements when embarking on camping trips and country walks. Brands with Influence have announced the signing of two new licensing partners for the CBeebies show B.O.T. and The Beasties, made by Ragdoll Productions. Sweet Cherry Publishing, recent winners of Small Press of the Year 2021 at the British Book Awards, are to produce a series of new book formats for the show with the first release planned for 2022. These will include story books, picture books, and creative play books utilising sounds from the episodes. In parallel Immediate Media have signed to run regular B.O.T. and The Beasties content in their CBeebies magazine. “We are delighted to be welcoming two excellent new partners to the B.O.T. family. The series is proving really popular with the young audiences and with its colourful, and eclectic range of characters there is lots of scope for a fabulous new range of books and magazines,” explained Sanjee de Silva, Publisher at Sweet Cherry. Talking about the new deals Martin Lowde, MD at Brands with Inﬂuence explained, “This brand is exactly what we have been looking for here at Sweet Cherry. It has longevity, a range of great characters and portrays the fun and educational values that we are proud to align ourselves with. Sweet

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Brands with Influence Cherry’s creative teams have designed a really innovative and exciting new range for the series.” Brands with Inﬂuence will be at BLE next month sharing more details about the B.O.T and The Beasties licensing programme.

Bulldog

Bulldog Licensing will be exhibiting its diverse and carefully selected range of properties and their successful licensing programmes, which reach an extensive range of audiences, at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe. The list of brands on Bulldog’s books ranges from evergreen publishing titles such as That’s Not My…, to top entertainment brands including Miraculous, icons such as Popeye, Care Bears and Sesame Street, and lifestyle stalwarts like Guide Dogs, and their consumer products remit reaches into every category. A prominent part of the UK’s entertainment fabric, which is also celebrating its 40th year, is Cloudco’s iconic Care Bears property. The bears of Care-a-lot have an incredible 98% awareness among children and mums, and moreover, hold a multi-generational appeal. The little owl with big ideas, Odo, is

brand new to the Bulldog family. The beautiful 2D-3D animated series of 52 x 7 minute stories for pre-schoolers has already pre-sold to many leading networks and broadcasters worldwide. Following Odo on his journey as one of the littlest campers at the Forest Camp, the stunning series teaches young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves to help combat the troubling rise in anxiety and depression levels in today’s children. Continuing the theme of overcoming adversity, is British charity brand, Guide Dogs. Bulldog is building a consumer products programme for the organisation which helps support people living with sight loss, aimed at its owners, supporters, dog lovers and families. A staple in playgrounds and homes throughout the UK, Match Attax has continued to experience huge success over recent years as the world’s bestselling Sports Trading Game, selling over 600 million packets in the UK. Topps Match Attax partners with the biggest & most prestigious names in world football from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and German Bundesliga. Zag’s superhero show, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, first aired in 2016 in the UK on the Disney Channel, and quickly became its top-rated show. The girl power superheroes then joined the Pop lineup where the show airs daily in the prime-time slot. On demand viewers can find Miraculous on Netflix, Disney Plus, iTunes, Google Play and Amazon. Fuelled by spinach to be one of the most successful animation brands of our time, Popeye has reached the grand old age of 90 with no signs of slowing down. Remaining a popular brand in the UK and the world, Popeye

the sailor man has a social presence of 9.8 million fans, and his collaborations with numerous global fashion brands show he is more relevant than ever! With evergreen brands proving more popular than ever as consumers search out comfort in the familiar during uncertain times, Sesame Street remains as popular as ever with audiences young and old. Over 50 years since its launch, the property airs daily on leading commercial preschool broadcaster, Tiny Pop. Preschool publishing sensation, That’s Not My® was first created in 1998. With over 64 titles in its library, and more than 25 million books sold worldwide over its 22-year history, it’s easy to see why the brand is an attractive prospect for licensees. The books are designed to foster sensory awareness and language development in babies and toddlers and have become an intrinsic part of childhood in families throughout the world. New animated children’s property, Moley, is a multi-media brand encompassing TV, digital gaming and a planned event movie. It follows the adventures of a mole called Moley and a host of other characters in the bustling city of MoleTown. The series features a stellar line-up of voices including Warwick Davis, Julie Walters, Gemma Arterton and Richard E Grant, the series has 52 episodes and Bulldog is managing the worldwide rights for the brand. CAA-GBG is a joint venture with leading entertainment and sports agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Global Brands Group (GBG) as one of the world’s leading branding, apparel, footwear, fashion accessories and lifestyle product companies. They create impactful strategies that enhance brand equity and provide growth opportunities for their partners. Carbon 12011 Licensing, exclusive agency for Renault’s group brands will surf on the new wave of mobilities to expand its product segment in consumer goods, including luggage, video games, and textile. Renault’s famous R5 model that has marked generations is celebrating its

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Carbon 12011 50 years. But this will not be its last birthday. Indeed, a brand-new model with new design, new colors will be released in upcoming years. There has never been a better moment to exploit the brand for a variety of projects such as die-cast, video games and textile materials. Moreover, Renault have enacted a strategic plan for the future where renovation plays a key role in the brand upturn. Hence, new car models will be developed, and emblematic models will reborn. Carbon 12011 Licensing acting as exclusive agency for Renault Brands will serve as the bridge between Renault and the licensing world to make these projects come alive. The victory of Alpine F1 Team at Hungarian grand prix in August 2021 marks the beginning of a new era and Carbon 12011 Licensing pride themselves on representing this brand and are looking forward to sharing information about this upcoming Alpine F1 Team.In addition, they are looking forward to showcasing their new collection of Kulte 4L t-shirts and sweaters born from their new partnership. Kilkenny, Ireland-based Cartoon Saloon is a 5-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy nominated Animation Studio formed by Paul Young, Nora Twomey, and Tomm Moore. From award winning shorts to feature films and TV series, Cartoon Saloon has carved a special place in the International Animation Industry. Key properties include Puffin Rock and Silly Sundays.

Chefclub, the family cooking brand, was born in Paris in 2016 which has rapidly expanded in Europe, the United States, Latin America and China through the distribution of high-quality content. Chefclub’s unique positioning between cooking and entertainment resonates far beyond the sphere of cooking enthusiasts: with over 2 billion organic views each month and 100 million followers worldwide, Chefclub is the world’s fastest growing brand on social networks. Chefclub and Carrefour have created the Manger mieux au rythme des saisons boxed set to teach children how to cook key fruits and vegetables from each season. On the menu is an interactive book with 20 fun recipes and their zero-waste tips. Each recipe is easy to cook with 6 measuring cups included, while following the videos of chefs creating the recipe. “Bringing everyone together in the kitchen” is the challenge taken up by Chefclub, the most popular digital cooking brand on social networks. The recipe for success: spectacular

videos, and for the little ones, the immersive Chefclub Kids universe, created to make you want to cook and enjoy yourself as a family! Thanks to entertaining recipes, zany and endearing characters, and utensils adapted to little cooks (such as measuring cups that avoid the hassle of weighing ingredients), cooking becomes the new playtime, a special moment of sharing at the stove and around the table. Cooking is no longer a chore, meals made from scratch are the first step to eating better, one meal at a time!” This new initiative is part of Carrefour’s Act for Food program, which proposes concrete actions to enable everyone to eat better. This is illustrated, for example, by the removal of controversial substances from its own-brand products, the promotion of local and seasonal products, and the support of producers in converting to organic farming. The Copyrights Group is further developing its brands this year. Paddington has seen fantastic growth recently, supported by the launch of the first and second series of The Adventures of Paddington TV around the world, getting strong ratings on Nickelodeon and on Milkshake in the UK. The brand’s licensing program is expanding with a variety of must-haves for kids and families from leading licensees, including: John Adams (board games); 8th Wonder (wooden toys); Character World (bedding); Kokomo (toiletries); Fashion UK (daywear); Aykroyds & TDP (nightwear); DNC (bottles, lunch bags & melamine); Moonpig and Danilo (greeting cards); Amscan (dress-up); William Lamb (bags, backpacks & footwear); KinnerCopyrights

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TOTAL LICENSING ton (confectionery); Roy Lowe (socks); Paper Projects (stickers); and Rainbow Designs (launching further ranges including talking plush). Paddington is also growing on the experiential front with immersive retail (Paddington Café, UK), exhibitions (The British Library, UK), mall events (Brick Live, UK), touring shows (Rockefeller Productions, US and China), touring events (Gulli, France), theme parks (Sagamiko, Japan) and more to come! The Mush-Mush and the Mushables TV series has now launched internationally and has already received over 25 awards and nominations, including a 2021 International Emmy Award Nomination. With strong ratings already and a YouTube channel launching soon, the community of Mushrooms is set to become preschoolers’ best friends. The brand’s licensing program will launch early 2022 and The Copyrights Group is keen to meet with partners to support licensing plans further. For the first time at BLE, The Copyrights Group will represent Dragon Mania, the extremely popular mobile game developed by Gameloft. With over 1 million social media fans and 170 million downloads, Dragon Mania is the 2nd most popular dragon game on mobile. The brand has already ventured beyond gaming into digital content, charity partnerships and consumer products, and looking to develop into further licensing categories in the near future. Dependable Solutions (DSI) is a firm believer in bringing the licensing community closer together and building long lasting partnerships. Team DSI is returning to Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) to connect, learn and do business on an international stage. In addition to attending the physical event, DS will also participate in the online event on 30 November -1 December. After enjoying huge success at digital gatherings such as Licensing Week Virtual, Festival of Licensing, and recently Licensing Expo Virtual, the team at Dependable Solutions is excited to meet with colleagues and clients in person again at this year’s BLE, one of

the most important and valuable European tradeshows. The Dependable Solutions teams are very excited to showcase their services and meet with old and new industry professionals throughout the three-day event. They are planning to utilize this opportunity to meet with colleagues, hear some impressive speakers, and explore opportunities with new partners. Today’s licensing businesses need more analytics and better business intelligence. Wisdom and understanding come through knowledge about your business. DSI has been successful at evolving and improving brand industry knowledge with the leading automation software for brand owners, licensing agents, and licensees. DSI has offices in the USA (Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Arizona, Georgia, California, and Texas) UK, Canada, and Asia (China & Bangladesh) supporting 65+ clients across 10 countries. Difuzed is participating in the Brand Licensing Europe 2021 event, showcasing the company’s most recent successes in the licensing industry, as well as its goals for the coming year. While Difuzed brings its usual 360° coverage in the gaming and entertainment industry this 2021, the company is making very strong statements in three sectors – anime, sustainability, and its acquisition of global rights to the ex- Difuzed pansive lifestyle brands, Hard Rock Café. With more than 200 of the most influential brands in the anime, entertainment and gaming, Difuzed brings its unique and creative handwriting, along with a keen global business sense to create commercial fan-focused collections that will resonate with audiences everywhere. Difuzed has recently acquired the apparel and accessory categories for EMEA and global retail rights to lifestyle brand, Hard Rock Café.

According to Gustavo Antonioni, Chief Operating Officer at Difuzed,“Hard Rock is very exciting in that it is an iconic brand celebrating 50th years of Rock and Roll history. Their growth plans include more casinos, luxury hotels and notable collaborations as with Lionel Messi this year. They are a brand with a clear vision for the future and are catering to a broader and younger consumer base and families. We have the exclusive rights for our key categories in Europe and this is exactly the sort of long-term partnerships we like to embrace at Difuzed.“ In addition to these strong global projects, Difuzed is also turning its wheels and promoting sustainability through its partnership with Australian sustainable fashion brand Piping Hot. This is part of a 5-year plan to show the company’s commitment to a more sustainable future within the licensing industry. Speaking about the partnership, Piping Hot Brand and Marketing Director Amy Low said, “Our partnership with Difuzed gives us the opportunity to expand our clean ocean efforts and global impact. We are excited to be on the journey with Difuzed to introduce Piping Hot to the European market.” The collaboration between these two companies will see the introduction of a collection that will be branded ‘Piping Hot by Difuzed.’

TOTAL LICENSING A long-time exhibitor, Dorna Sports is an international Sports Management company and is the exclusive commercial and media rights holder for the FIM Road racing World Championship Grand Prix known as “MotoGP”. The racing is a superb spectacle, featuring technologically advanced, high-speed machinery from the world’s leading motorcycle manufacturers and international riders At the end of 2008, Grupo Edebé – one of the main Publishing Companies in Spain and LATAM – set up their Licensing Department in order to enhance and diversify the exploitation of its properties, as well as becoming a worldwide agent for third party properties. Since then, Edebé Licensing has established itself as a solid licensing agency for premium properties in Iberia. With its young and dynamic team Edebé Licensing has a proven success record with art & design properties like Cataline Estrada and Santoro’s Gorjuss, classic characters like Dr. Slump-Arale or renowned sports brands such as Dakar amongst others. ETS Licensing is presenting new properties recently acquired and new projects for those already in the portfolio. The new entries include Cry Babies Magic Tears, the mini dolls from IMC Toys, also central characters of ETS Licensing

a popular animated series, who teach the importance of showing emotions. Another prestigious new arrival is Oggy Oggy, the main character of the new pre-school animated series from Xilam, who sees Oggy in his childhood. From the partnership with Guru Studio, True and The Rainbow Kingdom has arrived in the ETS portfolio. The series stars an unconventional heroine living in a world of magic. As for brands already in the portfolio, the ambitious development projects for My Talking Tom & Friends from Oufit7 must be highlighted, which is increasingly a brand able to offer 360 ° immersive experiences, both online and offline. A revolutionary new product for Talking Tom will be showcased - GameBud Talking Tom the world’s First Talking-Animatronic Streamer, launched by Huge Play, Outfit7, and Epic Story Media. This innovative, animatronic character live-connects to Outfit7’s successful mobile games - Talking Tom Hero Dash and Talking Tom Gold Run - and brings the Talking Tom character to life as a neverbefore-seen gaming companion. In the Talking Tom & Friends universe, Talking Angela is emerging as an autonomous property, with a strong potential, thanks to a continuously growing popularity. Furthermore, there is an important partnership with Discovery network for licensing activities regarding the Italian free-to-air tv channels. Ferly is a brand building company specializing in creating brands and franchises through animation, digital, licensing, and publishing. Based out of Helsinki, Stockholm, Vancouver, and Los Angeles, they discover, develop, and create brands with the potential to build multimedia franchises around them. Key brands handled include Angry Birds, Blippi, Cocomelon, Cup of Therapy, Masha and the Bear, Momolu & Friends and Star Stable. First established in 2008 in Hong Kong, Global Trademark Licensing Ltd (GTL) has grown to become a leading global licensing agency with seven offices located in the US, UK, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, China

Global Trademark Licensing and the Philippines. As early pioneers in the Chinese market and with deep roots across Asian territories, GTL now ranks as one of Asia’s top five agencies, as well as being a top 15 licensing agency globally. GTL’s team of experts brings over 100 years of combined licensing experience across all major categories and a vast array of leading brands. Properties include CrossFire, Jaguar Land Rover, London Taxi, Lotus, McLaren Automotive, McLaren Racing, Mercedes Benz, Pagani Automobili and Scania. Golden Goose will be exhibiting for the first time with three new properties. English Heritage presents an exciting opportunity for licensees to join a new licensing programme with plenty of potential for a brand that has been a star of lockdown; Twisted Food is an award-winning social media brand with 35m followers across social media; and The Tusk Trust, a conservation charity that has Royal Patronage from HRH the Duke of Cambridge. Golden Goose also report that the burgeoning Original Stormtrooper licensing programme that, thanks to a fantastic new styleguide is expanding internationally with the appointment of partner agencies in Australia and South Korea. In addition, Del Monte have recently launched a range of frozen fruit in Iceland and more developments in the pipeline and Mother & Baby will be adding to their successful mattress

TOTAL LICENSING collection. Finally, Golden Goose will be unveiling their new licensing administration system, BrandXL for the first time at BLE 2021. This new, flexible, easy to use system will give smaller licensors and agencies to affordable cloud-based approvals and contract management.

Golden Goose

In a challenging and ever evolving retail landscape, it’s becoming increasingly critical for brand operators to partner with licensors offering much more than simply IP. Iconix Europe, the European arm of one of the world’s

sourcing, halo creation via global and local collaborations as well as retailer networking and distribution support. A key highlight from 2021 is the repositioning and relaunch of the Ed Hardy brand. Following early sell-out collaboration SMUs at Topshop and Selfridges followed by the launch of an extensive range of Women’s and Menswear, Iconix are excited to announce the presence of the brand at Urban Outfitters as well as the launch of a complete range of Childrenswear, featuring the original artworks and embodying the brand DNA. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Starter, the iconic athletic brand established in 1971. To mark the occasion, Starter partnered with Zara, part of the world-renowned high-street trailblazer Inditex Group, to develop and sell a Women’s capsule collection for Spring/Summer 2021. Furthermore, Starter Black Label successfully launched its first footwear offering for 2021, available now at Zalando and top independents. Iconix’s rollout of premium halo collaborations is undertaken to provide

Iconix

premier brand management companies Iconix Brand Group, operates an owned portfolio of 24 brands across Sports, Fast Fashion, Streetwear, Heritage and Home, including global brands such as Starter, Ed Hardy, Ocean Pacific, Ecko Unltd. and Zoo York and specializes in providing value-added services including the provision of heritage graphic archives, creative direction, global networked multi-category

its Licensees with additional brand buzz around the portfolio; notable recent partnerships include Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Lil Peep. Finishing the year, they welcome the fantastic Pull&Bear x Starter Autumn/Winter range which again celebrates the brand’s 50th year, with more high profile collabs in the pipeline for 2022. ID&T started in 1992 with a grass-

root party, created by electronic dance music devotees who yearned for a new experience.They are famous for launching ground breaking concepts, such as Sensation, which made the world dance in white and are cofounder of Tomorrowland, which is the biggest festival in the world. During their existence a number of brands, Q-dance, b2s, Awakenings, Air and Art of Dance, were added to the company, making sure fans in every subgenre within the electronic music world are well catered for. The world’s biggest electronic music festivals, such as Defqon.1 Weekend Festival, Mysteryland, Awakenings, Sensation, Decibel Outdoor, Thunderdome, Qlimax, Welcome to the Future, Amsterdam Open Air and Milkshake, are part of their brand portfolio. ID&T were the first to bring dance music to the masses, and their example has been leading the industry ever since. Their passion and devotion to the overall festival experience is what continues to keep them at the forefront of the electronic music world. They aim engage, amaze and captivate audiences through ever-evolving ideas, creating goosebumps all the way.Three decades of building the company have resulted in a tight execution machine, recognized worldwide for its leadership and quality in logistics and show. As dance music styles shift and public tastes change, they consistently try to place themselves ahead of the curve by carefully curating new concepts and events that focus on music, art & culture and sustainability. They invest in tomorrow’s heroes today, turning rough diamonds into shiny brilliants. They are always thriving to create larger-than-life-experiences and tell stories that stick, igniting sparks of imagination in both fans and partners worldwide. For this reason, every year, 1.5 million visitors travelling from all around the world attend their renowned festivals to celebrate life. IWM consists of five museums and historic sites covering war and conflict from the First World War to the present day. The sites are Churchill War Rooms, IWM Duxford, IWM London, IWM North and HMS Belfast. Their

TOTAL LICENSING IWM

sites and unique collection of objects tell the human stories of lives engulfed in war and show how conflict has shaped the world in which we all live. Design studio, Snowtap, has partnered with Licensing Agent, Kirsty Guthrie from KJG Ltd, to create a range of consumer products based around its beautiful, playful designs. Established in 2016 by two university friends, Snowtap is the design studio of graphic designer, Susy Snow, and illustrator, Gracie Tapner. The pair met at the University of Westminster in 2011 while studying for degrees in Illustration and Visual Communication. After graduating, the Founders were both working in the industry, when a catch up over coffee sparked the KJG Ltd

market.The company now boasts over 70 card designs. Coupled with witty puns, the cards cover all occasions, with a range of instantly recognisable designs and illustrations created collaboratively using watercolour, line drawing and hand drawn typography. Snowtap is now working with Kirsty Guthrie from KJG Ltd to build a licensing portfolio around the brand and extend the illustrations to a range of products covering greetings, homewares, stationery, gifts and more. Larkshead Licensing will be showcasing a range of brands across preschool, entertainment, art & design, and beauty at BLE 2021. With a raft of licensing partners on board for BAFTA awarding winning hit pre-school series Numberblocks and the BAFTA nominated Alphablocks, both shows are reaching an ever-expanding international audience as they delight and entertain children across the globe. Recent licensee signings include Rubies for children’s dress up costumes plus Sweet Cherry have recently renewed their publishing agreeLarkshead

idea of setting up a studio together. Less than a month later, the pair had launched Snowtap and the initial two greetings card designs had been stocked in their hometown of New-

ment, and will be launching a range of new book formats from Autumn 2021. Featuring songs, silliness, and plenty of fun learning, Numberblocks and Alphablocks have a combined total of over 5 million YouTube subscribers. Content is available on a wide range of platforms including CBeebies, YouTube, Netflix, Noggin, Kabillion and Kidoodle. BLE will provide an opportunity to share updates on new content, style guides, Apps, and a host of new product ranges launching throughout 2022. There’s plenty to celebrate with Numberblocks and Alphablocks. Larkshead Licensing will be revealing some new additions to their portfolio including the launch of L’Organiq the award-winning vegan, cruelty free natural skincare range with sustainability at its heart. L’Organiq has enjoyed coverage in Vogue and Tatler as well as receiving several leading beauty awards this year, including the Beauty Shortlist. May the Thoughts Be With You, a collection of positive thoughts and illustrations by Charlotte Reed (LicenseThis! Winner 2016) has recently announced a partnership with Student Minds and Half Moon Bay to promote good mental health and student wellbeing. Kokomo’s toiletries range expands Charlotte’s product licensing which currently includes gifting stationery, ceramics, and publishing. Still intent on world domination Zelda, from 1980s Sci-Fi show Terrahawks, will hopefully not be making a guest appearance at the show this year, but Larkshead will be presenting new licensing ranges from clothing to collector cards and comics.

TOTAL LICENSING Licensing Matters Global (LMG), the boutique licensing agency, is gearing up for the launch of more than one new licensing program at this year’s BLE. The global icon that is KFC kicks off its own multi-territory strategy, bringing the authentic spirit of Colonel Sanders to both food and non-food product categories. LMG will be discussing brand new opportunities for this beloved global brand at the show. LMG will also reveal its recently signed two new pre-school entertainment licenses at BLE. With both properties already in global distribution and capturing the imagination of pre-schoolers around the world, these two licensing programs, unique in their respective positioning and brand values, are certain to make an indelible mark in pre-school product aisles in multiple markets. BLE will also provide the opportunity to build upon the successes already achieved with Peugeot, the 211-yearold, world-famous French brand, in its expansion into carefully selected product categories beyond the automotive sector; and Fruit-tella, the beloved candy brand that will be celebrating it’s 90th anniversary next year. LMG will also be sharing news on the high-tech audio brand, Shure, of the iconic microphones, and Shell, the global leader in energy. On the inbound licensing front, the LMG team will be looking at acquiring properties for their sister company, YuMe Toys, of Harry Potter, Among Us and Baby Shark toy ranges fame. The team is always keen to meet new licensors in the entertainment, sports and gaming spaces at the show. LMI are pleased to be exhibiting physically and virtually at this year’s BLE and will be showcasing a number of brands. ACER enjoys strong brand recognition globally and is a new addition to the LMI portfolio. ACER and the associated brands available for licensing include AOPEN, Emachines, Gateway, Packard Bell and Predator. British Motor Heritage established in 1975 represent a selection of classic car marques including Austin, AustinHealey, MG, Morris, Rover & Wolse-

LMI ley, that have been and still are part of British motoring history. Recently licensed categories include apparel, gifts, e-bikes and e-scooters. BSA “The bestselling motorcycle in the world” the UK licensing programme is spearheaded by Poetic Brands using heritage artwork from the golden years of BSA which has a timeless appeal. New product categories include watches, leather jackets and figurines. A new range of BSA motorcycles designed in the UK and produced by Mahindra group is to be launched this December at the NEC motorcycle show. Highclere Castle, famously recognisable as the location for Downton Abbey sees its licensing programme expanding with Hangzhou Kanghou launching a luxurious range of quilts and pillows under brand name Sidanda in China. ISA International Space Archives’ licensing programme now has over 60 international licensees building on the awareness of space travel and Mars Magic Light

exploration. LMI will be featuring imagery and mission patches from global space programmes including but not limited to NASA. The Day Henry Met has had an exciting year, firstly landing a 3 year deal with ITV and secondly a children’s apparel and accessories range in development with the team at Poetic Brands. Like the concept, the style is very simple and straight forward. It’s based on simple children’s drawings, finished in water colours. The illustrations are purposefully crude to add charm and character and the colour palette is colourful and bold. The organic way this dream became a reality for the creators only add to its charm. Other properties in the LMI portfolio include 12 Guardians, Acer, Dobble, Elvisly Yours, Hobgoblin, PGA of America Schönbrunn Place, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Tarzan and Zorro. Magic Light will be showcasing several key brands including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Superworm and

TOTAL LICENSING Pip and Posy. In March, Magic Light launched its first ever TV series, the delightful Pip and Posy, on Sky Kids and Channel 5’s Milkshake. Humorous and warm, the show is based on the popular books by Axel Scheffler about a mouse and a rabbit whose lives revolve around a wonderful world of play. Following a partnership with Playday, the national day for play in the UK, in August, the first licensed products are set to launch in 2022. A hero with a difference and a wonderfully entertaining villain clash in the joyful animation Superworm. This latest family special based on a book by Julia Donaldson and Axel SchefMercis fler focuses on the brilliance of teamwork, and premieres on BBC One this Christmas. Room on the Broom has been celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021, with highlights including a special edition book, and some very special Room on the Broom activities at Chessington World of Adventures Resort this autumn including a character trail, Witch meet & greets and an animated movie experience – all on top of the amazing Room on the Broom – A Magical Journey attraction. Also at Chessington, The Gruffalo River Ride and themed hotel rooms continue to be hugely popular, while the award-winning interactive Gruffalo trail returned to Kew Gardens this October. And brand new for 2021, an exciting new interactive trail starring Zog the lovable dragon launched at Warwick Castle. A host of exciting new Gruffalo partnerships include an exclusive collaboration with Joules, the premium lifestyle brand, whose clothing and accessories for babies and children are part of the Better Cotton Initiative that uses organically grown cotton. The range features jackets, boots, hats, gloves and bags featuring The Gruffalo’s trademark features, plus Tshirts, tops, leggings, and dresses with vibrant character images and patterns that take inspiration from the original illustrations.

playmats in their simple muted style. Another exciting addition to the Miffy programme is Fy!, the home, living and lifestyle retail platform appealing to today’s modern shopper. The cool and quirky Miffy collection includes wall art, textiles and tech accessories. Translating well into fashion across the ages, luxury childrenswear company Tobias and the Bear continues to develop its Miffy partnership with new interpretations of its stylish unisex handwriting. Babywear and girlswear in Next also continues to grow as well as other new high street launches and autumn winter will see the addition of ladies’ nightwear styles.

Mercis report that Dick Bruna’s adored white bunny, Miffy, is recognised as a storybook character as well as for her simple iconic design, appealing throughout the ages and inspiring multiple partnerships in key product sectors. 2021 was a big year internationally seeing the brand open a new flagship store in Westfield Mall of The Netherlands; a second capsule collection was launched in collaborations with Pop Trading and Converse for footwear and the doors opened of Dick Bruna TABLE in Yokohama, Japan (café restaurant and wine bar). A global partnership to green up your world will follow, more details to come in 2022. Another important development was a long-term commitment for Miffy as the official ambassador for the Sickle Cell Foundation to raise awareness and funds for research. Besides ongoing exhibitions in Japan, the ‘miffy & friends’ exhibition moved from Seoul to The QUT Art Museum in Brisbane before moving to Melbourne, displaying original drawings, illustrations, early book covers and posters. The UK has seen the launch of many new products including collaborative partnerships in crafting, teepees, jewellery and handmade biscuits. This autumn premium playmat company Gus & Beau will launch 2 beautiful Miffy

Metrostar is a brand licensing agency, managing properties in the UK and across the World. Their clients include The Jockey Club, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant and Kraft Heinz - Heinz Beanz, Tomato Soup, Tomato Ketchup, Spaghetti, Salad Cream, HP Sauce, Lea & Perrins and Bull’s Eye. MGA Entertainment, Inc., is a consumer entertainment products company that creates innovative proprietary and licensed products including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery, and sporting goods. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as L.O.L. Surprise, Little Tikes, Num Noms, Poopsie Slime Surprise, Bratz, Na! Na! Na! Surprise, Baby Born Surprise, and Zapf Creation. AG’s Candy and MGA Entertainment Inc. are collaborating on surprise egg chocolates with L.O.L. Surprise!. L.O.L. Surprise! eggs are egg-shaped treats that split in two and the two halves are completely sealed from each other for safety. One half contains sweet milk and cocoa creams topped with crunchy mini biscuit bites and the other half contains an L.O.L. Surprise! gift. “We are truly excited about our cooperation with MGA Entertainment, and so are our distributors. We are working meticulously on product

TOTAL LICENSING development to offer a big variety of premiums for L.O.L. Surprise!™ along with our delicious treats to double the surprise factor and fun for kids” says AG’s Candy Licensing Director Ebru Iscan. The products will be available in retailers across the USA, UK, Belgium, France, Ireland, and Luxembourg for Easter 2022. Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s (MGM), a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms and owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of film and television content, continues to expand and evolve the licensing strategy for its roster of iconic entertainment properties. At Brand Licensing Europe 2021, MGM is set to unveil exciting plans and initiatives, along with special sneak peaks for Legally Blonde, The Addams Family, Rocky, Creed, Vikings: Valhalla and Pink Panther and more. In addition, MGM will discuss how they are expanding the program around the MGM brand with the recent introduction of their modernized logo and their plans to build fashion collaborations with IP in their iconic portfolio. Over the years, MGM has built a large roster of licensees and other strategic partnerships in the apparel, accessories, gaming, home and collectibles categories, as well as live events and location-based experiences, and is continuing to expand programs for its broad portfolio. At the 2021 Brand Licensing Europe, MGM will focus on showcasing licensing programs for their deep portfolio of iconic films, including the first annual Pink Panther Month in June 2022, its extensive catalog of classic horror films like the recent box office smash Candyman, the expansion of its sci-fi portfolio with the Stargate 25th anniversary coming next year in addition to Robocop’s 35th and the breakout spotlight on Creed with the third installment hitting theater November 2022. Additionally, MGM will be celebrating two big anniversaries: the 21th anniversary of Legally Blonde in 2022 with a Legally Blonde Turns 21 licensing celebration

and the 45th anniversary of Rocky. Mondo TV, one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content, has announced that at the digital edition of BLE it will be highlighting three of its hottest prospects for 2022: Grisù, MeteoHeroes and The Gruffalo. Mondo TV Group, Toon2Tango and ZDF Enterprises are jointly co-producing a new series, based on the

story books, activity books, colouring books and a Grisù magazine. In addition, a toy offering has already been developed and presented to the main market players. Launched just over a year ago and now firmly established as a hit kids’ animated show, MeteoHeroes follows the adventures of six superpowered kids who can control weather phenomena. It is the only cartoon in the world dedicated entirely to climate and en-

Mondo

classic property Grisù, created by its original authors Nino and Toni Pagot. The new series of Grisù will consist of 52 new episodes of 11 minutes each and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022. The series follows the adventures of Grisù, a brave, positive, determined young dragon – just like the firefighter he wants to be when he grows up. There’s just one problem: he is supposed to be a fire-breathing dragon when he grows up! This ambition is the theme of all of his adventures – and his positive can-do attitude will give his 4-to-7-year-old audience a little hero that they can identify with. ZDF Enterprises will also be responsible for the worldwide distribution of the audiovisual rights (excluding Italy, France, Spain and China, which will be handled by Mondo TV). Already confirmed are broadcasting agreements with ZDF in Germany and Rai YoYo in Italy. As well as strong content, the new Grisù series has strong merchandising potential. In fact an agreement has already been finalised with the Giunti Group publishing house, covering

vironmental issues. Series one launched in July 2020 on Cartoonito and is performing strongly. The final quarter of 2021 sees the launch of 25 MeteoHeroes Capsule Stories (90-second versions of MeteoHeroes that explain specific weather phenomena for young viewers), and two TV movies. In October Cartoonito is broadcasting new episodes of series one followed by a four-episode sneak preview of season two (52 x 13’). Meanwhile fans are eagerly awaiting the worldwide launch of a MeteoHeroes videogame in a number of formats in 2022. It has been developed in association with Sony Interactive Entertainment España (SIE España) and game developer Gammera Nest. MyMediabox is beginning the rollout of an exciting addition to its suite of licensing management software. Mediabox-GD (Global Dashboard) will not only serve as a single point of entry into their licensor client’s Mediabox system(s), but also as an aggregation point for graphically-oriented actionable KPI’s, BI, Trends and other pro-

TOTAL LICENSING ductivity tools to help the user be more efficient and maximize the licensor’s brand performance. The GD graphically-focused interface gives the user seamless access to all their Mediabox DAM, PA, RM, SM modules, saving time and creating a “one-stop-shop” feel. Key Performance Indicators (“KPI”s) and Business Intelligence (“BI”) from each of the licensed Mediabox modules present data in a graphical form (think, charts, graphs, etc) into various, module-specific widgets that the user can select to display on their semicustomizable dashboard. This simplifies visibility to key data and trends at a glance without having to go to the specific module and search for it in the various software modules when you really just need quick, “at-a-glance” information in order to make faster decisions about what to do next. Launching with a cross-platform selection of widgets already available, MyMediabox will be adding additional widgets and tools based on feedback from its 55,000+ User base over time, that pulls and presents IP/Brand-, Licensee-, Rights-, Contracts-, Financial-, Assets- and User-centric data, into actionable KPI’s, BI, Trends and more. Additionally, the Mediabox-GD will display a user’s calendar, tasks, messages, notifications, and announcements as well as various training and customer support resources, information on upcoming feature road maps or brand new Mediabox software. Rounding the platform out will be industry news and events and so much more. The initial release is targeted towards our client’s Administrator and internal Users, with plans to expand to Licensees in Q4, 2021. National Gallery

The National Gallery is delighted to be exhibiting at Brand Licensing Europe this year. As one of the greatest art galleries in the world, The National Gallery in London houses the nation’s collection of paintings including works by Van Gogh, Monet,Turner and Leonardo da Vinci. The National Gallery Company is the commercial company of the National Gallery. Their purpose is to generate income for the Gallery, enhance the visitor experience and reach markets beyond the Gallery, so that future generations are able to enjoy the paintings as we do today. Every licensing deal supports the National Gallery. The company is proud of its thriving international licensing business and extensive distribution network in the UK and around the world. Building the brand and reflecting the ethos of the National Gallery is key in all their partnerships. They like to partner with Licensees to create the best possible products and experiences, showcasing images of some of the best-loved paintings ever created. All licensees have access to the National Gallery’s unique collection of paintings, including intricate and beautiful details. All images are in exceptional high digital resolution and colour matched. The National Gallery has over 50 licensees across gifting, stationery, homewares and interiors, apparel, art prints, accessories, flowers and book publishing, and they are always looking for new categories and opportunities

to raise awareness of their paintings and extend their reach. They also have a growing global licensing programme in Japan, China, South Korea and South America as well as other parts of the world and a successful Delicious Art food and beverage sub-brand. With a vision of a future in which both people and the planet thrive, the Natural History Museum is uniquely positioned to be a powerful champion for balancing humanity’s needs with those of the natural world. Aligned with the Museum’s bold new

strategy, the licensing programme’s mission is to create advocates for the planet and to encourage a love of the natural world through innovative product development. An array of launches throughout 2021 support this vision including their most recent collaboration with Desmond & Dempsey. Printed on GOTS certified organic cotton with corozo buttons (instead of mother of pearl), The Epic Dino Collection pays homage to those extinct, but never forgotten creatures who once roamed the Earth. In their 2nd collaboration with Saint + Sofia, the Museum has launched a capsule collection of pure Italian silk scarves that feature a stunning wildlife print celebrating the exquisite beauty of nature. In a continuation of the Tales of the Earth series with The Royal Mint, the Museum’s second coin collection launched in Spring commemorating the remarkable fossil hunter, Mary Anning, whose astonishing discoveries helped to further our understanding of the prehistoric world. This

TOTAL LICENSING year has seen the Museum’s licensing programme shortlisted in no less than nine categories at the Licensing Awards and B&LLAs, testimony to the creative approach taken to growing the programme and the wonderful campaigns brought to life. In addition, there are many more collections in the pipeline with a significant collaboration launching in Spring 2022 that sees the heritage brand explore exciting new product categories. As you might expect from a growing programme, new style guides have been delivered throughout the year with a strong focus on dinosaurs (new illustrations and accompanying trend pack) and a wonderful new trend guide that shines a light on sustainability, encouraging planetary heroes of all ages to care for our planet. The team are keen to meet with new partners to discuss the exciting activities planned at the Museum and to explore how together they can work to build on their success. Founded in 1899 by René Dufaure de Montmirail, the football club Olympique de Marseille holds one of the finest histories of achievement in French Football. Supported by its fans, the club has succeeded in writing its history and achieve numerous conquests: 11 French League titles, 10 French Cups, 3 League Cups and 1 Champions League trophy over AC Milan. Olympique de Marseille is the most Olympique de Marseille

popular football team in France with a community of 15.5m of people. OM is more than football, it is a spirit, a popular brand. By promoting values such as diversity, sharing and commitment, Olympique de Marseille is a club that involves communities – regardless of age, gender, origin or religion. The team and its mythical stadium – Orange Velodrome – are indisputably at the heart of the city of Marseille. A unique relationship is created between the club and its city, which vibrates at each event of Olympique de Marseille. Owned by Frank McCourt – an American benefactor engaged in Olympique de Marseille with a notable portfolio in sports and real estate – Olympique de Marseille has great ambitions for the coming seasons. An ambition that is not only reflected in the field particularly with the return to the European scene but also outside the field with the development of the OM brand. The club hopes to integrate all their supporters around the OM brand thanks to innovative solutions. With more than 30 licensees selling the OM brand worldwide, we aim to promote new projects. By diversifying their ranges, they can respond to the strong demand from their child, women (21%), millennial (20%) and teenage (20%) fans. This means offering new product categories such as games and toys, women’s clothing or developing collaborations for their young target market. Established 60 years ago in Modena, Italy, the Panini Group has subsidiaries throughout Europe, Latin America and United States. Panini is the international brand leader within the world of sticker and trading card collectables and one of the leading publishers of children magazines and books, comics, manga and graphic novels. Penguin Ventures will be showcasing their portfolio of licensed literary children’s IP at Brand Licensing Europe 2021, including Classic Peter Rabbit, The World of The Snowman, Spot and The Flower Fairies. Visit Penguin Ventures on stand B150 to discover the exciting plans in place to celebrate

120 years of Peter Rabbit and 10 years of The Snowman and The Snowdog. Penguin Ventures is part of Penguin Random House Children’s and brings together Licensing, Consumer Products, TV Production, Art Exhibitions and Live events strategies, finding new ways to tell the world’s favourite stories. Rights and Brands bring Nordic rights and brands to a global arena. Their background is in literature, art and design. They are a 360 agency using all aspects of character representation, licensing and branding, from publishing and PR to promotion, merchandising and digital solutions. In recent news, Rights & Brands Asia is now open for business. The company is a joint venture between Rights & Brands, Moomin Characters, the current Moomin Chinese sub. agent PPW and Itochu, one of the largest Japanese general trading companies (“sogo shosha”). Rights & Brands have also entered a strategic partnership with Fiskars Group and Moomin characters. The new arrangement with Fiskars Group as a minority shareholder in Rights & Brands, the long-time Moomin master agent, solidifies the unique partnership and grants Fiskars Group access to a wide portfolio of R&B’s beloved brands, including the Moomins. The partnership with Fiskars Group adds yet another expansive strand of business development to Rights

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& Brands’ previous investments and business alliances with Rovio Entertainment Corporation (Angry Birds) and Gutsy Animations (Moominvalley animation) earlier this year. Roadsign is an Australian outdoor and lifestyle brand, offering clothing and accessories for people who love travelling and being one with nature. Roadsign was founded in 1985 by Roger Carthew, a student from Adelaide, whom after seeing its popularity with tourists began replicating the iconic Australian “road signs” as a souvenir of Australia. Since then, Roadsign has expanded its product offerings into apparel and accessories that embody the spirit of Australia. Roadsign embodies Australia’s spirit of freedom, nature & adventure. The brand has a unique authenticity for outdoor travel and lifestyle Since 1985, ROADSIGN has gained momentum and recognition throughout the world with its visual impact of Australian road signs. Roadsign’s initial desire is to put forward Australia, a country that showcases adventure and encourages the general public to travel and discover. The Logo- a black kangaroo on a yellow sign-freshens the collective memory and is a major asset in terms of brand marketing strategies.Today, Roadsign is capable of offering a wide range of textile items, and due to its reputation, it is able to assert itself as a brand leader while combining various licensed products. The brand can rely on an extensive network of 20 sub-licensees covering over 400 points of sales in Europe, mainly in France and Germany. For the first time, Roadsign will exhibit at BLE

With almost 20 licensees on board, there will be a wide range of new lines hitting shelves over the coming weeks, including family pyjamas from Aykroyd & Sons, bedding from Dreamtex, Top Trumps cards from Winning Moves, an Elf on the Shelf magazine from Signature Publishing, and much more. Almost 85 years since its launch, the Beano Comic and Annual delivered a fantastic ABC in 2020, averaging sales of 45,644 during the year, an increase of 9% YOY. Dennis is also the star of two animated TV series, which have with the aim of raising brand aware- been watched on CBBC more than ness, creating synergy and new point 29 million times since launch. of sales for our existing partners and Rocket has instigated some expesecuring new licensing opportunities riential partnerships for Beano, including an Easter event with Kew in Europe, Americas and Asia. Gardens and Wakehurst Place. - DenRocket Licensing is readying its nis-themed rides in Gulliver’s Theme Park resorts; Dennis and Gnasher Unportfolio of brands ahead of BLE. The portfolio consists of seasonal leashed! Escape rooms in partnership must-haves like The Elf on the Shelf®, with Dobbies; and Dennis the Musical timeless classics like Beano and The and Beano theatrical experience. Very Hungry Caterpillar, movie and MGM is readying the launch of Vikings TV picks from MGM including Legally Valhalla globally on Netflix from Q1 Blonde, Rocky and Vikings Valhalla, and 2022. The style guide is ready for limore recent additions to UK pre- censees and features a unisex apschool picks such as Yakka Dee and proach. Rocket has already signed GB Eye for posters and gifting, Winning Kiri and Lou. The Elf of the Shelf is the third most Moves for games and puzzles and Ecell popular Christmas tradition, ahead of for mobile accessories. watching Christmas movies. With 2.8 Also from MGM, iconic movie, Rocky million worldwide social media fans continues as one of the nation’s faand followers, there is sure to be great vourites, and has new content on the excitement ahead of the brand’s first way in the shape of Rocky vs Drago: ever appearance on British TV, with The Ultimate Director’s Cut, featurNetflix likely to screen the animated ing 40 minutes of new footage, music movie, Elf Pets: Santa’s Reindeer Res- and a new story angle. Keep Punching: The Present Meets the Past will also cue, this Christmas. launch in November. Rocket Licensing At BLE, Scribos will be showing attendees their innovative brand protection solutions which cover Licensing Management, interactive security tags and digital modules to unleash the full potential of licensed brands. On view will be information about current solutions for the French National

TOTAL LICENSING Rugby League, the French National Football League and the French Football Federation. Licensing is a profitable business area, but also poses many challenges and dangers for licensors and licensees: How can you keep track of rights, production and royalties? How can you protect your brand from counterfeiting or unauthorized production? How does licensing become the ultimate marketing tool? The Scribos security tags ensure maximum protection against counterfeiting. With intuitive online authentication, consumers can easily distinguish between original and counterfeit products. The security marking also serves as a digital touchpoint for customer interaction opportunities, which leads to a better product experience and thus a higher emotional connection to the brand. And there’s more: for example, each product can be scanned by consumers with their smartphone and authenticated as an original product. The licensor or licensee also has the opportunity of connecting with fans and thus producing valuable insights. Most importantly, successful authentication can strengthen trust in a brand and protect brand image and quality. The use of an order platform to distribute security markings ensures transparency about the quantities produced by the individual licensees. This simplifies reporting and billing of license fees for licensees and licensors. By processing the system via their digital platform SCRIBOS 360, the licensee receives valuable market knowledge about their licensed products. They can see where their products are on the market at any time, learn more about consumer behavior and thus efficiently control marketing activities. As partners, Scribos and Dependable Solutions Inc. will strive to support licensors and licensees to protect intellectual property and provide real time data end consumers. The mutual goal of this collaboration is to ultimately increase transparency between licensing partners, to further optimize licensing operations and drive business growth.

Sophie la girafe It has been over 60 years since the fa- for high end children’s clothes and mous Sophie la girafe was created, babywear. This autumn, Püttmann will and already 10 years since she began launch its first Sophie la girafe colleclicensing. The program continues to tion for the German and UAE margrow covering covering a wide va- kets. It will include all parent’s favorite riety of baby’s needs: clothes, books, pieces: dress, shirts, tee-shirts, and so furniture, baby hearing protection and much more… more. In addition, Poetic Brands the apparel Last year Sophie la girafe added li- licensee is also set out to launch its censing agents to her family and they first Sophie la girafe collection this fall helped the brand reinforce her pres- in the UK. ence in markets outside of France. Existing licensees have also renewed A number of new partners have re- their Sophie la girafe licenses, includcently joined the Sophie la giraffe ing but not limited to: Porée-Havlik, program. These include Micuento, a Alpine, Marabout, Angel cosmetics, Spanish publisher specialized in the Théo bébé... New products will be out creation of customizable books for on the market this winter, stay tuned. babies and children. Micuento and So- Finally, this year, is Sophie la girafe’s phie la girafe have united to create a 60th birthday. A new limited edition unique Sophie la girafe book. style guide was created for licensees. Founded in 1978, Templar has become Sofie’s fans had the chance to vote for one of the world’s Spain Licensing most respected pub- Pavilion lishers of illustrated children’s books. The first book of the collection will be available in the UK market just in time for this Christmas season. A further partner is Püttmann, an Egyptian manufacturer

TOTAL LICENSING their own creation of Sophie la girafe. And just recently she entered the famous Musée Grévin in Paris, as a recognized 170cm. As part of the Spanish Licensing Pavilion, Spanish animation studio Maya Studios, alongside its global licensing agent Consumer Product Connection, is launching two new properties at Brand Licensing Europe 2021, SuperMasked and Catrinas Underworld. SuperMasked is an animated superhero saga that will show kids that you don’t need to be perfect to be a superhero. A mix of comedy and epic battles, the Supermasked characters have one primary defect - they don’t know how to use their superpowers. With two seasons of 15 episodes each in development, the show has been launched in Octorber on YouTube; a trailer launched earlier this year. In addition, a fighting app game launched last month that is available on both iOS and GooglePlay. The strategic toy development partner, Eolo Toys, has secured a raft of best-in-class toy distributors in all key markets. In addition, Panini has signed on for a range of collectables and is developing several publishing formats. At the show, both CPC and its local licensing agents will discuss with apparel, publishing, and retail partners. Catrinas Underworld is an adaption of the Mexican skull’s art and style. The Catrinas are the guardians of the portals to the underworld, with bold design and huge personalities, with a range of international characters. The brand has already enjoyed vast success in licensing in its home market of Spain. With a range of fashion dolls

from Paola Reina, apparel from Inside Edge launched at El Corte Ingles and Inside shops, Safta with back-toschool accessories including a range of bags and backpacks In publishing, Panini is the partner for activity books, storybooks, and magazines. While Consumer Product Connection is developing the licensing programme in Spain, it has appointed several sub-agents for both properties. The Point.1888, believe they are changing the world of licensing by reversing the traditional industry approach, delivering a retail-first model to create powerful products. They are strategic, sustainable, and unique, operating under four core values: ambition, trust, attitude, and family. They have clear objectives, to shift the world of licensing whilst doing good, donating 11% of their profits to charity, and working with brands with purpose. The Point works with a range of clients across all categories including Cocomelon, Blippi, Morphle, Little Baby Bum, The Official Charts Company, Barratt, Jimbobart, MissPrint, Rachel Ellen Design, Molang, Moomin, Percy The Park Keeper, Racoons, Tom Gates, Battersea Dogs & Cats, Cambridge University, Mumsnet, British & Irish Lions, Team GB, St Andrews Links, Williams Racing. There will also be four brand new properties to highlight at the show separate to these. The company recently launched a creative agency, Story.1888, delivering unique offerings of creative marketing services. Story.1888 strives to tell a brand’s story and purpose with strategy, building impactful brand outcomes and meaningful connections with audiences.

The Point.1888 The awardwinning licensing programme of the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum, London) offers an almost infinite source of design inspiration for a

multitude of product categories. The experienced team provides tailormade research for every project, are involved in the design process, resulting in beautiful ranges, authenticated by compelling stories that are relevant for the contemporary marketplace. So far 2021 has seen some fantastic debut launches in multiple categories, V&A

evidence of the incredible breadth of inspiration the V&A’s collections provide to the creative industries. After an amazing reaction to 2020 launch with made-to-measure window blinds and curtains with Blinds 2Go in the UK, there were further launches with Tuiss Netherlands, Sweden, France and Japan. Another new collection for interiors includes furniture and fabrics in the V&A Brompton Collection, created by Sofas & Stuff. British creativity and craftsmanship abound, as it draws inspiration from across the museum’s archives and is manufactured in workshops in Northamptonshire. Alice in Wonderland has proved a popular theme in several territories. The V&A’s drawings by Tenniel have been applied by French brand Olympia Le-Tan who re-imagines artworks and literature, transforming them into covetable clutch bags and accessories; The Royal Mint, with two collectable coins featuring Alice and the Cheshire

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Walker Books Cat and Through the Looking Glass, and, more playfully doormats by specialist Entryways in the USA and, as fashion and accessories continue to be a very popular category for the V&A the characters feature on apparel in China with Cocoon and Pearly Gates in Korea. In Australia fashion brand Camilla released an exclusive V&A range based on Georgian textiles, now sold in stores, online and exclusively in Matches.com in the UK. Aardman have collaborated on an inspired range of children’s clothing for the Italian sportswear label, FILA. Celebrating Art Deco patterns held in the V&A’s vast and diverse archive, the Fila collection brings together the fun, mischievous and creative character of Shaun the Sheep with the bold shapes and colourful look of Art Deco designs. With over 90 licensees, the longestablished V&A programme shows no signs of abating and continues to welcome opportunities to create new collaborations. The Walker Books Group is one of the world’s leading independent publishers of books and content for children. This vibrant international group includes Walker Books UK, London; Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts; and Walker Books Australia, based in Sydney and Auckland. Re-

nowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to books for readers of all ages. Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include National Ambassador for Children’s Literature emerita Kate DiCamillo, M.T. Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen, and major brands for the group are Maisy, Guess How Much I Love You, the widely acclaimed Judy Moody, and the best-selling Where’s Wally?/Where’s Waldo? by Martin Handford. Guess How Much I Love You, the iconic picture book celebrating the unbreakable bond of familial love, has sold over 52 million copies in all formats worldwide; Lucy Cousins’ books about the beloved mouse Maisy have sold over 40 million copies globally; and Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt continues to delight families through multiple formats, with 13 million books in 42 languages in print worldwide. This past year, Walker has also seen the growth of its We’re Going On a Bear Hunt licensing program. The first apparel range launched successfully in ASDA by Jainco and was shortlisted for “Best Licensed Preschool Apparel or Accessories Range (0-5 Years).” Rainbow Designs continues as the brand’s infant and nursery toy partner. Leading audio system, to-

nies® has signed up to release a Bear Hunt Tonie, which will play original audio from the “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” animation. Over the pandemic, Walker has seen an even strong gravitation towards classic characters, with retailers looking for evergreen brands with universal appeal. Maisy is another strong classic character in the Walker portfolio; the books about Maisy and her band of encouraging friends were recently named a finalist in the Progressive Preschool Awards (UK). With 8-10 titles published each year, across multiple formats, the Maisy brand has books for readers ages 0-6; 2022 will see the publication of Maisy Goes on a Nature Walk, the newest entry in the popular First Experiences series, and two tabbed board books, Maisy at Work and Maisy’s Town. In the UK, Dennicci has signed up as the apparel partner with plans to launch in 2022. Copyrights currently represents Maisy and Lucy Cousins in Japan; Asiana does so in Asia. Walker Books are exploring licensing partners across all other key categories and markets. Games Workshop report that Warhammer is the largest and most successful hobby miniatures brand in the world. The universes built through the miniatures and publishing businesses have become world renowned and GW’s flexible approach allows licensing partners to create fantastic products that help build out the universes even further still. Their licensing programme includes a packed slate of video gaming releases, along with apparel, accessories, fine art, comics, homewares, card & board games, collectibles and other consumer products. In the past year Games Workshop has grown this licensing programme to become the 66th biggest licensor globally and has partnered with licensees such as Bandai, Bioworld, Danilo, Marvel, McFarlane Toys, Moonpig, Joytoy and Wizards of the Coast. These household names have enabled Games Workshop to branch out into new categories, increase theirretail distribution and target a more mass consumer.

TOTAL LICENSING Warhammer

The growth of Warhammer over the past 18 months has been phenomenal and GW is perfectly placed to take advantage of the ongoing and growing demand for scifi and fantasy IP. They plan to do this through their franchise strategy, with each franchise anchored to either a AAA video game or entertainment project, that will appeal to a wide audience. This will ensure that for each franchise there is both high awareness and engagement as products hit shelves. For their first franchise, Darktide, they already have a strong roster of partners signed. Categories include action figures, collectibles, apparel and accessories, FMCG as well as gaming peripherals and they are also receiving key retailer support. The game will be around for many years to come and there is always room for more great partners. Their next franchise is Total War: Warhammer, the incredibly successful video gaming series from their partners Sega and Creative Assembly. The third installment of the game launching early next year brings playable factions Kislev and Cathay into the fray for the very first time. And if that wasn’t enough 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Warhammer and Games Workshop is already working on exciting plans to celebrate this, bringing the brand to the attention of new audiences and to delight and surprise their fanbase. WildBrain CPLG will showcase new brands, initiatives, and creative assets across its entertainment, life-

style, and sport properties at BLE 2021, with WildBrain-owned brands Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies headlining the slate. Strawberry Shortcake is back with a cool new look and confident, savvy attitude for today’s kids in a new animated series, Berry in the Big City, with a master toy range from Moose Toys, and an extensive franchise programme spanning apparel, accessories, publishing, and more. Perennial favourite Teletubbies heads into its

MGM’s iconic Pink Panther and developments are afoot for Dr. Seuss, the World of David Walliams, Vlad & Niki, The World of Eric Carle, Line Friend’s BT21 and Brown & Friends, and Supercell’s Brawl Stars. The entertainment line-up also includes emoji® – The Iconic Brand and new teen-targeted digital-first series and CP extension emojitown®, which has reached 50M+ YouTube views. Plus, Moose Toys’ new boys’ global franchise Akedo. The agency update on Sony Pictures’ franchises and 2022 launches, including Ghostbusters, Wheel of Time, Uncharted, Bullet Train, 65, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Cobra Kai, The Boys season three and Young Love. The eOne / Hasbro properties Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Ricky Zoom, and My Little Pony also feature for European opportunities alongside ViacomCBS brands, such as PAW Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants. WildBrain CPLG Lifestyle will showcase its growing portfolio including Motul, Romero Britto, University of Southern California, Osprey London,

Wildbrain CPLG 25th anniversary in 2022 and has been delighting original Gen Z fans with colourful marketing campaigns, while engaging pre-schoolers through new content including its recent ‘Ready, Steady, Go!’ music album and videos. There’s another big anniversary for WildBrain as In the Night Garden celebrates 15 years in 2022. Perennial favourite Peanuts is following up an impressive 70th anniversary year in 2020, with momentum building for the ‘Take Care with Peanuts’ global initiative. Another classic brand is

Revolution Beauty, Kikkoman, Chupa Chups, Kärcher, and its successful global programmes for Harvard and Yale universities. Opportunities will be available for Malibu, Absolut Vodka and Authentic Brand Group’s Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali. In sportsWildBrain represent football clubs including Arsenal, Barcelona, Juventus, Liverpool, and Manchester City, as well as recently signed Bayern Munich and Paris San-Germain, which WildBrain CPLG represents in MENA.

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A game for every gamer, a brand for every partner and a fit for every category... Alexander Thieme, Asmodee Entertainment, sat down with Total Licensing to talk about recent successes and plans for BLE and beyond

Asmodee Entertainment has released a lot of news recently – which assets will you be particularly focusing on in the licensing arena? Our focus is on our key brands, which encompasses both widely known family games like Dobble, Ticket to Ride and CATAN –household names loved by millions of people in countries around the world – as well as hobby games like Arkham Horror, Twilight Imperium, Descent and Legend of the Five Rings. These are rich, detailed games and worlds which command a deep level of engagement from their very dedicated fanbases, so they present some different opportunities in the licensing space. The Legend of the Five Rings novel Poison River, for example, was an award-winner at UK Games Expo earlier this year, which really speaks to the way fans want to engage with a narrative-driven property like Legend of the Five Rings, and we try to recognise these different op-

portunities in our approach to licensing. One of the mantras at Asmodee is ‘a game for every gamer’ and, in terms of licensing, that means there’s a brand for every partner and a fit for every category. We want to find those fits. Some of these might well be outside of our key brands (after all we have well over 200 of them!) and we’ll certainly be exploring those too. And what are your plans at BLE? Asmodee Entertainment has been around since 2019 but, due to the pandemic, this is our first time attending as exhibitors and we’re looking forward to talking to potential new partners to build on what we’ve already established over our first two and a half years. We’re looking for partners across various categories from apparel, homewares and licensed publishing to collectibles, action figures and interactive games. We’re also interested in speaking to other rights holders who may be interested in working with our publishing arm, Aco-

nyte Books, who publish books based on some of Asmodee’s key properties as well as under license from some big names including Marvel and Ubisoft. We’re interested in exploring similar opportunities. Can you outline some news of recently signed licenses? We have seen a lot of activity around CATAN, lately – perhaps no surprise as it’s the world’s most popular modern boardgame. We’ve signed merch deals with ATA-Boy, Rollacrit, and an-

Asmodee Entertainment’s immersive Fan-favourite brands come with a catalogue of fantastic art as can be seen in this collage of key art drawing from Twilight Imperium, Legend of the Five Rings, Keyforge, and Arkham Horror.

TOTAL LICENSING other great partner we will announce at BLE. We’re also working on posters with Trends International. In terms of new categories for us, we’re excited to have signed an agreement with SD Toys for jigsaw puzzles based on some of our most popular brands and we’ve partnered with EML to launch Fanshops for Arkham Horror, Twilight Imperium and Legend of the Five Rings. In publishing, we also recently agreed a major deal with RB Media for audiobook versions of Aconyte’s range of Asmodee and Ubisoft novels, which will all be released in the coming months. How many licensing partners do you have now, across Asmodee Entertainment? Across our various licensing streams in Asmodee Entertainment – Media, Interactive Games, Publishing, Location-Based Entertainment and Consumer Products – we have well over 50 partners around the world at present. Publishing is very diverse for us. We have a number of translation partners for Aconyte Books, as well as agreements for comics, graphic novels, puzzle books, escape game books and artbooks with a number of partners. Consumer Products is also very active for us. Collectibles, homewares

Asmodee’s Brand portfolio is massive, from family brands to immersive fan-favourites each with millions of fans. Dobble, Catan,Ticket to Ride, Pandemic and Arkham Horror are just a few examples of what a new licensee could draw from.

and the like are a very close fit for our core audience of tabletop gamers and we’re seeing brands like CATAN become really fully-fledged lifestyle brands now. In Media, we’ve optioned many of our properties with production companies in the genres of animation, scripted drama and unscripted live action shows… but I can’t really share any more details right now! And are there any categories you are particularly excited about growing into? With more than 200 brands in the Asmodee portfolio, we have almost lim-

itless opportunities ahead of us – 50 partners and we are just getting started! Rather than particular categories we are excited by, we are looking for the best-fit partners for each IP, and that means it will never be one size fits all! This may add complexity, but doing the absolute best thing by each brand is paramount, and it certainly means we never have a dull moment. Watch out for many, many more announcements over the coming months, and come and see us at BLE on stand B180.

With a host of merchandise partners launching in the coming months, Catan is on the verge of becoming a serious life-style brand.We are excited to be able to show off some early products from Ata-Boy and Rollacrit.

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BOAT ROCKER AT BRAND LICENSING EUROPE

Boat Rocker Media is an independent, integrated global entertainment company that tells stories and builds iconic brands across all genres and mediums, with robust licensing plans in place for its portfolio of properties. Stomping straight to #1 for kids’ shows (aged 2-5) on launch in the US, Dino Ranch (52 x 11’), is a fresh and unique pairing of two of preschoolers’ greatest loves – dinosaurs and ranchers. Airing on Disney Junior, Disney+ and Disney Now, plus Disney+ in Australia and the UK, the 3D animation features a strong, diverse family group who share the thrill of ranch life as the young wranglers enjoy dino-driven adventures in the great outdoors. The hit show has been renewed for a second season (52x11’) at Disney, set to roar onto screens in 2022. Dino Ranch is also building a very strong profile across social media, including its YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/ dinoranch), which has had over 50m views and 120M+ i m p re s s i o n s in first nine months. Jazwares, global Master Toy partner, launched its first toys in October in the US online at Target,

Walmart and Amazon, following the immediate sell-out of the Blitz plush on its soft launch on Amazon this summer. An exclusive toy launch in Australia at Big W in October will be followed by a UK roll-out across all retailers from Spring ‘22.

CP partners in the UK and across Europe include a global partnership with Scholastic (English language publisher); Rubies for dress up; Ravensburger for puzzles & games; GBG (Global Brands Group) for nightwear & daywear; Character World for bedding and soft furnishings; Immediate Magazine for a standalone magazine in November; and Kennedy for inclusion in their compilation titles. Lovable, caring Love Monster continues to capture hearts in the hugely popular series Love Monster (54 x 7’). Based on Rachel Bright’s award-

winning pre-school books, it follows our hero’s colourful and funny adventures as he searches for the right thing to do in a world in which he is one of a kind. Full of heart and ‘little life’ learnings for pre-schoolers, the show celebrates inclusive behaviour and collaboration and showcases the importance of kindness, empathy, connection and instinct. Series 2 (27 x 7’) is currently in production and a BBC Christmas Special will feature a special, big-name guest star (tba). Its recent launch on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and HBO Max has bolstered its US presence. Current products include toys from Golden Bear, apparel from Blues, PJs by Cooneen and dress up from Amscan. More exciting projects linked to the brand are in the pipeline – watch this

space for further announcements before the end of the year! The Next Step – the UK’s best-loved reality dance drama for tweens – is choreographing more exciting global activity, with a brand-new range – including nightwear, dancewear and loungewear – set to launch with a major UK grocer towards the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Pineapple/TNS collaboration sports-casual range is available in Next, and Brand Threads and Danilo have respectively launched new TNS pyjamas and a 2022 calendar.

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NEW SERIES, COLLABORATIONS AND LIVE EVENTS FROM MAGIC LIGHT PICTURES A first-ever series, exciting new collaborations and the return of live events has made the past year a busy and rewarding time for Magic Light Pictures, the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated creators of family entertainment and brands. In March, Magic Light launched its first ever TV series, the delightful Pip and Posy, on Sky Kids and Channel 5’s Milkshake!. Humorous and warm, the show is based on the popular books by Axel Scheffler about a mouse and a rabbit whose lives revolve around a wonderful world of play. Following a partnership with Playday, the national day for play in the UK, in August, the first licensed products are set to launch in 2022. A hero with a difference and a wonderfully entertaining villain clash in the joyful animation Superworm. This latest family special based on a book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler focuses on the brilliance of teamwork, and premieres on BBC One this Christmas. Room on the Broom has been celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021, with highlights including a special edition book, and some very special Room on the Broom activities at Chessington World of Adventures Resort this autumn including a character trail, Witch meet & greets and an animated movie experience – all on top of the amazing Room on the

Broom – A Magical Journey attraction. Also at Chessington, The Gruffalo River Ride and themed hotel rooms continue to be hugely popular, while the award-winning interactive Gruffalo trail returned to Kew Gardens this October. And brand new for 2021, an

exciting new interactive trail starring Zog the lovable dragon launched at Warwick Castle. A host of exciting new Gruffalo partnerships include an exclusive collaboration with Joules, the premium lifestyle brand, whose clothing and accessories for babies and children are part of the Better Cotton Initiative that uses organically grown cotton. The range features jackets, boots, hats, gloves and bags featuring The Gruffalo’s trademark features, plus T-shirts, tops, leggings, and dresses with vibrant character images and patterns that take inspiration from the original illustrations. Wow! Stuff signed as Master Toy partner, and launched an imaginative range of figures and playsets this

summer including The Gruffalo, Zog and Room on the Broom. Wow! have added the innovation they’re renowned for and brought the characters to life, full of the charm and wonder that The Gruffalo’s little fans know and love. Autumn 2020 saw the launch of exclusively designed scooters and helmets from Micro Scooters. The Gruffalo is the first-ever license the multi awardwinning scooter company has worked with since its inception 15 years ago. The values of both brands are aligned to create a perfect match. Magic Light, which manages its marketing in house, also has an important partnerships programme with brands including Merlin Entertainments, Arla Big Milk and Forestry England. The licensing programme is broad, including over 80 licensees internationally across toys and games, apparel, homewares, gifting, FMCG and more. Magic Light Pictures will be at stand C182 at BLE

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It’s all go at BBC Studios

Andrew Carley

Since his appointment as Director of Global Licensing at BBC Studios, Andrew Carley has overseen the meteoric rise of some of the top children’s brands at the BBC – chiefly Bluey and Hey Duggee. Bluey, which first aired in Australia in 2018, is the show aimed at pre-schoolers that has seen immense popularity around the globe, with a strong broadcast slate and impressive licensing programme. In April of this year, BBC Studios appointed France tv distribution as Bluey licensing agents and confirms France 5 as free-to-air partner. In the same month, Bluey launched on free-to-air in the UK and became the top show on CBeebies in its first month. Following this, Louise Rigby and Gaby Dior were appointed as Licensing Managers to expand consumer products division. Licensing deals with Stor and Vtech were also announced. BBC Studios then once again expanded the footprint for Bluey by appointing agents covering the Nordics, Baltics, Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) and Italy. In total, 24 countries are covered by the agreements with Plus Licens (Nordics, Baltics and CEE) and Maurizio

Distefano Licensing (Italy). Distribution deals are in place for global master toy provider Moose Toys in each new territory through agents Liniex (Nordics), TM Toys (CEE) and Giochi Preziosi (Italy). Nelvana and Panaderia were then appointed for Canada and Mexico, respectively, This September, BBC Studios announced a multi-territory licensing deal with Crayola for stationery, arts, crafts and colouring packs. The first products to hit the shelves will be Giant Colouring Pages which will be available at Walmart in the US in time for the holiday season. In addition to the US, the licensing deal covers Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK where the range will be available in January 2022. With so much activity, we spoke with Andrew about what he feels appeals to audiences about Bluey, and what are the plans for BLE and beyond. Andrew is, of course, well-known in the

world of licensing with many years’ experience working in the industry, and prior to his appointment at the BBC, held the role as EVP at eOne, where he and the team built the licensing programme around Peppa Pig, among other shows. We wondered if there was a magic formula! “With shows such as Bluey, the content really speaks for itself,’ Andrew said. “The writing, the animation and the storylines come together beautifully to create this really fantastic show.” Talking about the popularity of Bluey, does this always equate into an evergreen property?

TOTAL LICENSING “Bluey really has all the attributes to become an evergreen show – and there is so much potential to be unlocked still. We have some amazing broadcasters and partners on board, and working with agents around the globe, we are at the same time capitalising on the success of Bluey, and laying foundations for a very solid future.” What about the strategic growth plan? “The fact that Bluey is airing in many parts of the globe, and of course on Disney+, has been incredible for the popularity of the show, and with this comes the growth of the licensing plan. It’s not something to be rushed – we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. Creating a much-loved brand takes time and patience, and working with the right partners in the right situations.” Cue some very big successes to date. Bluey has scooped up multiple awards, including the International Emmy Kids Award in the prestigious Preschool category last year. The accolades have

of play. And overall, of course, the storylines are brilliantly engaging and just a joy to watch.” Also a big hitter for the BBC, Hey Duggee continues to make waves since it first aired in 2014. Meeting

continued into 2021, with Bluey winning four Kidscreen Awards in February. So what is it about Bluey? “Bluey is a very warm, authentic programme,’ Andrew comments. “And it is aimed at children and their parents. There has to be something for the parents too! There is a lot of humour in Bluey, as well as the strong element

with acclaim from both children and their parents, the licensing programme is going from strength to strength.This year Ypsilon Licensing appointed as licensing agent for Hey Duggee in Spain, securing Bizak as master toy partner and Clan for TV distribution. During the pandemic, Hey Duggee partnered with Joe Wicks for YouTube Originals series in the first YouTube

Originals Kids & Family commission for BBC Studios’ Bristol-based Factual Entertainment production unit. Both Hey Duggee and Joe Wicks share an ‘infectious enthusiasm’ and encouraged pre-schoolers to learn how to stay fit and healthy. Hey Duggee, a Studio AKA production with BBC Studios, is a six-time BAFTA and international Emmy award-winning hit on CBeebies. In 2020 it was the most-watched kids’ show on BBC iPlayer with over 192 million requests. Additionally, Hey Duggee has over 1.2 million fans across its social channels and its official YouTube channel has over a billion lifetime views. Hey Duggee also has an impressive global footprint in over 150 countries.

TOTAL LICENSING Adam Colp and James Oddy, the Co-Founders of Vize Creative Ltd, talk tenacity, passion and growth as the company reaches its fifth birthday

Getting Creative with Vize Can you outline some of your recent news – and how was business during the pandemic? While it was a surreal time, we were in a privileged position in that we largely work remotely. We only rent an office and boardroom when we need to. Having low overheads has always given us a massive advantage in terms of flexibility and enabled us to provide a unique offering to our clients. So we managed to turn the challenges covid brought into opportunities. It was a very busy time for us with plenty of work coming in and as a result we’ve actually seen a period of growth. How do you go about identifying trends for the future? There has never been a time where we have lived in a world with so much information at our fingertips. Of course, we subscribe to the leading fashion and home trend-forecasting services, comp shops, and ensure we familiarise ourselves with the latest styles and products out there. We often get requests from our clients on behalf of their licensors for new fresh looks and reinventions which is an indication of our ability to capitalise on new trends. What we have noticed over the last few years is that collaborations between brands have really impacted street wear and fashion; it’s a real testament to how I.Ps have evolved. And can we have a little history of Vize? It all started from a late night conversation between

two friends in a pub. It just made sense to work together – we were both young (still are lol!), hungry, passionate and tenacious, plus we had numerous contacts from all our experience and friendships so we just made a go of it! It’s not for everyone! We have worked both in house and agency side, so that gave us a huge insight into client expectations and how an agency is run. We also saw a way of doing things our way and took some huge risks along the way! Our first job wasn’t exactly sexy now we’re working on numerous global style guides, character art projects and retail concepts for many of the big brands in the licensing industry. We’ve since employed our fellow exDisney colleagues on our journey to provide more specialised services for briefs that started coming our way. Vize is actually now coming up to its 5th birthday! What are you working on at the moment? Well that would be telling! Due to strict NDAs we can’t actually discuss our current projects - but we are working with a large brand, creating some really eye-catching, beautiful illustrations. Hasbro kindly named us ‘one of their top 5 agencies’ to work with which is a great accolade and we are proud of the recognition. We’ve been doing some work in the fine art world, which we’ve really enjoyed and adds an air of sophistication to our portfolio. Recently we’ve won a few new clients that we’re really excited about work-

ing with and been given opportunities to showcase our talent into different demographics and categories which is a great boost to our creative scope. We’ve even had recent zoom conversations with an A-list actor/producer which has been really exciting. Are there any particular categories and markets you are keen to explore? Pre-pandemic we were trying to expand our business laterally so we teamed up with a supplier to create a shelf product that could be distributed and sold on a royalty basis. A great learning experience for us and something we want to do more of. NFTs are something we have a vested interest in; there is so much potential in the crypto and blockchain space that goes hand-in-hand with licensing. There is already a massive community within the crypto NFT space and when that amalgamates with the licensing and brand industry, we believe big things will happen. The world of NFTs is exploding right now and we’ve realised that if you can be creative with your I.P you can enter a new and exciting world. As an example, our American Psycho style guide that we created for Evolution was minted into NFT art work and one was sold for around $200,000…. can you believe that! What does the future hold for Vize? We’re a boutique agency and whilst we’ve been comfortable in that space maybe it’s time to scale up and explore some opportunities that have come our way…. watch this space!

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Studio 100 heads into Q4 with new brands and exciting news... FriendZSpace FriendZSpace is a new 52 x 11´, CGI animated comedy about three human kids committed to making friends with alien kids all across the supercluster of stars - and sharing cool selfies. Currently in production and having featured at MIPCOM 2021, the program is available in 2022. This is a new comedy adventure world rooted in inclusion and welcoming diversity with open arms. FriendZSpace is TV, action figures, vehicles, and exciting sci fi kid-tech. It’s kidcosplay with the full-sized action-music BotDog, branded stickers and emojis, hand held Friendicators with alien and kid projection and sound FXs, plus over 100 individual alien characters from over 30 alien species. Vegesaurs Go back through the mists of time to a rich and colourful prehistorical age you never knew existed. An era dominated by the juiciest and crunchiest creatures ever to rule the planet – the mighty… Vegesaurs! The target audience is pre-school and it will be available in 2022. 100% Wolf Based on children’s books: Author Jayne Lyons’ much loved 100% WOLF has enjoyed widespread success locally (Australia) and is now perfectly poised to take on the world! Best Book of the year 2009 (Australia), receiving Parent’s Choice Recommendation in the same year. 100% WOLF – the movie is currently and successfully on release all over the world. Heidi The series sold to more than 170

countries. The core themes of the series: Living with nature - Heidi is like a ray of sunshine (always devoted, selfless, helpful, always in a good mood), and highly soulful. Heidi is also an integral component in the Plopsa theme parks – among others. Heidi taps into the strong growing outdoor trend. After the Corona lockdowns, people are pushing back into nature - into the mountains - and that’s also where Heidi is at home. Licensed classics with a positive message as well as a great outdoor reference are now perfectly suited for corresponding products. Studio 100 Media is in talks with various potential partners to launch corresponding products on the market soon. Maya the Bee – the bee-loved global brand with a mission A prosocial bee as a hero, timeless values and stories that meet the core of identification development make Maya the Bee an evergreen global property bee-loved by three generations and sending a strong message of sustainability. Studio 100‘s Maya the Bee has conquered the world, becoming a popular, beloved and successful brand for kids and families in many territories. Worldwide, more than 300 licensees have partnered with Maya, and more than 4,500 different products have been created and distributed.Amongst these licensees are multi-territory partners like Aldi, Arkopharma, jbc as well as local/international partners such as Herding, Ravensburger, Blue Ocean Entertainment, Sony Music, Boxine, Stovit, Privatmolkerei Bauer, Pepco and Heunec. Maya ranks on all the top spots when it comes to brand sympathy, making it an evergreen global property with universal and timeless values: bee lively, bee curious,bee friendly and bee attentive. Values that pay off the brand and its most

important initiative: Project Poppy Meadow. Currently, the third movie adventure “Maya the Bee – The Golden Orb” is successfully being released theatrically worldwide. Mediatoon Studio 100 Media is responsible for the licensing of some promising and well-known IPs from the Mediatoon portfolio over the coming years in selected territories. NASA There are only a few logos in the world that are instantly recognized and stand for absolute adventure. The emblem of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, America’s civil space program and the global leader in space exploration, is one of them. NASA has phenomenal awareness and constant media attention due to all their missions. NASA has phenomenal awareness and a constantly high media presence due to its ongoing missions. Through a US agency, we can offer the NASA logo, logos and other images of the current Mars mission as well as many other graphic elements for licensing in Germany and Benelux. However, as with all government organizations, this is not exclusive. The focus is on Apparel, Home Textiles, Accessories, Back-to- School, Gift, Games, Puzzles categories and selected Publishing products.

TOTAL LICENSING The World’s Most Loveable Animals Evergreen animal photography brand Rachael Hale “The World’s Most Loveable Animals”, has continued to capture the hearts of audiences around the world for almost 30 years with its’ emotionally engaging, thought provoking, powerful images and seasonal on-trend stylistic elements. With origins in New Zealand in the mid ‘90s, Rachael Hale quickly became a global sensation. Successfully licensed across multiple product categories in 60 countries, with $900 million in sales and landing the Top 125 Global Licensor’s spot 4 years in a row, the brand has built a proven sales track record and a loyal and engaged fanbase to this day. The UK holds a very special place for Rachael Hale as it was one of the leading markets for the brand across multiple categories in the 90’s. Fans that grew up with the brand will be happy to see it reemerge with its iconic classic images that the brand is so well known as well as added on-trend creative elements that modernize these recognizable images for Millennials and broader demographics. Nostalgia is a trend that is coming back more powerfully than ever, especially with the uncertainty and stress that the pandemic has placed on people. Today, individuals are seeking normality, familiarity, and comfort in their lives and nostalgia brings back memories of more carefree times. What is more carefree than happy animals? With a database of over 3000 unique images and hundreds of patterns and icons, Rachael Hale continually introduces on trend content that withstands the test of time. Rachael Hale has had many collaborations with top retailers including H&M and Boots and has had long standing licensees worldwide with partnerships lasting 20+ years. Rachael Hale is thrilled to make its reintroduction into the UK market with newly signed subagent, Edutainment Licensing. For licensing opportunities please contact Denise Deane. denise@edutainmentlicensing.com (+44 7976 242949) edutainmentlicensing.com

TOTAL LICENSING Funky Friends returns to the licensing arena for all the 90s girls out there who were slightly obsessed…….! The 1990s is now the go-to decade for fashion inspiration and trendled creativity and there is a strong and engaged following in their 20s, right through into their 30s. Many of this demographic will remember this 90s licence first-hand and appreciate the nostalgic appeal. Originally drawn for use on greetings cards, the Funky Friends, Jessie, Kate and Zoe first appeared on products in 1996 and over the following ten years became the top UK girl brand for the 7- 12 age group. Funky Friends stationery, bags, giftware, greetings, party, craft, apparel, footwear, cosmetics and bath care sold through retailers including Tesco, Argos, WH Smith, Woolworths, New Look, Superdrug as well as many independent retailers and by 2006 had a value at retail of £40 million. As the millennial woman has grown older, she has become more reflective of who she once was and of times past and it appears that she is now rushing to get her hands on some nostalgia. She is thinking back to when she was younger and enjoys reminiscing about her adolescence because we always think of it as ‘simpler’ times devoid of adult responsibilities. Friends help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times - they increase your sense of belonging and purpose and recent events have proved, perhaps more than ever before, how empty life can feel without them. The original fans of Funky Friends are genuinely excited for the return of the brand - the bright, hand drawn, colourful illustrations evoke happy memories and yet the designs look fresh and appealing on loungewear and nightwear, as well as bags, t-shirts and sweats. For more information on this exciting opportunity please contact: denise@edutainmentlicensing.com (+44 7976 242949) edutainmentlicensing.com

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Celebrating 120 Years of Mischief with Peter Rabbit in 2022 Penguin Random House Children’s UK announces plans to mark the 120th birthday of Peter Rabbit The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter was first published in 1902 and since then the iconic rabbit in a blue jacket has gone on to win the hearts of millions of families around the world. The original Tale has sold over 46 million copies globally and has been published in 48 languages including Braille and Hieroglyphics. The mischievous Peter Rabbit has captivated generations of children with his antics in Mr. McGregor’s garden and so Penguin Random House Children’s will be celebrating Peter’s 120th birthday with a suitably adventurous, fun-filled campaign, creating a wealth of opportunities for families to party with Peter throughout 2022. The Owned Brands team at Penguin Random House Children’s will be paying tribute to the enduring legacy of Potter’s original Tale whilst engaging family audiences with Peter’s trademark mischievousness. The team will launch a purpose-driven PR and digital campaign, working with high profile partners and ambassadors in the outdoors space to reaffirm Peter’s continued relevance and appeal to

young families. Peter Rabbit’s role as children’s ambassador for the Queen’s Green Canopy will see Peter supporting tree planting initiatives throughout the year whilst celebratory Picnics for Peter will take place during the summer supported by key partners and at locations throughout the UK. “With an incredible legacy that has endured since 1902, we wanted to use this milestone for the brand to celebrate Peter Rabbit’s continued relevance and resonance with today’s families. Our ambitious, year-long series of birthday celebrations will enable us to connect parents, young children and fans with The World of Peter Rabbit, helping to continue Beatrix Potter’s legacy for a new generation. Through new immersive experiences, digital and social content, consumer products and publishing, everyone is invited to celebrate with Peter in 2022,” said Izzy Richardson, Owned Brands Director at Penguin Random House Children’s. Penguin Ventures, the licensing team at Penguin Random House Children’s, will be growing a number of existing

product ranges throughout 2022 in the UK including new apparel collections with expanded retail placement from Dennicci as well as new gardening lines from Jardinopia. In addition DNC are confirmed to launch picnicware and online retailer My First Years are signed for personalised infant product. A number of special commemorative ranges will also launch across plush, apparel and gifting categories. Penguin Ventures have also confirmed a programme of experiential activations in the UK offering families immersive events throughout the year. A brand new Peter Rabbit Story Time Trail will launch in March and tour libraries and gallery spaces across the country, with venues booked up until July 2023 offering little ones the chance to step into The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Meanwhile the first Peter Rabbit themed entertainment parties will launch in 2022, in a new deal with children’s party entertainers, Captain Fantastic, combining party games, magic and plenty of Peter Rabbit’s trademark mischief. In addition Happy Birthday Peter Rab-

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bit, a brand new stage production will be launching at the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in the Lake District next summer. The show encompasses music, puppetry and live action offering audiences an exciting and memorable theatrical experience. Outside of the UK, celebrations will include a major touring exhibition of Potter’s original Peter Rabbit artwork in Japan with exhibition partner Toei, marking the first time the collection will have left the UK. The exhibition will tour 3 major cities from March through to November and is expected to attract over 160,000 visitors and will be supported by a national media campaign. Additionally, a new permanent Peter Rabbit English Garden will open at Fuji Motosuko Resort in a deal brokered by Sony Creative Products with Fujikyuko Co. Ltd. The attraction will include a café, shop and museum. A new Japanese publishing partner, Hayakawa, has also been confirmed, reflecting Penguin Random House Children’s strategy to bring the World of Peter Rabbit publishing to family audiences in this key territory for the brand. In Australia, a collectable 120th anniversary stamp pack will be produced by Australia Post and consist of 12 commemorative stamps. The pack will be available in around 1,000 Australia Post stores across the country. In addition plush partner Jasnor will be launching a range of a special edition Peter Rabbit plush to commemorate

ture book edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, featuring Beatrix Potter’s original text and iconic illustrations. This new large format will be perfect for families to share together, helping new readers discover Peter at his most adventurous. The Tale of Peter Rabbit will be released in picture book format in April 2022, and will be supported with a creative and high-profile Publicity and Marketing anniversary campaign.

the anniversary. “The birthday moment presents a fantastic opportunity for both our existing licensees as well as new partners in the UK and other key international territories. We have been delighted with the way in which licensees, promotional partners and retailers are supporting this milestone moment helping create memories for existing and new Peter Rabbit fans alike be that through products, experiences or events and there is much more to look out for in 2022!” said Susan Bolsover, Director of Licensing and Consumer Products, Penguin Ventures. Finally, Penguin Random House Children’s will be launching a range of commemorative publishing throughout 2022 Beatrix Potter including a beautiful pic-

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In Conversation... Total Licensing talked to Julian Zag, EVP, Global Operations and Head of Consumer Products, Zag How has the last year been for ZAG? The past two years have been incredible for ZAG! In fact, as of this year, we’ve hit over US$1 billion in retail sales for Miraculous™ - Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir worldwide. Miraculous, created by ZAG and co-produced with ON kids & family (Mediawan Group), featuresLadybug, the only transforming, classic-style, super-hero girl on TV in animation and in merchandising in the western markets and ranked by IMDB amongst the Top 10 Best Animated Shows in the last 20 years. Ahead of the recent 2021 rollout of Miraculous season four around the world, and our upcoming $100M+ animated feature release, we had been rapidly building our global consumer products teams. We’ve also established a gaming division in Tel Aviv; a new Global E-commerce division; and new offices in Latin America, Miami, and Mexico. You have had a lot of exciting announcements on Miraculous over the past

few months – can you highlight some of them for us? Yes of course. Season four of Miraculous had its global premier on April 11, 2021, on TF1 in France with a 47.7% market share amongst kids 4–10 years old; in the U.S., the season four premiere on Disney Channel garnered incredible #1 ratings for girls 6–11 across all cable channels; and in Germany, it achieved a 46.4% share among all kids on Disney Channel. Next up is our US$100 million animated feature

mous success with our new Miraculous role play game for the Roblox platform—the first game based on a TV series to be developed on Roblox. Miraculous RP: Quests of Ladybug & Cat Noir, which debuted on May 1, 2021, has to date has exceeded 200 million plays!

to debut in 2022; and season five of the series is already in production. On the consumer products side of our business, since launching the Miraculous™ brand at retail, merchandise from over 300 licensing partners is currently available at major retailers and online in virtually every territory around the world across multiple categories. Here in the U.S., retail expansion for Miraculous is underway with the toy line from ZAG Lab and Playmates hitting brick and mortar stores this fall following the successful spring 2021 rollout when e-commerce platforms including Walmart, Target and Kohls sold out of products within days. Other products hitting retail shelves in the U.S. and Canada starting this year include publishing, costumes, accessories, confectionary and fruit snacks, crafts and activities, novelty toys and more! Also recently, we have had enor-

nounce for the launch of our highly anticipated feature, but I can tell you that we have a massive global promotion program with the most famous QSR company in the world, and signed cobranded partnerships with some more of the most influential companies across the globe for numerous consumer products categories. The movie is a great opportunity for us to further engage adult audiences with the brand. What about YouTube and other social platforms – do you see this as the way of the future to engage with fans? Social platforms are key to reach our fans directly. On YouTube, Miraculous attracts over 21.8 million subscribers across its nine official YouTube channels, currently available in eight languages. With a total 27.7 billion views (authorized and user-generated content) fans have collectively

What are the licensing plans around the theatrical movie for 2022? We have several important initiatives that we have not yet been able to an-

TOTAL LICENSING viewed more than 1.9 billion hours of content. At the end of last year, we launched Miraculous on TikTok to expand the brands established presence on social media. The new channel, which has exceeded over 15 billion views since launch, unveils never before seen footage to further entice our fans. Let’s talk international – are there any particular markets you are seeing a lot of growth? We are seeing growth for Miraculous around the globe! Most recently we signed global deals with Swatch’s Flik Flak, Epopia, and TCC for exciting consumer experiences with retail specific loyalty promotions. These new licensees join long-standing global partners Ferrero and PEZ. And in Europe? Miraculous has always been strong, but the brand is continuing to get even stronger. Some top new licensing partners include BIP for confections and chocolates, Ravensberger for games and puzzles, and Rubies for costumes and roleplay. This year, external research has shown that in Germany, Miraculous is the #1 favorite property for older girls; the #2 favorite property across all girls; and the #3 favorite license amongst all boys and girls ages 6 –9—scoring higher than brands such as Nike, Adidas and FC BayernMunich! (Source: Kids Global April 2021). And in France, the brand is the #1 favorite Cartoon/TVshow/Movie amongst boys and girls 4–14 (Kids Global April 2021). In Russia, Miraculous is 21.0 times more in demand than the average TV series—that’s stronger demand

than 99% of all children’s titles in Russia. (Parrot Analytics, September 2021) In Latin America, our pan regional partners include The Novelty Book Company, who launched a new board and activity book collection in Q2 2021 across Mexico, Central America, Chile, Peru, and Argentina; and Panini for stickers and magazines. In Brazil, we have an exclusive retail program with Lojas Riachuelo, the largest fast-fashion chain; and oBoticario, the world’s largest perfumery and cosmetics franchise with over 4,000 stores! And in Mexico, the new toyline from ZAG Lab and Playmates, distributed by Bandai Mexico, launched in fall 2020. By year-end, the line-wide sell through exceeded 85%, while the core fashion doll segment sell-through exceeded 90%. Strong growth for the core fashion doll line and role play is anticipated for 2022. We have multiple other partners across the region for apparel, backpacks, stationery and dinner ware, shampoo and soap, bicycles and scooters and more! And, most recently, our consumer products program in Japan is becoming very successful, especially now that Miraculous has become number #1 on TV on Disney Channel Japan, which is incredible since miraculous is not a Manga property. Have you found the past year or so difficult with much of physical retail being shut down, or do you rely also on e-commerce platforms for the licensing merchandise? The past year hasn’t been difficult for us from a business perspective. We increased our business on e-commerce, which is why we established the new ZAG Global ECommerce division which manages on a day-to-day basis all of our e-commerce efforts alongside

our major partners licensees and retailers and reinforced and grew our team across the globe. We can see that in some countries our business increased exponentially, for example by 266% in Mexico over the previous year. Can you tell us some more about Ghostforce, coming this fall? Ghostforce™, which is an original gender-neutral series for kids 6 -10 years old, was just acquired by Disney Channels U.S. and premiered on October 4, 2021, on Disney XD. The new agreement is in addition to the existing deals with Disney Channel EMEA, Russia and the Middle East. The series launched in most European countries with great out-of-home and digital visibility, and subsequently became the market leader in various kids target groups, with single airings reaching up to 40.9% share among all kids 3-14, and 51.2% among kids 6-9! Equal parts comedy and action, Ghostforce follows three junior high school students who form a secret team to defend their city from the ghastly ghouls haunting it. As these ordinary kids become heroes, they must keep their own normal lives on track while battling paranormal perils and supernatural supervillains. From a licensing and merchandising perspective, we already closed with several major partners, with toys coming from ZAG Lab and Playmates Toys, plus yet to be announced partners across publishing, apparel and costumes amongst others.

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In 2022, Japan’s largest Licensing Trade Show will be held in June RX Japan (Formerly Reed Exhibitions Japan) will organize the 12th LICENSING JAPAN -Character & Brand Licensing Trade Show- from Wednesday June 29 to Friday July 1, 2022 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan. The 2021 edition was held physically in April, whilst thorough measures against COVID-19 were taken. The event finished successfully with 24,450** visitors, which proved that people involved in the licensing business had high expectations from the show and, importantly, that the Japa-

nese market has been active even taking into account the current situation. Now that things are getting back to normal, the market will become even more active, and the next edition is attracting ever-more attention. In fact, many leading players have already decided to exhibit. The show is held as an important part of Content Tokyo 22 which includes Licensing Japan, Creators’ Expo, Production/Studio Expo, Advanced Digital Technology Expo and Ad Creative and Marketing Expo. LICENSING JAPAN RX Japan Ltd. (Formerly Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd.)

Exhibitors booked for 2022 to date include: Bandai Namco Arts Bandai Spirits Fuji TV Network Fujiya Geek Pictures Green Camel Kamio Japan

Lauren Roth Japan Poplar Publishing Sanrio Far East Sony Creative Products StylingLife Holdings Plazastyle Co

Tezuka Productions The Ruusee Co The Smurfs Tokidoki Tomy Company …and more.

TEL: +81-3-3349-8507 https://www.licensing-japan.jp/en/ To exhibit https://www.licensing-japan.jp/ex_en/ or contact: licensing-e.jp@rxglobal.com To Visit https://www.licensing-japan.jp/inv_en/ visitor-eng.licensing.jp@rxglobal.com For Press Inquiries visitor-eng.licensing.jp@rxglobal.com

By Marina Semenikhina Licensing International representative in Russia msemenikhina@licensing.org

Market Overview According to the Licensing International 2020 Global Licensing Industry Study, Russia takes 15th place in the world ranking of the licensing industry - representing about 1% of world licensing goods sales. This young market keeps slowly growing externally (through adding new properties despite global industry challenges). Russian market players remain optimistic about recent changes in sales structures going online and FMCG retailers dominating the market. Preschool entertainment licenses still bring in the most deals in the market.

The Licensing International report shows entertainment to be 62,5% of total deals, but the whole market feels like this number should be much higher. The most popular licensed categories in Russia are Toys, Apparel, and Home/ Décor. The COVID restrictions remain moderate in Russia – in most cities wearing masks and managing social distance is obligatory. However as of now, retail and restaurants are functioning without limitations or in some regions with QRcodes required to attend.

Licensing market trends Consolidation Smaller players are leaving the market or being acquired by the more prominent players both in licensing and in retail. The only way to succeed in the Russian licensing market is to be big enough to become trusted. Smaller brands have fewer chances to survive. They have either to invest in marketing themselves or to find an experienced partner. Non-entertainment licensing shows its face The industry has started speaking about lifestyle, sports, and heritage brands as an addition to the traditional entertainment licenses in their portfolios. The percentage of solvent adults is the biggest one in Russia (kids are only 15% of the population), and it makes the potential for adult licensing prominent. In addition, the Russian licensing market is opening up to more complicated brands; it’s a good time to bring brands into Russia. Retail participation in licensing Steadily and slowly, retailers have become active players in the Russian licensing market. The most popular

TOTAL LICENSING it is hard to find a responsible party in the case of marketplaces. However, Russian marketplaces work close with brand owners to prevent fake goods sales.

activation is a loyalty program: several professional loyalty program operators have established links between retailers and brands (TCC Global, BrandLoyalty, L-founders, BOOST Group).The latest successful examples of licensing programs are Moomins in Lenta, Minions in Magnit, etc. At the same time, DTR deals remain rare in Russian licensing practiced; however, some retailers now use licenses for their own brands’ promotions (Ulybka Radugi for cosmetics, Lenta for food). Ecological marketing. Nielsen reports that 41% of consumers react to ‘bio,’ ‘eco,’ ‘natural’ on the packaging. This sector shows a higher increase in sales (39%) compared to the last year. The leaders based on growth also are ‘gluten free’ (25%), ‘GMO-free’ (50%), and ‘vegan’ (102%). Despite some regulatory restrictions (recycling charges, prohibiting the use of secondary raw materials in toy manufacturing) and a decrease in consumers’ income in mass and mid-tier, there are multiple cases of ecological initiatives in terms of licensing marketing. Content quickly absorbs ecologically-friendly ideas. Examples are several episodes of the Fixies (Aeroplane – Riki group), the new series Containers (by famous author Oleg Roy), Flora Team (distributed by b4r), and many others. Another trend is recyclable packaging – mostly brought by global players (example – Stor and their line

of plasticware). 0+ media also brings a compelling case of licensed organic products: packaged apples by Delta Frukt, Ice Cream by Gospiron, and baby food by Komplex Agro. Another way to participate in the ecological initiative is to become an event ambassador – Animaccord’s Masha and the Bear have been chosen by WWF Russia to feature in the Earth Hour. Marketplaces Marketplaces become an ultimate answer to the challenges brought to us by pandemic. The top 3 market players are Wildberries, Ozon, and Aliexpress. The main dispute around marketplaces came about because of counterfeit goods –

Must attend events to do business in Russia The Russian Licensing Awards is a new event established in 2021. While overseas colleagues have enjoyed Awards every year for a long time, A Russian Awards event will be held for the first time. There are 16 nominations and over 30 industry experts to judge the applicants, with a major event in December 2021. Licensing World Russia will be held in person in March 2022. 3 days of licensing business activities: presentations, master classes, educational events, industry trends, and key notes. The only industry exhibition is a must visit event. Licensing Summit is usually held in September in the World Trade Center in Moscow, where 187 brands from 15 brand owners are presented to about 500 visitors (2021 data). It is an excellent opportunity to meet all the licensing market players in one place during a business day to talk about licensing deals. The event includes company presentations, legal clinics, licensing school classes, new business opportunity presentations, and unlimited networking opportunities.

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3D SPARROW AND BOOBA Created in 2015, 3D Sparrow is a UK and Moscow based animation studio assembling talented creators, producers and animators, dedicated to producing original content for a global audience. Key team members in terms of production are located in Mos-

cow. 3D Sparrow is the creator and producer of Booba, Food Show and Booba’s Adventures. 3DS’s flagship IP, Booba first went online on YouTube in early 2016 and conquered audiences worldwide instantly. Within a year, Netflix picked up the series globally, along with many broadcasters worldwide. In Russia and the CIS region specifically Carousel, Mult, Ani, Tlum, Pixel, Belarus 3, Astana TV, HTK, Khabar and the best known VOD platforms Kinopoisk and IVI are airing the program. In 2020 NPD found it the No.1 YouTube toy property. Launching first products in 2019, 3DS since then developed a 360 licensing

& merchandising programme including fifteen licensees and over 800 SKUs across several categories. Key partners include Simbat who have developed 530 new SKUs in 2021 alone with plushies being one of the most popular items sold. The first Booba licensee in Russia, Confitrade, launched their fruit jellies in 2019 and since have sold over 3 million products in Russia & CIS. Other clients include Origami with puzzles, AST with activity books, Bavibai with hoodies and swings, Neposeda with bed linen sets, Dali with plastic eggs. This Winter, the Booba - Space Adventure theatrical show will premiere all over Russia.

PARACHUTE LICENSING AGENCY Parachute Licensing Agency is the successor to Kidz Entertainment (Ink Group) with personnel that have more than fourteen years’ experience in the Russian marketplace. In fact, they were one of the founders of the licensing market in Russia. Over the years, Parachute and its predecessor have handled some of the biggest brands in the Russian market, starting in 2007 when they established a licensing program for several productions from CTC, the independent Russian TV company. Productions included Dad’s Daughters, Ranetki and Kadetstvo. In terms of overseas brands the Parachute personnel experience has covered many international brands including The Simpsons, Bratz, Peppa Pig, Thomas and Friends, Discovery Channel, Beyblade, The Smurfs and Miffy. One of the biggest brands developed was, of course, Masha and the Bear and the staff at Parachute were responsible for starting what has become a hugely successful program around the world. They also organised the second direct-to-retail deal in the Russian territory between IInternational retailer Metro C&C and Masha. In addition, they have also worked with TV brands and series from CTC and from Channel One (Pervy Kanal).

The company works with celebrities including chef Julia Vysotskaya and her television show, Eating at Home. Further celebrities include actor, gourmet and cook Gerard Depardieu where they have signed a number of cooking and food related products. Depardieu is one of the most prolific actors of our time. But apart from that, he is an excellent cook and winemaker. He owns several restaurants and wineries in France. He is the author of many cookbooks, and for the 3rd season he is releasing the gastronomic TV show Bon Appetit on Arte (also on Netflix). A further property handled by Parachute is Belka & Strelka based on the flight of first living beings - Russian dogs - in Space. According to Parachute, this is one of the most profitable animation brands,

which is trusted and in great demand among consumers. Three full-length films and three animated series have been released about the famous astronaut dogs (Epic is worldwide disributor), showing consistently high popularity ratings. Target Audience: 0-12 years old. Together with their favorite characters, children learn about the world around them, learn and develop. A major deal signed by Parachute is a loyalty program for Burger King using leading Instagram star Olga Buzova. They are responsible for food and non-food deals for both children and adults and have signed a number of loyalty programs and DTR deals with major companies including Burger King, Chocoladnitsa, Incity, Ostin, TVOE, Gloria Jeans, Sela, Auchan, X5 Retail Group, Magnit/Tander and Lenta.

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MASHA THE BEAR AND FAIRYTEENS FROM ANIMACCORD One of the most successful properties to ever come out of Russia has, of course, been Masha and the Bear. According to Parrot Analytics research over the month of July, Animaccord’s animated series Masha and The Bear has been the most in-demand show in the children’s genre (0-18 years old) second only to SpongeBob SquarePants. Moreover, Parrot Analytics measured social media interactions, video views and online research using a weighted algorithm to determine demand for the average show. Based on the study, Masha was 38.04 times more in demand compared to the average children show globally. In addition, according to the worldwide ranking from Parrot Analytics (January - August 2021), Masha also tops the most in-demand pre-school list (0-5 years old), holding the leading position since the beginning of 2021. Masha and the Bear, also reached another milestone recently by hitting 100 billion views worldwide on YouTube. Masha and the Bear has also exceeded the breakthrough of 1 million years of watch time and counts for 1,000 YouTube views per second. In addition, five of the cartoon’s channels —English, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, and Ukrainian — achieved the YouTube Creator Award (Diamond Play Button). Establishing the show’s online presence during YouTube’s early stages was key to its success today. Animaccord was one of YouTube’s first rightsholders, as it forecasted its potential to offer visibility and distribution opportunities to children’s animation on a global scale. “We are very pleased to see how YouTube is helping creative economies grow. Masha and the Bear made a long way from being a national hit to becoming a global phenomenon in the world of digital family content. This is a great example of a project that brings real value to creators and viewers; through our platform Animaccord was able to significantly popularise Russian animation industry and bring

together children and parents from all over the world” - says Anna Danishevskaya, YouTube Country Lead, Russia. As a global YouTube sensation, Masha and the Bear’s accomplishments don’t end at views and watch time. The show’s audience is expanding rapidly – in the last year, the English YouTube channel has more than doubled its subscribers, now encompassing over 28 million loyal viewers. The series also holds the Guinness World Record for the Most Watched Cartoon on YouTube, with over 4.4 billion views and counting. Apart from that, Masha and the Bear became #1 most in-demand preschool show worldwide (Parrot Analytics, Aug 2021). On a different note, Masha creators Animaccord have launched a new brand recently entitled Fairyteens. The property is a 3D CGI fantasy & adventure series created by Dmitry Loveiko, co-producer of Masha and the Bear, follows the story of five little fairies who train to control their magical powers, cope with the dangers of the world around them,

and interact with each other. Gradually, the little sorceresses learn that they are destined for an unusual and very responsible role, and the fate of the whole fairy world may depend on their actions. The show targets girls aged 6-8 and includes 2 Seasons with 26 X 11 min format. Among the project’s strong brand identity and unique attributes are multi-tiered horizontal story (fantasy + sitcom), insightful and edutainment story, multicultural context and musical involvement. Music is one of the more important aspects of the series. The music is available on major music platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer and other more. The show is widely broadcast on TV and VOD platforms in CIS, as well as rapidly growing on two branded YouTube channels, cumulating in over 54 million views. The new episodes are uploaded on Fairyteens once a month and Fairyteens Play features Let’s play videos with Fairyteens toys. Moreover, the project is acting on tech-driven content including Fay.net digital eco-system that emulates the Fairyteens universe allowing for interaction with target audience as well as a 3D Fairy Colouring app, both of which are available on AppStore and Google Play.

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NEW DEALS FOR MELNITSA’S MOONZY AND THE BARKERS WBD, a PepsiCo company and Melnitsa Licensing Agency signed an agreement on the release of a series of products under the Barkers license in Russia.The line will include milkshakes, smoothies, and yoghurts - 24 SKUs in total. The sales have already started in October 2021. Lucy Tsoy, Head of Business Development of Melnitsa commened, “The agreement with PepsiCo is the beginning of a new licensing strategy developed by LA Melnitsa for the The Barkers brand. The main idea is to highlight the individuality of each character of the show and, involving the audience of the project in activities outside of the screen time, provide consumers with the widest possible choice of products. The product line allows families with kids to choose the product that they really like.”

In September 2021 Melnitsa Licensing Agency extended the licensing deal with Unilever, the leader in FMCG sector, for the year of 2022 . Unilever is releasing a product range of kids hygiene products such as shampoo, toothpaste and bathing foam with characters from the new season of popular preschool show Moonzy . Melnitsa Animation Studio (supported by agents Ink Group) and Spacetoon signed an exclusive deal for running the new season of the Moonzy show on Spacetoon TV channel and Spacetoon GO, the online streaming

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service, in the territories of MENA, Levant and North Africa. Spacetoon established a successful cooperation with Melnitsa in 2019 starting with broadcasting of Moonzy 2D series for the target group from 4 to 7 years old. In 2021 Melnitsa presented the new reinvigorated Moonzy in 3D CGI format based on scripts by Hollywood scriptwriter Paul Pimenta. While Moonzy becomes a beloved member of a small community, another lovely alien arrives from the Moon: Moona. Her presence triggers a lot of new adventures which teaches kids really valuable social concepts: empathy, teamwork, integrity. Spacetoon announced the premiere of the 3D season in the first quarter 2022 with various marketing activities around it. Kamel Weiss, the Strategic Business Development Director of Spacetoon, said, “We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Melnista Animation Studio, to deliver the inspiring stories of Moonzy, and support the values-based content it provides.” Melnitsa animation studio has signed the deal with USA-based SVOD platform Klooma for 52 episodes of preschool show Moonzy and 52 episodes of animation sitcom The Barkers. “Klooma is a next-generation streaming service with infinite entertainment ranging from Music, Movies,TV, Comedy Specials, Podcasts, and access to more Live Events than

any other streaming platform, all built on top of an integrated Social Network. With that said a platform is only as successful as its content. I am so delighted to introduce Moonzy, the moonchild with 10 billion views on YouTube and international superstars The Barkers with over seven billion YouTube views to Klooma’s audience.” said Kenn Viselman, Klooma’s Chief Content officer until very recently. Grindstone Entertainment Group, a Lionsgate company, has acquired North American rights to the animated preschool sitcom, The Barkers: Mind the Cats! based on the popular Russian TV series The Barkers produced by Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company. Worldwide rights are handled by the sales outfit Luminescence. In addition to North America, deals have been closed in Scandinavia (Storytelling), Spain (Cinetel), South Africa (Filmfinity), Turkey (CNS), Middle East(Front Row), Taiwan (Muse). “We are very happy that our movie will be released for kids in different countries. The world of the Barkers, the funny dog family, is very familiar to every child as the story covers daily life situations. The show helps children find their unique tone of voice as each of the Barkers kids is very different but at the same it teaches empathy and teamwork as the brothers and sisters in this family always stand up for each other,” said Svetlana Barabanshchikova, Director for International Business Development at CTB Film Company.

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b4r: marketing-based licensing success b4r (ex. brand4rent) was founded in 2015 by Denis Kulakov, prior to which he headed up the licensing business at Disney Russia for 7 years.Very quickly brand4rent agency has become one of the leading agencies in Russian, Ukrainian and CIS countries’ licensing industries In addition to being one of the leaders in the Russian, Ukrainian and CIS countries in the licensing business b4r has become the #1 choice for the right holders wanting to enter the Russian licensing market. The agency has a unique approach to licensing due to the investing an abundance of their resources into marketing, market research and creating quality designs. They organize focus groups on regular basis, investing into loyalty programs and retail promo activities - which is a key to the success of any brand. As a result, the agency considers it very important to invest into the activities. b4r agency creates an individualized strategy, directed towards the Russian market, for international partners to help them fortify their position in this new market and win over the trust and affection of the local target audience. One of the most striking examples of such work was the collaboration with the Moomin brand: after several years of working with the brand and launching licensed goods in pillar categories,

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b4r, together with partners, implemented a nationwide retail campaign “Moomin - Touching Winter” in 2020 in the Lenta hypermarket chain. The success of the program has increased the awareness of the brand in Russia significantly and the upcoming winter holiday season of 2021 will bring us a second retail activity that will be supported by the launch of the Lenta Private Label – Lenta Kids x Moomin. b4r works with well-known content producers and licensing brand owners around the world. Every year the portfolio is replenished with both children’s animation and adult lifestyle and art brands.The agency’s portfolio includes many animation brands, to which the company has full rights around the world.These include animated series – Flora’s Team, Monsikids, Secret Room, Back to Back and Turbosaurus. These projects, initially created specifically for the development of a licensing program have shown excellent results in various industries and consumer categories and have a huge development potential outside the Russian Federation. The high-quality content responds to the current needs of the modern world: environmental respon-

sibility, emotional intelligence, inclusiveness, and diversity, while the bright memorable characters have become best friends to both boys and girls. From their early days, b4r has been paying great attention to art, lifestyle, and brand licensing. b4r launched the first museum brand licensing program in Russia, developing several style guides and creating a large number of lookbooks for the Tretkovskaya Gallery brand. By 2021, the agency had become a leader in the art licensing sector, representing the interests of Russian and foreign legal entities. The lifestyle and art portfolio includes world famous brands such as Moomin, Pusheen, ELLE, Likee, The Little Prince and many more.

In a pandemic, the agency is finding new ways to work with their partners, holding online conferences and presentations so that copyright holders and licensees receive an individual approach and attention by always staying in touch. The company continues to participate in offline events at the major international and domestic exhibitions, which allows it to maintain its image, increase brand awareness, continue to cooperate with regular customers and attract new ones. A professional team, a systematic approach to building a business and competent, proactive planning - this is what b4r’s success is based on.

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RUSSIA - THE FACTS

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Ranking of the most popular television channels among 4 - 8 year old children in Russia by audience share 31%

Karousel Mult

12%

Disney Channel

31% 31%

CTC Channel One Nickelodeon TNT

31% 31%

Rossiya-1

31% 31%

Ren TV

31%

Cartoon Network

31%

Total Population Population Growth Population aged 0 - 14 Male 0 - 14 Female 0 - 14

146.75 m -0.21% 17.24% 12.55m 11.88m

Source © Statista 2021

GDP Per capita No of TV Viewers Russians that own a TV Average daily vieweing Pay TV subscribers Leading Pay TV

$26,500 113.3m 97% 5h 33m 39.8m Tricolor TV 105

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Danger Mouse Celebrates his 40th in style

Crikey Chief! The world’s greatest secret agent, Danger Mouse, is celebrating his 40th anniversary. The rib-tickling, knee-trembling, villainfoiling animated adventures, originally produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television, ran on ITV from 1981 to 1992. Hugely popular, Danger Mouse was broadcast in over 80 territories worldwide and was the first UK cartoon to really break into the USA. The show returned to TV screens with a high-octane, 21st-century gadgetpacked, gag-laden makeover on CBBC in September 2015. An instant ratings and critical success, the rebooted Danger Mouse has also proved a huge hit globally, with 99 new episodes to date over three series. Licensed to thrill a whole new generation of fans, Danger Mouse, together with his faithful side kick Penfold, takes on all manner of mind-blowing missions aided, abetted and aggravated by a menagerie of old and new allies and adversaries. Now multi-generational fans old and new can join in the anniversary celebrations as Boat Rocker has lined up a fantastic array of Danger Mouse product with a host of leading licensees to mark the occasion. Summer also saw the release of the highly collectible 2021 FunKon Funko

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Pop! vinyl figure of Danger Mouse from pop culture experts Funko, who have signed a worldwide deal to produce a brand-new range of Danger Mouse Classic collectibles. Further releases will include more trademark Pop! stylized vinyl figurines plus Vinyl SODA! figurines of the heroes (and villains!) from the series. In September Truffle Shuffle, home of cool t-shirts, retro gifts and more, launched a vibrant new range of Tshirts and clothing, knitwear, pyjamas, tote bags, mugs, art prints, metal signs, lunchboxes, enamel pins and doormats, all available exclusively on TruffleShuffle.com. Just launched from The River Group, the UK’s leading independent content innovation agency, is an 84-page Danger Mouse Anniversary Bookazine featuring new and classic stories, fascinating facts, quizzes and competitions and fabulous artwork. Later this year, a limited-edition anniversary figurine set from Blu Goblin will be available, with proceeds going towards Kids Out Charity Bioworld, a premier global manufacturer of licensed apparel and accessories for 20 years, has also joined

the Danger Mouse team and will be producing a new range of adult and children’s apparel and drinkware, including T-shirts, sweats, hoodies, face wear, socks and underwear for both children and adults, along with adult joggers, slippers, bags and headwear. Smiffys continues to offer their dressup costumes for both adults and kids, while Trademark Products Limited are still producing their men’s and ladies’ t-shirts. Over in the US, Redbubble – the leading print-on-demand online marketplace – is adding Danger Mouse to their extensive range of apparel. Both the classic and the new series continue to thrill audiences worldwide, and are available to stream on Paramount+ in the US and on Netflix across The Americas, UK and EMEA. Meanwhile, next year sees the 50th anniversary of another much-loved cult children’s classic, Rainbow. Boat Rocker is lining up a number of opportunities to mark the occasion, so expect to see a lot more of the show’s iconic, ever-popular and instantly recognisable characters Zippy, Bungle and George in 2022!

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One Piece 1000: Europe-wide Autumn Celebration Marks the 1000th Episode of the Legendary Anime Fans of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates can rejoice with the news that the smash hit anime One Piece will broadcast its 1000th episode on November 21st. To mark this momentous milestone in the life of the longest running series in the history of Toei Animation, a series of exciting events and collaborations is taking place across Europe. The global phenomenon is every bit as powerful as when the first One

Piece episode aired in Japan in 1999, attracting fans & celebrities! With nearly 1000 episodes broadcast in 80 countries, 13 feature films released, and the Guinness World Record awarded to manga creator Eiichiro Oda for the “most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author”, One Piece has established itself on the cultural landscape of an entire generation. Upcoming One Piece 1000 events include: France Pop-up Store - From October 1st to January 2nd 2022, the One Piece 1000 Logs store will open its doors at the 2nd floor of Westfield Les 4 Temps shopping centre at La Defense in Paris, with exclusive products and special themed decor. The first 1000 people to make a purchase will receive a special gift. From October to December, the exterior of the Manga Story store

in Paris will feature a giant One Piece 1000 takeover. In addition, every One Piece purchase from the Manga Story stores in Paris, Lyon, and Bordeaux will come with a scratch card giving customers a chance to win more One Piece products. Board game tournament - Organised by Topigames, the board game tournament began with the selection on October 9th, with the grand finale to be held on November 6th at La Grande Récré (Boulogne-Billancourt). From mid October to the end of the year, a number of bookstores across France will celebrate One Piece 1000 with a special sticker campaign. For every €5 purchase from the One Piece product range, buyers will receive a loyalty card sticker. Once 10 stickers have been collected, fans have a chance to win an exclusive acrylic mini-figure. On November 21st, a surprise event with CGR theaters will take place to mark the broadcast of the 1000th episode - stay tuned for more details : https://www.cgrevents.com/programmation/marathon-one-piece1000-logs Over a period of 100 days until December 8 when the 100th Manga will be released, One Piece manga publisher Glenat is running a massive giveaway with a prize to be won every day of the promotion. Check out https://www.onepiece100.fr/ Spain Since June, a selection of 43 book and hobby stores have been running a special loyalty promotion where fans can collect One Piece stickers with the purchase of One Piece products. Once 10 stickers have been collected, fans can get an exclusive One Piece 1000 acrylic mini-figure.

19th till December 12th, Games Academy and Funside stores will celebrate One Piece 1000 with a special loyalty card campaign. For every €5 purchase from the One Piece product range, buyers will receive a Loyalty card and

Toei Animation reveals calendar of events in France, Germany, UK and beyond, ahead of 1000th episode scheduled for broadcast on November 21st

a sticker. Once 10 stickers have been collected, fans can get an exclusive Luffy plastic mini-figure. Germany From October to December, at Figuya hobby store in Berlin, customers purchasing One Piece products will get a scratch card giving customers a chance to win special One Piece prizes. EMEA Selfie World Record Attempt To celebrate One Piece 1000 with the fans, a One Piece selfie campaign is happening from October 4th to November 21st across the region. Fans are invited to share their selfies taken using a special One Piece frame, with the aim of reaching 20,000 photos to create the biggest digital photo album in history. A prize draw will take place every 1000 photos for a chance to win exclusive prizes. By October 29th, more than 9.5K pictures have already been posted by fans. Join in here: http://OnePiece1000LogsAlbum.com/

Italy From October 8th to 20th, Feltrinelli bookstores will run a special promotion where fans can grab an exclusive bag with the purchase of two or more One Piece mangas. From November

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Licensing China: the show to elevate your business in promising China and emerging licensing companies, allowing buyers to gain access to hundreds of properties that are available for license.” All aboard for Chinese licensors Some prominent names in the local licensing sector in China are already proactively looking ahead to next year by confirming their participation at the fair. These exhibitors include:

According to Licensing International’s Global Licensing Survey, global sales of licensed merchandise had a 19% yearover-year growth for six consecutive years until 2019, establishing a solid foundation for the licensing sector ahead of the worldwide pandemic. As more businesses see licensing as a useful strategy to add value to their products, Licensing China, to be held from 30 March to 1 April 2022 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, will provide you with valuable opportunities to meet with an exciting line-up of lP owners and agents in the burgeoning China market. “The 2021 edition of Licensing China successfully reconnected the licensing industry as it continues to bounce back from the pandemic,” said Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “In particular, the fair featured some of the most innovative brands and properties, attracting a diverse range of visitors engaging in toy, tourism, retail and other businesses to meet the escalating demand for licensing in the country.” She continued:“As China has been one of the fastest markets in the world to recover from the pandemic, the hybrid event returning next March is expected to welcome a number of leading

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Beijing Zhongchuang Tourism & Culture: as a leader in the cultural and tourism industry, they have been closely working with cultural and tourist spots in the country, for instance, Summer Palace, Art Exhibitions China, Chimelong Group (a major theme park operator in China) and would like to explore relevant licensing opportunities at the fair. Yijianyuzhou (Beijing) Culture: their WUHUANGWANSHUI IP, featuring a cat (Wuhuang) and a dog (Bazahey), has become a social media sensation with over 33 million online fans. The company has licensed out the cartoon IP to a number of brands

which range across sectors such as IT, apparel, FMCG, automobile and more, including from Fortune 500 companies. Beijing Hi:Story Technology: the company owns the exclusive licensing right of the Chinese television series on cultural heritage, The Nation’s Greatest Treasures, amongst other celebrity, art and heritage properties. Beijing Qianli Culture Creative: they will feature their cartoon property, Fuki Land, together with the IPs of the Suzhou Museum, Suzhou Silk Museum and the China Aerospace Science and Cultural Innovation Center. Other domestic licensors to look out for are Winsing Animation, Suzhou Dayu Network Technology, Guangzhou Aifay Culture Communication and Beijing Fen-Z Hudong Culture & Communication, to name a few. Licensing China, together with the concurrent Toy & Edu China and Baby & Stroller China, welcomed 82,481 visitors connecting with 1,413 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions in 2021. The fairs are organised by Guangdong Toy Association, Guangzhou Li Tong Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. For more information, please visit www.licensing-china.com.

España In the aftermath of the pandemic, which hit Spain the hardest in the Eurozone,we take a look at how retail in Spain has been affected in key sectors such as supermarket purchases and also clothing sales.

The FMCG sector in Spain has grown by 13.7% in value in the first three quarters of 2020. The change in shopping habits was marked by consumers who visit shops less often, as purchasing frequency has fallen by 3.2%. However, when they do shop, they load their baskets up to 14.6% more. Purchasing frequency, which hit rock bottom in the first lockdown, has been consistent and did not show any clear recovery during the summer or back-to-school periods. Consumers spread their visits across different retail formats in the first nine months of 2020. Two stand-out shopping styles emerged: regional supermarkets for physical proximity, and convenience and ecommerce for practicality and safety. FMCG ecommerce has broken through during 2020. Consistent growth has helped ecommerce to reach a record annual market share of 3.6%, representing an increase in spending of nearly 60% compared

Number of Retail Chains in Spain in 2020 by Sector Fashion & Clothing Footwear & Leather Food Personal Care Consumer Electronics Furniture & Decoration Homewares Jewelry & Watches Sport & Leisure Babywares DIY and Gardening Toys Books & Magazines Car Parts/Accessories Optical Petrol Telecom Petcare

113 58 54 42 38 36 32 30 30 22 21 20 17 17 12 14 9 6

to 2019. There are three key milestones as a result of the pandemic. Firstly, ecommerce has become a habit in the Spanish market: purchase frequency has increased by 27%. Secondly, it has broken the barrier of reaching the over 50s, who have increased their share in the channel at the same pace as young people. Fi-

Growth of Supermarkets in 2020 Supermarket Mercadona Carrefour Dia Group Lidl Eroski Group Auchan Group Regional Supermarkets Source: Kantar

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market share

growth 2020

24.8% 8.2% 5.9% 5.7% 4.9% 3.4% 14.5%

-0.8 -0.5 -0.7 +0.3 +0.0 -0.1 -0.7

nally, it maintained market share during the summer and back-to-school periods, 1.2 percentage points higher than those same periods last year. Regional supermarkets have consolidated themselves as a purchase option The three biggest supermarket groups continue to concede their market share in 2020, which is common in most western countries. The total market has grown but is now more widely distributed. However, it should be noted that the increase in volume from Spanish households means the entire retail sector is in growth. During the back-to-school weeks, Mercadona managed to regain the market share it had in the lockdown period, growing more than during the post-lockdown period and the return to normality. However, these

TOTAL LICENSING numbers are still below what it achieved in 2019, and it has seen a 0.8 percentage point loss of market share in 2020, although it has maintained its leadership with 24.8% of the market. As for Carrefour and DIA, they took separate paths during the different phases of 2020. In recent months, Carrefour has achieved similar market share figures to those it had at the beginning of the year, but this has not offset the drop it experienced during the lockdown. In October last year it stood at 8.2%, 0.5 points less than in 2019. DIA is almost the opposite: it achieved its highest market share in recent years during the lockdown, taking advantage of its large network of stores. Despite this, it has been losing market share in the months that followed, although it still maintains third place in the Spanish retail sector at 5.9% market share. Lidl is the only large retailer that has managed to grow in the year to date, thanks to its reaction to, and growth after, the lockdown. It has regained customers and capitalised on larger shopping baskets, allowing it to gain 0.3 percentage points to achieve 5.7% market share. Among the other large groups, Eroski and Auchan have also had a good year, maintaining their positions in this market. Auchan has managed to elude the decline of the hypermarket at many points during a year affected by mobility limitations, with a mar-

Leading retail clothing companies Spain - based on sales value (in million Euros)

Zara España SA

2,236.37

Puno fa SL

1,813.15

Pull& Bear España SA

1,250.08

Stradivarius España SA

1,223.65

Tandam Retail SA

909.64

Hennes and Mauritz SL

666.15

Franchising Calzedonia España SA

271.93

Kiabi España KSCE SA

213.84

Luxury Goods Spain SL

133.75

Punt Roma SL

ket share of 3.4%. Eroski has gained strength in its strategic areas thanks to its positioning as regional supermarket (which have done very well this year), and the contribution from its online channel, giving it in a 4.9% share value. The regional supermarket is the key to understanding the Spanish retail sector, and 2020 has made them even more important. Across every region and city in Spain there are local leaders in terms of sales and consumer loyalty. This means Spain is one of the most fragmented markets in the west, with Spanish consumers having a unique amount of choice. Regional supermarkets broke records during the lockdown, arriving at a joint share (not counting Eroski) of 16.3% of the Spanish market. The great success of

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these retailers has been retaining the consumers they have captured, not only for fresh products, but increasingly for a complete shopping basket. In October, regional supermarkets had a 14.5% share, gaining 0.7 points compared to 2019. Spanish consumers have shown once again that they like to move between different options. This is why there are two retail themes, one that is global and digital such as ecommerce, and another that is local and traditional, such as regional supermarkets -omnichannel consumers who spread their purchases among large national and regional distributors, bricks-andmortar shops, and virtual stores. In terms of apparel, the Spanish clothing market contracted in both 2018 and 2019, when it was valued at €25.35 billion. The economy has been the hardest hit of all the Eurozone countries, and a further contraction in the clothing market of around 18% is anticipated for the whole of 2020, resulting in a market size that is €3 billion smaller than in 2015. Clothing retailers have seen their sales decline over 2020 as a result of store closures, decreased discretionary spending, and fewer reasons to shop for clothes. Even prior to the pandemic their share of the whole retail sector had been declining as they face competition from online players, such as Amazon and Zalando, Veepee, and the marketplaces on eBay and AliExpress.

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7 - 14 Years Old Fortnite Netflix

Star Wars Nintendo

The Smurfs Disney

Barbie

Minions

Girls

Frozen

DC Comics Minecraft

Mario Pokemon

Marvel Mario Bros Playmobil

Avengers Toy Story

SpongeBob Doraemon

Disney Princess

Boys

Harry Potter

Spider Man Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Paw Patrol Peppa Pig

Dora

Pocoyo Baby Shark

0 - 6 Years Old

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In 2021 El Ocho has included some new amazing brands in its portfolio, focusing on new trends and digital successes. Some of the most important new brands added to El Ocho’s portfolio are those from U.S. producer Moonbug: CoComelon, Blippi and My Magic Pet Morphle. Following the omnichannel strategy and adapting to new forms of consumption, El Ocho continues to expand its catalog with major brands in the market, covering even the most innovative categories and the most unusual targets. In this context, during the next Christmas campaign consumers will be able to find El Ocho with great activity at the point of sale in the main retailers in the Spanish market.

winter 2021, Famosa will launch the ‘Pretend & Play Doctor Bing’ toy, which arrives with doctor accessories as in the series, and encourages role-play. In addition to the toy line, Bing’s licensing program is being reinforced in Spain and includes wheeled vehicles from Toimsa, bedding from Halantex, publishing from Penguin Random House and cake decorations from Dekora.

Brave Bunnies A new brand in the El Ocho portfolio, created by Glowberry and Anima, Brave Bunnies has

Asterix Asterix is a publishing brand that El Ocho has represented since 2019 and, from that moment, they fell in love with the brand signing textile, gift, footwear, plush, stationery, etc. agreements. El Ocho has also signed agreements with SG Hogar for a textile and kitchen line, as well as with the Tendam Group, which represents brands such as Springfield Cortefiel or Women’secret.

been broadcast on the leading kid´s TV channel CLAN TVE in Spain since September 2021. The series which was recently launched in the UK on Channel 5 and in Italy on Rai Yoyo with excellent results, enjoys great support from Spin Master as the Master Toy, who have recently established themselves in Spain. El Ocho is currently working on the licensing program, starting with PRH as one of the main publishers in Spain.

Bing El Ocho has strengthened the Bing toy line, which was launched in Spain in 2020 by Famosa, with great success at retail. For autumn/

Cocomelon’s first M&G lands in Spain Following the launch of the master toy licensee Bandai’s toy line, El Ocho managed to position the brand in the back-to-school season, with an

TOTAL LICENSING unprecedented event at one of the most important shopping malls in Madrid, La Vaguada, achieving great success and re-opening the event season after the pandemic.The brand will be positioned in 100% of the distribution channels. Cocomelon, the top kids and educational YouTube channel in the world and 2nd YouTube channel in the world with 117 million channel subscribers and 150 million unique monthly viewers, continues its road to success with a steadily increasing licensing portfolio.

brand continues to grow steadily. In 2021, El Ocho has signed more than 20 textile licensing agreements with the best retail brands such as Zara, Stradivarius, Women’secret and Pull & Bear. El Corte Inglés, Alcampo and Carrefour also launched new collections in 2021. In addition to the textile agreements, Mafalda has 11 licensed product categories such as backto-school, gifts, household goods, stationery, accessories, etc.

Dragon Ball

Masha is a YouTube phenomenon with over 100 billion views and 128 million subscribers, making it one of the top children’s entertainment brands in EMEA. In Portugal, it has been the Nº1 on Canal Panda since 2015 with Simba as Master Toy. In addition, the brand has major partners such as Grupo Anaya (publishing), Lemon (live shows), Madhouse (Meet & Greets), Pez (Candy), Crocs (shoes), Havaianas (flip flops), Energizer (flashlight), Funiglobal (costumes), Angel Europa (stationery and mandalas) and Ataa cars (electric vehicles).

Dragon Ball will continue to be the best of the major brands in Spain. Bandai continues to boost the brand year by year, capitalizing on the great anime trend that can be seen in the market. Moreover, during 2021 giants of the textile sector such as Pull & Bear, Bershka, Tempe and Sprinter have centered their efforts in creating new product lines and preparing great collections for campaigns this Christmas. Other deals for 2022 with other key market players such as Zara, Lefties or Tendam Group are still at negotiation stage. The current licensee portfolio includes among others Play by Play with a new line of amusement, Grupo Erik and Karactermania in back to school 2021/2022 who will also support the great development of the brand, capitalizing on the three Christmas promotions that Dragon Ball will feature in with three of the most important retailers: FNAC, TRUS and El Corte Inglés.

Masha

Master Chef MasterChef España, managed by El Ocho since 2014, is the most successful talent show on RTVE.This license with more than 800k followers on their social networks continues its suc-

Kid e cats Currently airing in more than 150 countries, with 3 seasons of 52 episodes each, the series is broadcast by Clan TVE in Spain and is available on Netflix, YouTube and HBO. The Master Toy is Toy Plus and the toy range will be distributed by Bizak domestically. Moreover, the brand has a number of other partners including Panini, with books, albums and “stick and stack,” Clementoni and Ravensburger, with puzzles and Dolfin with chocolate eggs.

Mafalda Mafalda is one of the agency’s oldest brands, and they have been managing it since 2003. The

cess with its 10th season. Diset will capitalize on the Christmas campaign with a new launch of an amazing board game, with the support of Educa who will launch a new line of play kitchens and SG with a home textile line.

My Hero

Following the continued success of the manga world, characterized by an intergenerational target and an impulsive sales model, El Ocho

TOTAL LICENSING has added My Hero Academy to its catalog. My Hero is a manga series that currently boasts over 50 million copies sold worldwide, as well as a fast-growing licensing program. Considered the 3rd best-selling comic book in France in 2020, this license increased its sales by almost 50% this year. With 5 seasons of 115 episodes of 26 minutes each, this series also counts no less than 3 movies, as well as a 6th season confirmed for the coming months, achieving up to

Simon Simon, one of the most popular series on Clan, the leading preschool channel, continues its success in the market. Moreover, the current licensing portfolio that covers several key categories such as toy line with Educa, Cefa and Jugavi, BTS with Safta and editorial with Penguin Random House and Jacaranda, has also increased their scope of activity thanks to the marketing 360 plan that Famosa, master toy for the brand, is currently running, covering an omnichannel strategy and adding new products to their portfolio.

Vera and the Rainbow Kingdom more than 70M views to date. Its presence in almost 100% of the distribution including El Corte Inglés, Alcampo and Fnac among others, has boosted the great success of its current licensees among which we find Bandai (Master Toy), Barrado (toys), Innelec (gaming accessories), Planeta de Agostini (publishing), Winning Moves (board games), Plastoy (gifts), Abysse (gift), Funko (toy figures), as well as the latest additions, Comic Studio (clothing and accessories), Grupo Erik (gifts and stationery) and Karactermania (BTS) with many more companies currently in talks.

Molang

This license continues to be an unparalleled success on the networks with over 3 million fans. It is the top entertainment IP on the Giphy platform. El Ocho remains committed to brand positioning by supporting CYP with its amazing line of accessories that will be available in El Corte Ingles this Christmas. New agreements include Tomy with soft lines and plush toys and Panini with a sticker album launch.

This series that kids love because of its visual appeal, humor and thoughtful characters, has a huge social and digital reach with over 25 million subscribers on its social networks and 630 million views on its YouTube channel since its premiere in 2017 on Netflix. Following its unstoppable success, the brand premiered on Clan in September 2021 with episodes chapters of 22 minutes each, already adding more than 50 countries to its broadcast. With more than 4.2 billion views on GIPHY the series currently has categories such as Live Shows, apparel, stuffed animals, costumes, accessories and editorial among many others. El Ocho has high hopes for this great license with Bandai as national master toy, preparing and boosting its licensing program for 2022.

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The Spanish Marketplace On the following pages, we take a snapshot of a few of the licensors, agents and licensees involved in licensing in Spain and Portugal. CA-GBG is the world’s leading brand management agency formed through a joint venture with Creative Artists Agency and Global Brands Group. The company partners with their clients to expand their intellectual property

into new consumer product categories, experiences and territories. They work in a variety of business models including licensing, strategic partnerships and joint ventures. Representing iconic brands and talent, CAA-GBG is helping to define and execute strategic growth initiatives across a broad spectrum of consumer products and experiences globally. Brands in their portfolio include CocaCola, Netflix (Stranger Things, La Casa de Papel, The Witcher, Squid Game,...), NYC, Skechers, Red Bull Racing, Jelly Belly, Marley, Crayola, Minecraft, League of Legends. Pull & Bear launched with a limited edition collection in line with the Stranger Things Season 3 drop on Netflix, to build hype and allowing the viewers to fully immerse themselves into all things “upside down.” The range featured 35 themed t-shirts and hoodies across both men’s and women’s – all 80s inspired.

Zara recently launched several garments with the Coca-Cola brand. For this launch Zara chose a polo shirt, a t-shirt, a dress and a bodysuit. The fast fashion retailer has carried out a photoshoot with the Argentine supermodel and artist Mica, whom the experts define as an “Icon of the Industry“. CocaCola garments are available in physical stores and in the Zara online store. Finally, The La Casa De Papel apparel collection designed by Pull&Bear was launched online last year. The collections allow the audience to dive into the La Casa De Papel world and express their fascination for the series.This collections consists of T-Shirts, Hoodies, Sweaters, Caps and Socks in the LCDP colours red, black and white. Ypsilon Licensing manages licensing and publishing rights of animated brands in Spain and Portugal in coordination with the right holders developing a comprehensive long term business plan which includes online and offline cross promotion, influencers and retail events. The company operates as a bridge between the international partners and the local broadcasters in order to secure the best slots for the property, building a strategy for licensing

and publishing across multiple platforms with the producers and licensees. Ypsilon manages key relationships with TV networks, SVOD platforms, master toy companies, licensees and retailers, illustrators, fashion designers and influencers, negotiates and structures the deals including all commercial, financial, legal and artwork follow up. Ypsilon Licensing was born as a joint venture between Ypsilon Films and Multitrade Group in order to expand global opportunities in the kids entertainment and licensing business which includes online promotions, marketing and social media activities, magazines as well as retail events. They share the goals and vision of their international partners and clients and we are committed to the success of each property. The mother company Ypsilon Films is a leading Barcelona based distribution company which acquires and markets iconic international brands and high profile programming via partnerships with production and distribution companies for the exploitation of Television and SVOD rights in Iberia as well as for the TV sale of selected programs in Europe, Israel, The Middle East, Latin America and Asia. Ypsilon offers a line up of major animated brands, family movies and kids game shows maximizing the IP revenue and developing tailor-made brand management solutions for the property. Television sales include Miraculous Ladybug, Alvinnn!!! & The Chipmunks, Hey Duggee, Beyblade Burst, Petro-

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TOTAL LICENSING nix Defenders, Pinocchio, Little Prince, Iron Man, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Octonauts, Monchhichi, Jungle Bunch and many more. Roberto Mitrani is Co-Founder of Ypsilon Films and CEO and Co-Founder of Ypsilon Licensing. With almost 30 years in the entertainment industry, Roberto and the team bring a solid domestic and international market experience in television and SVOD distribution, new media rights exploitation, brand management of iconic properties, sales and acquisitions of television brands, co-productions, financing and Executive Production of animated series and live action films with international partners such as Universal Cartoon Studios, Endemol/ Southern Star, Viacom, Turner, The Walt Disney Company and BBC Films among others. The latest brands managed by Ypsilon Licensing are Hey Duggee and Beyblade Burst. The three seasons of BBC’s Hey Duggee were sold by Ypsilon Films to Clan TVE, Amazon and HBO in Spain. Canal Panda Spain was already onboard. The brand is a major success at the leading public linear TV network Clan reaching the number one spot among all preschool series in the past March and April ratings chart as per TVE. Ypsilon Licensing as brought onboard the leading toy company Bizak which will distribute the Golden Bear toys with a first launch Q4 2021 and a strong line up for 2022 and 2023. Ypsilon Licensing co-ordinates all operations and long term strategy among Clan, BBC, Bizak and licensees will be announced soon. A comprehensive marketing campaign online and offline will be launched nationwide. The ADK series Beyblade Burst was sold by Ypsilon Films to the linear TV network Boing in Spain. Hasbro is worldwide Master Toy and the success of the property is beyond expectations with a 5th season on air

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and more to come. Ypsilon Licensing manages all licensing rights and is responsible of the strategy with Warnermedia and ADK. Perfetti Van Melle group and wellknown company CASIO teamed up to develop the sweeter and most fashionable capsule collection of last summer: CASIO BABY-G and Chupa Chups, a range of wrist watches designed by the Spanish fashion artist Maya Hansen for the Chinese market. Maya Hansen has created three different pieces of the classic BA-130 Baby-G model, combining soft colors (pink, white and light blue) with her own characteristic design elements, dots and ribbons, and the most popular icons of Chupa Chups, the logo and the lollipop shape. This classy collection is presented in a delicate gift box with a limited-edition scented lollipop capsule with the aroma of three popular Chupa Chups flavours: strawberry and cream, refreshing cola and soda. It will add sweetness and fun to your summer outfit. A must-have piece for fashionable and outstanding girls. In addition, Europastry, an international company that is leader in the frozen bakery dough sector with sales in more than 80 countries, have just launched the Chupa Chups PopDots. They are fluffy mini versions of the authentic Dots doughnuts, soft dough

pastries decorated with an attractive pink coating and strawberry flavoured sprinkles of authentic Chupa Chups. The Chupa Chups PoDdots are hydrogenated fat free, made without artificial flavors, colors or preservatives and just perfect to satisfy a craving for a small indulgence at any time. Product launched at retail in September in convenience stores, independent grocery retailers, Petrol stations, bakeries and online retailers across Europe. On the fashion side, Inditex has teamed up again with Perfetti van Melle to develop a spring-summer collection for Zara Woman. This time, Zara has chosen the Chupa Chups brand to pimp a trendy navy and casual collection. Essential garments with surprising combinations: fluffy towel finishes, long fringes and vibrant colored stripes, always with the famous Chupa Chups lettering as the eye catcher. A wink to the sixties and a must in the wardrobe of fans of the world’s most famous lollipop. In addition, the Chupa Chups pieces are part of the “Join Life” collection, produced using at least 75% of organic cotton grown with organic farming methods, natural pesticides and fertilizers that help to preserve freshwater resources, natural farming techniques that help to preserve biodiversity, and without genetically modified seeds. Finally, famous Spanish ice cream company La Menorquina celebrated its 80th anniversary by launching a collection of unique and innovative ice creams with some of the most iconic Spanish household brands. One of the popular brands selected is the famous lollipop brand Chupa Chups. Two ice creams have been created for Chupa Chups; the first is a lollipop bonbon with strawberry ice cream and a white chocolate cover sprinkled with caramel chips. The second is a strawberry and orange sherbet, with a lemon top and cola flavored popping candy. They are already on sale in La Menorquina’s mass distribution and out of home chan-

TOTAL LICENSING nels throughout the Spanish market. La Menorquina has also collaborated with other renowned brands such as Lacasa (Conguitos and Lacasitos), Cacaolat, Gormiti, Haribo and Cuétara (Oceanix) on this ice cream collection. Caravanserai believes that, postpandemic, nothing is the same! As Guillem Rey explains, “Licensees, licensors, trade shows, licensing opportunities, market, consumers, traveling, communication, social media…. we have all changed and we better get used to this idea if we want to make it happen. Better or worse, the last two years has accelerated everything in a new direction. The good news is that licensing keeps safe and, for us at least, growing. The consumer is now the leader, and social media are now the platform to communicate with them.” With these inputs in mind, Caravanserai a newcomer with one of the greatest expertise in the licensing world is now heading the present and future with a lot of respect but with great expectations. It is all about properties that are appealing to consumer because the consumer likes them and wants them. Caravanserai believes that they do not need to have a large portfolio, - all the properties they manage are worldwide leaders. Vintage properties are happily top of mind for men and women of all ages with Popeye or Olive (+100 anniver-

sary), the Little Prince (+75) and Miffy (+65) leading them. They continue to be fashion industry leaders by having a presence in most of the big Spanish retailers. Sophie la Girafe (60) and now Peter Rabbit (120) have joined Caravanserai which helps to keep growing their offering of evergreen properties that fit all targets. Brands have also given the company a new positioning for targets that require a new approach including International Space Archives, Gaudí, and Dinosaurus with new product categories. Finally, new platforms have given the company the opportunity to approach new companies and targets. These include the leading E-Sports Team Heretics, the cool vintage videogame Cuphead, the leading cooking platform Chefclub and the number one trivia game in the world Preguntados. All of these grew from these new platforms and now are followed by millions of people worldwide. In 2021, Caravanserai have more than 80 active licensing agreements. They believe that whilst their portfolio might not be top of mind among buyers, they certainly are among consumers. In recent news, Penguin Ventures has appointed of Caravanserai Partners to strategically grow and expand its Peter Rabbit licensing program across key territories. With over 250 million books sold, a No 1 blockbuster family movie and an Emmy award winning children’s TV series, Peter Rabbit has become a global consumer brand with international awareness, loved and trusted by generations for 120 years! 2022 marks Peter Rabbit’s 120th Birthday and Penguin Random House Children’s will be using this milestone to celebrate the continued relevance and appeal of the brand amongst children and families by ensuring Peter Rabbit remains a

relatable icon for the next generation. The World of Peter Rabbit offers partners a multitude of opportunity and is fortunate to have longstanding relationships with some of the world’s most recognized and reputable licensees. Penguin Ventures has now agreed a deal with Caravanserai to capitalize on the immense engagement and love for the brand by creating profitable licensing programs on major consumer products and brand promotion in the Iberian Peninsula territories. Lindsay Pearl, Head of International Licensing at Penguin Random House said: “We are delighted to have been able to extend our relationship with Caravanserai to really focus on bringing our beloved Peter Rabbit to more fans within the Iberian market. With the anniversary just around the corner, it’s an exciting time to be working with a trusted partner in this territory for Peter Rabbit!” The agency is led by well-respected industry veterans that are bringing decades of experience in the entertainment, toy, licensing, lifestyle or kids industries. Guillem Rey, Managing Director at Caravanserai said: “We are thrilled to be involved in the 120th Birthday celebrations of Peter Rabbit and joining Penguin Ventures to expand its licensing program, creating consumer products that are inspired by the exquisite and timeless Beatrix Potter illustrations.”

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TOTAL LICENSING Consumer Product Connection are representing the rights for Gigantosaurus in Spain. Produced by CyberGroup Studios, the TV series is reaching a huge audience in Spain, through a multi platform broadcasting (Disney Junior, Netflix, Youtube and CLAN TV). A strong Licensing Program is already established for the market, with several product categories being launched: Jakks Pacific as Master Toy, the official video game with Bandai Namco, Panini for Sticker album & Magazine, Clementoni, Ravensburger, Stor, Apparel with United Essentials, Ediciones Fortuna with the local version of the books collection, Toimsa with the bikes, and more to come very soon. In addition, CPC will launch two new Maya Studios brands at Brand Licensing Europe this year - SuperMasked and Catrinas Underworld. SuperMasked is an animated superhero saga that will show kids that you don’t need to be perfect to be a su-

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perhero. A mix of comedy and epic battles, the Supermasked characters have one primary defect they don’t know how to use their superpowers. With two seasons of 15 episodes each in development, the show has been launched in Octorber on YouTube ; a trailer launched earlier this year. In addition, a fighting app game launched last month that is available on both iOS and GooglePlay. The strategic toy development partner, Eolo Toys, has secured a raft of best-in-class toy distributors in all key markets, with significant announcements due shortly. In addition, Panini has signed on for a range of collectables and is developing several publishing formats. At the show, both CPC and its local licensing agents will discuss with apparel, publishing, and retail partners. To provide support for the local toy partner and Panini’s collectables range launching in 2022. Catrinas Underworld is a playful adaption of the Mexican skull’s art and style. The Catrinas are the guardians of the portals to the underworld, with bold design and huge personalities, with a range of international characters that will appeal to its audience of young and older girls. The brand has already enjoyed vast success in licensing in its home market of Spain. With a range of fashion dolls from Paola Reina, apparel from Inside Edge launched at El Corte Ingles and Inside shops, Safta with back-to-school accessories including a range of bags and backpacks In publishing, Panini is the partner for

activity books, storybooks, and magazines. Marcrom is a Spanish Licensing and Promotions agency representing a portfolio of corporate, fashion, entertainment, sports and lifestyle brands. The company works with the best clients in order to launch the best licensed products and promotions in the market. The team has a lot of experience in licensing, promotions and retail, particularly in Europe. Amongst the brands handled by Marcrom is Diego Armando Maradona an Argentine soccer player and coach who stood out for his extraordinary technique along with a broad vision of the game. Considered the best Argentine soccer player of all time and the best of his generation, he is even recognized by numerous specialists, ex-footballers and international personalities as the “best soccer player in history” Marcrom also represents Artistory, launched in 2020 by a team of pioneers in art and cultural IP licensing, A is an IP licensing specialist focusing on the art and cultural IP licensing with sales team in London, Barcelona, Seoul, Shanghai and Singapore. Equipped with their unique “Artefacts to Merchandise” and storytelling capabilities, Artistory partners with world’s top museums and cultural organizations to develop licensing programs

TOTAL LICENSING with global retailers and international consumer brands, expanding the engagement with a global audience. A further brand handled through marcrom is Munich, is a Spanish manufacturer of sport and fashion footwear that manufactures every year more than 1 Million pairs of shoes, (50% sports and 50% fashion). The firm has achieved a special place in the field of fashion, growing in the domestic and international market. The symbol X, the characteristic motif, is what has made its shoes unmistakable. In addition to Europe and Asia, primarily Japan,the brand is present in more than 300 points of sale throughout Spain and has its own stores in Barcelona, La Roca del Valles, Capellades, Valencia, Zaragoza and Madrid. On the TV side, Marcrom is handling Peaky Blinders, an award-winning global hit show that has captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. An epic story of families, rivalry, love, betrayal and revenge set in the roaring twenties after the first World War. The series is recognized as one of the most impactful and ground breaking drama series ever produced for its production values, casting, music production, scripting and cinematography. Encouraged by the success of Bimbo in Mexico, the country where the company began its activities in December 1945, Bimbo Iberia began its journey in 1965, the year in which the first sliced bread was released...It is now one of the largest organizations in the food sector in Spain and Portugal. Thanks to its firm commitment to innovation and the quality of its products, Bimbo Iberia has established itself as the market leader in the branded bakery, pastry and pastry categories. Brands: Donuts, Donettes, Bimbo,.. Finally, La Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish national Football League) was founded on July 26, 1984. This is a sports association composed of all sports corporations and football clubs in the

First and Second Division involved in professional competitions at national level. Stor is a Spanish family business created in 1969 for the purpose of designing, manufacturing and distributing household goods. Since the 80s a large part of their catalogue is dedicated to products featuring world-famous characters and manufactured under license. Since then, they have had an international projection that has given them a presence in more than 80 countries with offices in Spain, UK, ltaly, France, Germany, Hungary, Russia, UAE (Dubai), China, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Perú, Brasil, Argentina and USA. Their first license was signed in 1985 (Disney).Current properties under license include Paw Patrol, Baby Shark, My Little Pony, PJ Mask, Peppa Pig, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Super Mario Bros, LOL Surprise, Minions, Trolls, Minecraft, Pokemon, Call of Duty, Dragon Ball, Hello Kitty, Cocomelon, Bluey, Rocket League, The Witcher and Stranger Things.

Since 2016 Animalzan has been working on the licensing of pet products for the main Portuguese football clubs, such as SL Benfica, Sporting CP and FC Porto, and also for the national Portuguese football team. Each club pet line is designed according to the club’s needs and mottos of each season, comprising t-shirts, sweatshirts, beds, collars, leashes, bandanas, scarves, among many other items, designed for the most passionate fans. The idea behind each collection is to ensure that it’s special, emotional, respectful of the Game and that it takes into account the nature of each pet. The public can buy products through the official channels of each club, but also in petshops and in the Animalzan online channel, which ships worldwide, allowing the brand to reach all Portuguese fans. Taking advantage of a business nucleus dedicated to the textile and accessories industry in the north of the country, Animalzan’s products are made in Portugal, which guarantees quality and a very small ecological footprint, two of the biggest concerns of the brand. In 2022, the brand will present a number of new licenses.

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The World of

Smilegate Smilegate is a Korean game company with a variety of game IPs, including its major work FPS (first-person shooter) game Crossfire, PC Hack & Slash MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) and Lost Ark which have won 6 championships at the 2019 Korea Game Awards. In addition, Smilegate has a PC online racing game Tales Runner, and a collection based mobile RPG (role-playing game) Epic Seven. Smilegate aims to grow as the most popular world-famous IP company.

CROSSFIRE Crossfire was released in Mar 2007 and is one of the most played online FPS games worldwide with over 8 million maximum concurrent users and 1 billion registered players. Currently it is available in 80

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countries including China,Vietnam, North & South America, Europe, Brazil, Russia and MENA (Middle EastNorth Africa). Crossfire was featured in Forbes Magazine as the “Top Earning Free-to-Play Game” in 2013 and “The Most Downloaded Game of China” in 2015. With continuous hard work in terms of IP development, Crossfire

extended into a 36-episode web drama, which is jointly produced by Smilegate, Tencent Pictures,Youhug Media, Spark Media and Lingke Shining. It has generated an estimated cumulative view count of over 1.9 billion since its launch in July 2020. The series tells a coming-of-age story about two young Crossfire gamers – played by famous Chinese actors Lu

TOTAL LICENSING Han and Wu Lei - trying to carve out a career in eSports. There are several indoor theme parks in popular shopping malls in the leading big cities in China and the business will be focusing on China’s first and second-tier cities. The first Crossfire indoor theme park was launched in 2019 at Suzhou, China. It has achieved 20,000 visitors as of December 2020 and was selected as “The Most Popular Team Activity (Suzhou Region)” on Chinese rating app “DaZhongDianPing”. To enrich the experience for offline customers, an indoor-outdoor combined theme park was also launched in Guangzhou, China in September 2021. Moreover, Sony Columbia is currently developing an original global theatrical film of Crossfire. Tencent Pictures will co-finance in the production of the movie, which will be produced through Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film label. Recently, Smilegate made a strategic investment in That’s No Moon Entertainment (TNM), a new groundbreaking AAA game development studio in North America to make narrative-driven and innovative game. Crossfire has proven to the world that it is no longer just a game but a global phenomenon. It works with famous global companies, such as Tencent and Global Trademark Licensing (GTL), for Game publishing and the IP Business inside China. As for other regions, Crossfire works with GTL to carry out an active business plan surrounding a CFX (Crossfire Console Version) ahead of its launch. Lindsay Weaver, Director Special Projects of GTL, says, “During the Shanghai Licensing Show, our Crossfire booth received a great deal of attention from visitors from different industries. These were not only interested in making licensed products. Some of them were looking forward to deeper level of collaboration with Crossfire, which we believe can help bring a diversified experience to the brand and meet the needs of different customers.”

EPIC SEVEN Epic Seven is a turn-based RPG launched in November 2018, which has outstanding illustrations. It’s the first domestic RPG to feature fullframe playable animation for all of its characters and cutscenes. It provides service in 145 countries and recorded top growth charts in major countries. It was awarded “Excellence Prize” in 2018 Korea Game Award and “The Game of 2018” in Google Play Store, also last year, it was recognized as “Top 10 RPG Game of 2020” by Apple App Store. Epic Seven is also beloved the most in North America on the back of its high-resolution 2D Anime style graphics and convenient game-playing environment, it is once recognized as Top 5 RPG mobile game and has generated over 2.8 million downloads in North America. The game also earned notable achievements in North America and Asia in May from collaborations with popular Japanese fighting game “Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2.” It was the first collaboration with another game since the launch of “Epic Seven”. In 2021, Smilegate signed a licensing agency agreement for North America with Surge Licensing, Inc.. Together with Surge Licensing, Smilegate will develop Epic Seven as a sustainable IP and stimulate its huge potential in each industry based on its existing popularity in North America. Stacy Oh, Leader of Smilegate’s contents business team, reveals that Epic Seven will be reborn in various

new categories as a leading 2D anime mobile game IP in the U.S. together with Surge Licensing. “Continuous growth achieved through 3 years of non-stop updates, particularly a release of new story every year, has established the brand value of Epic Seven as a classic mobile game IP in the Global market. We are ready to meet our fans in consumer products now.” Elan Freedman, vice president of Surge Licensing, says, “Epic Seven’s combination of an episodic mobile RPG, a playable anime, a world with iconic characters and most importantly, a dedicated community of fans, make the perfect recipe for a consumer products franchise. With the growing appetite for all things Anime and Manga in the U.S., we are thrilled to partner with Smilegate to bring Epic Seven to licensees and fans!” Building on the success of its game contents, Smilegate will invest more effort in IP diversification and publish new works that can impress the western fans and actively target the Western market.

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With critical praise from educators, parents, and preschoolers, Blue’s Clues has generated an enormous global fanbase over the years in over 160 countries and more than 20 languages. Nickelodeon is commemorating 25 years of its groundbreaking animated series Blue’s Clues with the greenlight of a brand-new, original movie and an array of anniversary initiatives across multiple platforms. Celebrating one of the most iconic preschool series of all time, which launched on Sept. 8, 1996, the milestone anniversary was also be marked by a multitiered partnership with global nonprofit organization Save the Children, a TV tentpole event, a one-of-a-kind nostalgia-driven music video, exclusive consumer products programs and more, kicking off this

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summer. As part of the anniversary celebration, Nickelodeon has greenlit a Blue’s Clues & You! movie that will follow Josh and Blue as they head to New York City to audition for a big Broadway musical. Nickelodeon Animation Studio began production on the movie this summer. “Blue’s Clues is hands down one of the most successful and critically acclaimed preschool TV shows in history, and we’re so proud that Nickelodeon has been its home for the last 25 years,” said Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation. “The series’ creativity, interactivity and inclusivity has stood the test of time and we are continuing to empower, challenge, and build the self-esteem of a new generation of preschoolers with a brand-new Blue’s Clues & You! movie and multiple upcoming seasons of the series in our Animation Studio pipeline.” Nickelodeon has also expanded its partnership with Save the Children, the national leader in helping children prepare for and succeed in school across rural America. Blue’s Clues & You! will help the nonprofit provide learning opportunities and education materials to kids and families in the U.S. through its early childhood education programs. In addition, Blue’s Clues & You! featured in Save the Children’s 100 Days of Reading Campaign this summer, with content integration across platforms and on-the-ground activations through the 100 Days of Reading Bus Tour – which is providing fun learning activities and essential education resources to 20,000 children and families. Save the Children will also be Nickelodeon’s

prosocial partner for the net’s second annual “Blue Friday,” a day of giving and learning. “Blue Friday” is an initiative that centers around supporting early learning opportunities for kids in need this holiday season. Other Blue’s Clues 25th anniversary highlights include Two special TV events this fall: Blue’s Clues & You! “It’s YOUR birthday!” tentpole and Blue’s Clues & You! “Our New Neighbor.” Activity also includes an original 25th anniversary nostalgia-driven music video featuring Blue’s Clues & You! star Josh Dela Cruz and former Blue’s Clues hosts, Donovan Patton and Steve Burns, alongside real-life fans from various generations who grew up on the series. Burns also serves as director of the video; a limited-time, dedicated “Bluetique” at FAO Schwarz’s NYC flagship location in Rockefeller Plaza; the launch of the first half of season one of Blues Clues & You! and the fifth and sixth seasons of Blue’s Clues on Paramount+ joining the first four seasons of Blue’s Clues and seasons one and two of the live-action spin-off Blue’s Room. There are also over 20 original learning games, ebooks, and interactive episodes available on Noggin, Nickelodeon’s interactive learning service for preschoolers and September saw an all-day Blue’s Clues marathon on the Nick Jr. Pluto TV channel. In terms of consumer products there are numerous new products covering toys, home goods, accessories, DVDs and party goods including a brand-new line of educational toys from Melissa & Doug. Finally Blue’s Clues & You! elements featured at the Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts opening this summer in Riviera Maya.

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STAR TREK: PRODIGY Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS recently debuted a first-look clip featuring Hologram Kathryn Janeway, from the upcoming all-new animated kids series Star Trek: Prodigy. The new clip featuring the return of the iconic “Star Trek” character of Janeway, voiced by Kate Mulgrew in the new series was released during the cast and producer panel at New York Comic Con, following the official premiere screening. Star Trek: Prodigy premiered in late October with a one-hour episode, exclusively for Paramount+ subscribers in the U.S. The series will also be available to stream on Paramount+ in international territories including Latin America, the Nordics and Australia. Star Trek: Prodity is produced by the Nickelodeon Animation Studio and CBS Studios’ Eye Animation Produc-

MTV have announced the launch of Lancôme x Emily in Paris collection. For the very first time, Lancôme has teamed up with one of the most popular television series to create a musthave beauty collection inspired by Parisian glamour. With Season 2 set to premier December 22, the hit Netflix show Emily in Paris, produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, stars Lancôme ambassador Lily Collins and follows the story of Emily Cooper; her life, her quirky dress sense, her joyful optimism and of course, the effortless natural chic of French beauty. Inspired by the charm of Parisian life, each of the limited-edition makeup, skincare and fragrance items features the red and pink color codes of the show, as well as Emily’s heart-shaped and Eiffel Tower bag charm motifs. “This is the first time Lancôme has teamed up with a highly popular and super aspirational Netflix show to create a beauty collection. With this new collection, Lancôme celebrates the Parisian joie de vivre and the charm of Emily in Paris. It is the perfect way to re-create that distinctive French girl beauty and interpret it your way at home, bringing

tion. Developed by Emmy® Award winners Kevin and Dan Hageman, the CG-animated series Star Trek: Prodigy is the first “Star Trek” series aimed at

younger audiences, and will follow a motley crew of young aliens who must figure out how to work together while navigating a greater galaxy, in search of a better future. These six young outcasts know nothing about the ship they have commandeered – a first in the history of the “Star Trek” franchise – but over the course of their adventures together, they will each be introduced to Starfleet and the ideals it represents. The Star Trek Universe on Paramount+ includes current and upcoming seasons of the original series Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks and the upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Prodigy. The Universe also includes all 726 episodes from the six classic Star Trek series and a selection of Star Trek films.

LANCÔME x EMILY IN PARIS

French glamour & sophistication to all women around the world,” said Francoise Lehmann, Lancôme Global Brand President. Added Priya Mukhedkar, Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, ViacomCBS, “This global collaboration brings together two beautiful and exciting brands – the elegance of Lancôme and the fun spirit and essence of Emily in Paris. We are

confident consumers all over the world will love celebrating Emily in Paris with this stunning collection.” Inspired by Emily’s style and characteristic beauty looks, the Lancôme x Emily in Paris collection features a range of makeup, skincare and fragrance products. The collection will be available at lancome-usa.com at the end of November.

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Rainbow Ready to Shine at BLE 2021 The content powerhouse heads to London What Rainbow does best is bring amazing storylines and content to life. Content that evolves around us daily. Content which takes many forms, and not just on a cinematic or TV screen, nor a digital platform. Content that is in print form, products we use every day, in art, and even in clothing and

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entertainment attractions. Not just in Europe, but globally. Rainbow is a recognised business success story in both content and licensing for its home-grown broadcast properties, and particularly the ‘evergreen’ animated children’s series Winx Club which has an enormous following internationally, is currently in production for a ninth series. Winx Club’s brand credibility and popularity has played an integral role in the success of the Netflix partnership and new live-action series, FATE: The Winx Saga that was slated for a second series within weeks of season one having its international premiere. Beyond its original content, Rainbow is also a leading licensing agent in both its home market of Italy as well as other countries around the world, and regularly called upon to manage and oversee licensing programmes and international broadcast sales on behalf of other IP’s. And Rainbow nurtures growth, year-round, for all that it owns, manages, or oversees. Under the direction of its founding Chairman, Iginio Straffi, who remains at the heart of the business and was the original creator of the Winx brand, the Rainbow teams who are based in offices located in Europe, Asia, and North America, work daily alongside him creating and producing engaging content for today’s young audiences, as well as building brand longevity with licensing and partnership opportunities. Rainbow is a business which continues to evolve, both locally and internationally. With a strong team to support his creativity and aspirations for entertaining and providing edutainment to today’s children, Iginio Straffi’s Rainbow Group heads back to Brand Licensing Europe with a brace of licensing opportunities from its most celebrated series. We also get a first licensing insight into two exciting new

animated shows - one of which will no doubt touch the hearts of older generations, but also embrace today’s inquisitive young minds. And lastly, but certainly not least, there’s an exciting new international brand making its debut in global licensing at BLE under the tutelage of Rainbow’s expert licensing team, and likely to capture the creative imaginations of industry executives from across Europe, and beyond. Let’s delve into the bright, colourful, and exciting world of Italy’s leading content provider and licensing business to learn more... Summer & Todd Happy Farmers Sustainability, and protecting the future of our planet is high on the global agenda and rarely out of the news regardless of where you may live and what industry you work within. Rainbow has always been a trailblazer in creating content that tackles issues facing today’s young audiences, highlighting it on screen in its original content and produced in-house, with sensitivity and meticulous research and factual accuracy, but not losing sight that it needs to remain entertaining and engaging for the viewers. Summer & Todd Happy Farmers is a distinctly different, new, CGI animated series created by Iginio Straffi that was in development for more than two years before premiering in September 2021 on RAI Yoyo in Italy. Directly addressing today’s sustainability issues and the importance of protecting nature, it’s already achieved critical acclaim because of its impactful storylines set on a farm populated by many entertaining animal characters. The 52x7’ funny CGI episodes follow the daily adventures of a group of animal friends at Sunshine Farms, bringing children closer to natural processes and environmental sustainability. Every storyline incorporates educational content to help young minds reflect on the importance of respecting the

TOTAL LICENSING environment, understand the value of sustainability whilst also learning about nature and life in the countryside. Guiding viewers throughout the show are protagonists Summer, a lovely rabbit from the city, and the caring raccoon Todd, owner of the farm. Together with a tight-knit team of friends, they soon win the hearts of children and families with their optimism, cheerfulness, and desire to overcome all difficulties together. Summer & Todd Happy Farmers is produced by Rainbow in partnership with Rai Ragazzi, a co-production with Motion Pictures and the Spanish public TV channel Rtve. Rainbow’s ambitious CP campaign for this brand has begun and the brand lends itself very well to huge marketing operations and important collaborations in the publishing, food, and toys sectors, where the first deals have already been inked both with local and multi-territory partners. Pinocchio & Friends There is nothing more inspiring than a reimagined classic animation, which

maintains the core values for which it is renowned, but manages to successfully captivate today’s inquisitive young minds, and produced using the very best in CGI animation. Pinocchio, the wooden puppet who simply wanted to be a real boy, is back! Cheeky, funny, and captivating, Rainbow’s adaptation of this wondrous fairy-tale, originally penned by Italian novelist Carlo Collodi, is a glowing

masterpiece in family entertainment with endless licensing opportunities due to its global awareness and many years of brand heritage. Less than two months ago Pinocchio wowed audiences at the 78th Venice Film Festival, treading the red carpet alongside Mr Straffi, and was greeted by film-going fans, critics, media, and producers from around the world. In late November, the 26x12’ series Pin-

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occhio & Friends will premiere on Rai Yoyo, with further broadcast partners to be announced soon following Rainbow’s successful presence last month at MIP Junior in Cannes. If there’s one costume character visitors at BLE will want to be photographed alongside it has to be the adorable Pinocchio! On the consumer product side, the new Pinocchio & Friends by Iginio Straffi will offer plenty of opportunities in publishing, BTS, toys, food promo categories, for which the group has already closed the first deals with local and multi-territory partners. Winx Club and Fate: The Winx Saga Last but not least, this year’s BLE wouldn’t be without Rainbow’s largest global success, the Winx brand, which is boldly going where, quite possibly, no TV properties have ever gone before: two different consumer products strategies, targeting two very different

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audiences, but created from a single animated TV series more than seventeen years ago. The Winx brand is not only an evergreen TV property, but a successful franchise with multiple animated TV series (the ninth is in production right now), four TV movies, three theatrical movies, a recent live-action TV series (and a second in production over in Ireland right now) plus a consumer products programme which continues to grow worldwide. Starting with the original Winx Club, which burst onto TV screens back in 2004: they embrace strong values including girl empowerment, friendship, diversity and over seventeen years have delivered punchy storylines that resonate with young kids. The series has an enormous global following on social media, that’s grown in line with a shift in brand engagement across a variety of media platforms beyond linear TV viewing where it all began for the fairies. With strong marketing support and engaging consumer campaigns, Winx Club has successfully delivered an ongoing successful consumer products strategy in all its key markets and has reached over 100 countries. The future for the animated fairies

continues to be bright and the consumer products focus on their young kid audience at BLE this November, will draw on this and the market trends they embrace. Winx Club’s strong brand awareness and enormous loyal fanbase also enabled the development, production and resulting success of the live action adaptation, produced by Netflix, FATE: The Winx Saga. The six-episode show has been one of the most viewed series on Netflix and during the first 28 days of streaming it reached an amazing 57 million households globally. Season 2 will be released in 2022 and Rainbow earlier this year, as exclusive CP global licensor for the live-action series, announced a strategy that draws upon young adults (specifically teenage girls and the twenty-something female audience). FATE: The Winx Saga heads to BLE with a clear vision to build a programme that initially targets fashion, accessories, beauty, and make-up to this aspiring new audience for its latest hit series. In supporting both CP strategies a variety of marketing, PR and digital activities will ensure the engagement of Winx’s evergreen fans, as well as the new YA and Kids audiences it’s connecting with around the world.

TOTAL LICENSING In exciting news exclusive to Total Licensing, Rainbow has announced it has signed an agreement to represent the globally renowned artist Lucia Heffernan and bring her unique style of art to a range of consumer products lines internationally. Lucia Heffernan is a graphic designer by trade and an oil painter by design. Inspired by her love for animals, her body of work is an expression & exploration of her fascination with them, and through her paintings, seeks to give animals a voice and a personality. The connection between animal and human sensibilities creates a whimsical, theatrical, often humorous atmosphere, depicting a journey into the human soul through a unique mix of innocence and edgy humor. Boasting a catalogue surpassing 1000 paintings, Lucia Heffernan has become one of the most valued artists on the international stage. Her portfolio is

constantly evolving with new fashionable themes and inspiring features, and her extraordinary body of work has been expanding worldwide, continually appealing to an ever-wider audience. Rainbow has extensive experience in taking brands beyond their origins and converting them into commercially successful IP’s with a variety of revenue streams. The collaboration between Rainbow and Lucia Heffernan is intended to deliver new audiences to her style of art which has huge licensing potential around the world; transferring her works beyond their original designs into a range of consumer products that resonate with the humorous and modern-style of her portfolio, Rainbow’s initial objectives are to secure experienced licensing partners globally and produce a comprehensive style guide in partnership with Lucia Heffernan. Initial categories will include apparel and accessories, stationary, gift, home and puzzles.

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Rebranding for continued success Big News, TF1 Licences is being renamed as TF1 Licensing. With a portfolio of over 40 brands that radiate all over the World, the team is aiming at expending and reinforcing new developments in the licensing field in terms of product ranges, promotional activations as well as live experience developments. During TF1 Licensing’s annual conference, François Pellissier, DGA Business & Sport announced great numbers for TF1 TV Group, confirming how important TV news and Entertainment is important to the public, but also for the brands. Today more than ever, advertisers rely on TV programs and TV brands to pass on their messages, kind of like a safety net. With audience numbers like no others, for adults and kids. TFOU, TF1’s TV case for children and leader in France made an incredible summer, the best one ever with 34% Audience Shares*, proving how powerful its brands are for families.

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This new name happens right on time for Brand Licensing Europe, at which TF1 Licensing will attend to present all new activations and brands. But not only the new ones, because TF1 Licensing covers all nostalgic needs. The major brand for nostalgia is Barbapapa. The new Barbapapa show is now broadcast all over the World on Nickelodeon Junior but also on TF1 in France and Rai in Italy. After record performances on TF1 with 36% audience share amongst Kids 4-10 years old*, a second season is now being produced. It’s been 50 years of success for this iconic family, celebrated on air but also in digital form with Marmiton (#1 cooking website and app in France) and a wonderful partnership last year. True to values of optimism, creativity, ecology and kindness, Barbapapa partnered up with the Parisian concept store Merci in 2020 to thank the caregivers during the pandemic.

2021, the Barbapapa takes you to the most famous museum in the World, Le Louvre, with a collaboration with the Réunion des Musées Nationaux, the Louvre and the publisher Les Livres du Dragon d’Or. What’s planned? A collector book, a capsule collection with Barbalouvre original products and workshops to discover art in December. All this display will be promoted through PR and digital by all the partners. As for TV, a special program on creation to raise children’s awareness of art will launch in addition to this display.

In June 2021 the family first appeared in up to 70 movie theatres in France in selected adventures on the theme of ecology. Next to the historic partners from major categories such as Les Livres du Dragon d’Or or the Master Toy Giochi Preziosi, the Barbapapa family has extended with, among others, Bayard for the magazine, Take Care on hygiene and beauty, CEP on the perfume and Sahinler on apparel.

2022 will be marked by an original collaboration in the fashion area… Barbapapa is still full of surprises! Barbapapa is broadcast worldwide on Nick Jr. in Europe, Southern America, Africa, but also on TéléQuebec and other local channels, and on Rai in Italy where it’s a real success. Indeed the series is the most watched show in the early afternoon slot with 162.000 AMR**

So what’s coming next then? Well in

Barbapapa also has products launched

TOTAL LICENSING all over the world through European Master Toy Giochi Preziosi, with first launches in France and Italy, and books translated in 30 different languages with publishing partners globally such as Salani in Italy Another focus of this Fall edition is the return of Live Events. In this area, TF1 Licensing will be accompanying its superstar brand Miraculous. Miraculous, is a TV Blockbuster, broadcast in over 120 countries on major channels, but also VOD such as Netflix

when it opened - the first TFou Parc has now been welcoming people since September 24th in the Evry 2 mall near Paris. A spectacular indoor parc with 2600m² of fun and 25 activities for children from 4 to 10, but also the older ones in 5 immersive areas, including the biggest trampoline in France: a 100% inflatable space spreading over 350m². There will also be a food and shopping area to complete the experience using the codes of TFou, the French leader in kids programs. TF1 Licensing’s French entertainment success Koh-Lanta (Survivor) is celebrating its 20th anniversary! Created in 2001, the program by Adventure

who entered Kids’ top favourite personalities in 2021. To celebrate this amazing birthday, many new partners joined TF1 Licensing this year including Sun City (apparel), Les Editions du Dragon d’Or, Solar, Playbac, Pepikou for publishing products, and even partners such as Nintendo, Bouygues Telecom and Oasis for brand content operations.A French brand that you’re not through hearing about! The legendary rugby team from NewZealand, the All Blacks keep moving away from the melee! After a new successful season, the multi-victory team is preparing for the World Cup 2023 taking place in France. Major partners

or Disney+. With 20 awards to date, over 400 product partners globally and $1Billion in retail sales, Ladybug and Cat Noir will be touring all over France with a musical show starting in the Fall 2022. TF1 Licensing, along with TF1 spectacle, is working on synergies with licensees surrounding the show that will be unveiled soon. Want to be a part of it? Come and join us! TF1 Licensing is working hard on developing Live experience programs. We told you about the Camping Paradis network. For the first time, camping grounds are under license to a French famous TV show to immerse the public into the show - from fiction to reality. Created in 2020, it had 12 grounds affiliated at the beginning, 44 in 2021 and many more to come. Since it was created, over 500 000 vacationers spent their holidays in one of them. A fully immersive experience with a whole dedicated animation program. You probably heard a lot about it

*Médiamétrie – Médiamat: Audience Jan to Aug 2021 **Rai 2021

Line Productions keeps on expanding. 20 years of adventures, 20 years of wonderful landscapes, 20 years of friendships, 20 years of alliances and treasons, 20 years of self-challenging, with the famous host Denis Brogniart

such as Adidas continue to support them. On the product side, new team members joined TF1 Licensing like Wave of Wood, for a great range of glasses to accompany historic partners such as Corania, La Plume Dorée, SMB, CTI, Textiss, Hachette and Rugby Distribution. All of these will be supporting the Blacks for the next World Cup competition in New Zealand in 2022. TF1 Licensing is looking forward to seeing everybody at Brand Licensing Europe. Come and join us Booth D151!

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Eyes and Ears on the Licensing Pioneers With the world’s attention firmly on climate change this month, Brand Licensing Europe is placing environmentalism front and centre with a major Sustainability Activation curated in partnership with the media hub and members group, Products of Change. The platform’s editor, Robert Hutchins runs through what the team has in store

“

Sustainability will be taking centre stage when the doors swing open at BLE thanks to a 220-square-metre Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change, boasting six zones... to inspire the licensing industry towards a more sustainable future.

”

Helena Mansell-Stopher, Founder & CEO, and Robert Hutchins, Editor & Community Manager, POC

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Handbags made from stone, lamps from hay, the chance to take part in a Brand Fashion Swap, and a special activation from the Eden Project itself; if you think you’ve missed out on the activity from this month’s COP26 conference in Glasgow, think again. BLE 2021 will be delivering the sustainability action in spades. In fact, it will be taking centre stage, quite literally, when the doors swing open to ExCeL London this November 17th thanks to a 220-squaremetre BLE Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change boasting six zones, each curated and designed to inspire the licensing industry towards a more sustainable future. While we dare say that Brand Licensing Europe will – largely to the relief of the industry, we’re sure – be playing host to far fewer global political figures and climate change activists than Glasgow did this month, it’s with a sense of excitement (if not the right level of urgency) that conversation will be alive with the next steps that can be taken to deliver the licensing industry of the future; one that won’t simply survive, but thrive and act to replenish

and regenerate the world around it. Not only has Informa, the team behind Brand Licensing Europe and Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, promised that sustainability will be high on its agenda from this moment forward, but already the licensing industry overall has come so far. The sustainable fast-fashion company and apparel licensee,Teemill, for example, is innovating in the circular fashion economy, thanks to its own shredding technology that turns old clothing back into yarn which can be reused to create recycled clothing. Meanwhile, the premium fashion brand, Aqua + Rock is on a journey of discovery, not only through its newly launched partnership with Discovery Inc itself, but in pioneering bio-circular materials within the fashion sector that includes the introduction of a new ecotech bio-leather. Both are examples of the innovation at play in the move to pioneer sustainable alternatives within the licensing space. And both will be showcasing their activations on the Sustainability hub at Brand Licensing Europe this month. “We are very much about trying to send our message far and wide,” says Dea Baker, founder of the fashion brand Aqua + Rock, a company that

has caught the attention of the industry for pioneering new materials such as stone or bio-circular leather across clothing and accessories. “Being in premium fashion and having these beautiful inventions is great, but it will only work if Aqua + Rock can introduce it into every household. We want our message to be shared with High Street brands – the kind of shops that consumers use each week or every day.We are exploring how our designs can be adapted and we can work with high street retailers to make that happen.” Should it land, and Baker informs us that it’s all moving in the right direction, Aqua + Rock’s pioneering technology to use compostable materials in fashion items could just change the face of the fashion space for good. Particularly at a time during which concerns begin to rise over the consumption of the world’s cotton resources. And consumption will remain firmly at the top of the agenda for companies, each showcasing their steps towards a new, sustainable future. Among them is the supermarket giant Asda, who’s own activation within the Sustainability zone will go to highlight its efforts to become a net zero carbon business by 2040 by reducing Green House

TOTAL LICENSING Gas emissions (Scope One and Two) by 50 per cent by 2025. As part of Asda’s sustainability goals, it has extended its partnership with Preloved Vintage Kilo to sell pre-worn clothes in 50 stores across the UK. The move, it says, will reduce textiles waste by preventing thousands of tonnes of clothing from going to landfill each year. Bringing the concept to life, Brand Licensing Europe 2021 will play host to its first Brand Fashion Swap as organisers ask visitors to bring an old item of branded clothing to the event, make a donation to The Light Fund, and swap their clothing for another piece of apparel. It all arrives in recognition of retail and its supply chains as one of the largest contributors to UK Green House Gas emissions; accounting for 30 per cent of all emissions. It’s why the retail industry now has a goal to reach net zero by 2040 with some clear leaders in the field making the most headway right now. And it’s these leaders who will boast a large presence within the Sustainability hub this month. With Fashion, Material, and Retail all covered, the next stop that the sixzone Sustainability Activation will boast takes the form of Product Innovation; a showcase of licensed products from the likes of Mattel, LEGO, Keel Eco, and Golden Bear, all of which are sustainably produced in a grand display of the kind of charge being led by some of the biggest names on the global toy scene. Having seen ‘phenomenal sales and business’ with zoos and museums up and down the UK in recent years, Keel Toys’ sustainably made range of cuddly animal toys, Keel Eco will be presenting its latest efforts to divert

plastic waste from landfill. This, it’s worth mentioning is a brand that has recycled some 12 million and counting plastic bottles in the production of its toy range, to date. The latest move for the brand will be the launch of its Keel Eco Adoptable World, a means of bringing sustainability into the popular fashion-based soft toy sector. “These are very different to our traditional soft toys,” says Keel Toys’ sales director, Steve Cox. “They have big eyes and young-looking faces, the kind of toys that do really well at toy retail. We see that this range could be huge; it could dwarf all of the other collections.This is what the high street wants, a sustainable alternative to all the fashion plush brands you have in

the shops.” Of course, Brands for Social Change will play a big part of the Activation later this month, with the likes of the Eden Project, The Natural History Museum, and BBC Studios all present, while visitors to the show this year will be able to discover how they can take their next steps towards a more sustainable business by engaging in the Products of Change 1-2-1 Clinics with members of POC’s Advisors arm, including experts June Kirkwood, Cathy Teasdale, and Arthur Parry. With all of this on the roster for BLE’s Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change, who needed a pass for Glasgow’s COP26 anyway?

Interested in becoming a member of the Products of Change platform and be a part of the action to drive sustainable change across the licensing and consumer products industry? Contact Helena Mansell Stopher on Helena@productsofchange.com or Robert Hutchins on Rob@productsofchange.com www.productsofchange.com 133

TOTAL LICENSING Brand mascot characters aren’t just for kids’ brands in China. From Burberry’s cute critter WeChat stickers to the time-honoured KFC Colonel, having a cartoon representative may be more valuable than you realise. Earlier this year, Matt Wills from Floob Creative and Benoit Raoult from Duhno Marketing joined forces to create “The Ultimate Mascot Marketing Guide for China: Creating Habits of Purchase”, designed both for companies that are interested in creating their own mascot or licensing an existing IP to activate marketing. Matt from Floob Creative explains, “Whereas many design agencies focus broadly on logo and graphic design, we differentiate ourselves by specialising in character and product design.”Wills has a background in IP development and consumer product design, most recently as the creative director for Dark Horse Comics under ex-Disney Chairman Stanley Cheung. “Moving exclusively into designing brand mascot characters was a natural fit for me, so I found the best illustrators, animators and designers in my network, and a partnership with Duhno’s marketing expertise was a no-brainer.” Benoit from Duhno adds, “After years working with brand owners, P&L owners in China, and marketing managers we noticed that it was important to share some methodology to a larger public and promote the power of mascots. Happy to see this guide alive today!” The guide is available for free download at http://lp.duhno. com/ultimatemascotsguide

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The Power of Brand Mascot Characters M&M’s, Michelin, Monopoly, Nintendo, KFC and Pringles - all household names, all with mascots that are synonymous with their brands. What helps these brands connect with their customers is a relatable, recognizable and memorable character that creates an empathic reaction in a glimpse. Those familiar with Chinese giants TenCent, Meituan (the largest home delivery app) and T-Mall (the ecommerce megalith) will immediately recognise the QQ penguin, delivery drivers on the streets of Shanghai dressed in yellow with kangaroo ears on their helmets, and the video game controller-shaped cat head from T-mall advertisements plastered throughout Chinese subway stations. Both in the West and in China, companies use mascots to differentiate themselves from their competitors and convey their brand personalities, but the key difference is their ubiquity in China.

TenCent, Meituan and TMall are all Chinese giants that have well-known mascots

Engaging Customers Mascots, traditionally anthropomorphic cartoon characters, help companies build a more powerful brand image and persona, eliciting a direct intuitive response in consumers, and broaden the scope of a company’s customer engagement that takes the relationship beyond the purely transactional nature of purchasing. “The Effect of Brand Mascots on Consumers’ Purchasing Behaviors” (2016) by Proud Arunrangsiwed and Isari Pairoa, found that brand mascots significantly increase a customer’s willingness to purchase products, create a more positive attitude toward the products, and heighten the possibility of purchase. In “The Power of You: Why distinctive brand assets are a driving force of creative effectiveness” (2020) Ipsos found

that brand characters are 5 times more effective than logos on customers’ brand linkage and recall. In China, using ‘ke-ai’ (Mandarin for ‘cute’) characters and cartoons to convey messages is appreciably more common than in the West, and far more acceptable to the adult cultural palette; even the CCP uses cartoons to make public announcements, and recommends television broadcasters give priority to animated series.

ality of a popular character can help the sales of consumer product lines such as apparel and toys, video games and animated media, and generate licensing revenue for the IP owner. One example in China is B.Duck, which began as a company selling waterproof radios, and now has a successful line of products based solely around their character, including their own fashion apparel lines, as well as a long list of licensing awards.

Social Media and Marketing Brand mascots are able to function as influencers on social media platforms and build a following around their stories, and mascots notably outperform celebrity endorsers. Most companies in China have official WeChat accounts, and those with mascots periodically create animated stickers for their followers to download, share and pepper into their chats, tapping into the 1.2 billion monthly user rate of the platform. Similarly, Chinese companies’ marketing departments will release seasonal posters depicting their mascots celebrating major Chinese and Western holidays and downloadable phone wallpapers for followers to decorate their home screens.

A Strong Future for Brand Mascots in China China accounted for more than half of global trademark filing activity in 2019 with 7.8 million trademark applications, and is now the fifth largest licensing market in the world, with no signs of slowing down. Despite brand mascot usage already having strong roots in the marketing industry in China, an increasing number of companies are beginning to implement mascots in their branding and messaging to capitalize on their competitive advantages.

Licensing Potential After applying for the appropriate trademarks, A company’s mascot can itself become a licensed intellectual property. Using the image and person-

CONTACTS: Matt Wills Floob Creative Ltd. Founder & Creative Director hello@floobcreative.com www.floobcreative.com Benoit Raoult Duhno Marketing Ltd. Founder and CEO benoit@duhno.com www.duhno.com

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MGM Looks Forward to an Exciting 2022 Becky Ash caught up with Robert Marick. Executive Vice President Global Consumer Products & Experiences, MGM, to talk about the big initiatives for 2022 So, how has business been since we last spoke? We have, like everyone else, learned to pivot as you do when obstacles come your way – we have found new and innovative way to do business. Business for MGM has really flourished. We’ve leaned into categories that were conductive to the environment we found ourselves in! I don’t think we will ever go back to how it was before – we’ve all learned to change and adapt. What are you focusing on right now and for the next year? We have a lot going on here at MGM! As well as Legally Blonde hitting theatres next year, we have Wednesday Addams with her own series on Netflix. We are extremely excited about Vikings Valhalla for next year too, which Netflix featured on their preview party. It is thrilling, and especially for audiences in the UK and Europe. As you know, Netflix has over 200 million subscribers around the globe, so this is a significant opportunity.We are focussed on this I terms of licensing and creating experiential – more on this later! Pink panther continues to do extremely well, and we are initiating for the very first time a Pink Panther month in June 2022. Pink Panther has been a perennial favourite for Father’s

Day, Pride celebrations, graduation, and now for national pink day - this is the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate this franchise, so stayed tuned! We are also focusing on our horror catalogue, which has seen tremendous support over this last year, particularly from Europe, with new releases such as Candyman to fsvourite such as Killer Clowns from Outer Space. The appetite for horror continues to grow, with costumes, collectibles Similarly we are focusing on our sci-fi franchises, launching Robocop’s 35th anniversary celebrations – you can expect a similar push from us into sci-fi as with horror. Another thing I am so excited about next year is Creed 3 – coming to screens in 2022. These are some of my top initiatives for 2022 – and it is an exciting time for releases on the big screen. How would you say the experiential side of MGM is growing and flourishing? This has been a strong area for us, and the type of ‘experiences’ are shifting. A few years ago it would all have been about the big projects, and now we are seeing developers around the world looking for slightly different formats and smaller, more personalised experiences. Pop up experiences, exhibitions, touring, smaller indoor entertainment

centres – these are all becoming extremely popular. The world is a big place, and with the smaller, localised experiences, we can customise it to the audience. For the Rocky 45th anniversary, we have several Rocky activations that are happening Rocky in concert with a world premiere in Philadelphia, this will then will tour globally. And people are celebrating the franchise virtually too with the Rocky Run, which is heading out to markets including Brazil. 9000 people already signed up! Expanding into next year, of course we have the concert series with Legally Blonde – and Vikings Valhalla will be expanding into experiential. There are many exciting areas in the experiential sphere such as escape rooms, social media pop-ups, mobile products, secret cinema, and VR is playing and increasingly important part in the location-based licensing. Would you say MGM has been a pioneer in the realisation of experiential licensing? I would like to think that! I don’t have the ego to say that we are but certainly I have been privileged to work in the location-based side of licensing for many years so I could see the trends that were happening long before Covid times – and as I said, earlier, we had to pivot. People want to live their brands – consumers are taking content differently than they did five or ten years ago, and we want to deepen the connection, which is done through multiple platforms. If people like the content enough, they want to buy into the brand, and then if they really love it, then they also want to experience it.

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Booba’s digital journey From YouTube to a 360 global IP How do you know if your IP is truly digital and has a dedicated kids fan base on all the digital platforms? Are you looking at your social media metrics? At your YouTube channel data? or at your agreed deal with Netflix? Not so easy to answer or to demonstrate your digital appeal to potential licensing partners! Global animation studio 3D Sparrow explains

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Back in 2015, 3DSparrow Studio, an independent global animation studio looked at things in a different way.They decided to launch their IP only on digital platforms, so in theory, should the project work, their brand would be a digital one. Looking at the market then, YouTube was the one truly global VOD platform, with a growing audience for kids content. But what was available was bad. Pirates of all sorts were either producing low quality kids content, or illegally using well-known broadcasts IP such as Peppa Pig. There was space for more, space for visually stunning animation, with entertaining stories! Nick Okorokov, 3D Sparrow’s executive producer and CEO recalls, “We were amazed that apart from a couple of well-known programs, the market for kids content on YouTube was poor. We had an idea with this funny character we called Booba and wanted to share it as quickly as possible. Going to TV broadcasters would have been too long for a small studio like us, so we took a calculated chance on YouTube by producing and releasing 5 episodes of Booba with the highest quality 3D animation we could do and, with great story lines for a pre-school audience”. This five episode trial was so successful that in the first 6 months it generated 200 millions views. The project was truly launched and

3D Sparrow finished the first 26 episodes of season one in 18 months. To grow that presence outside YouTube, 3DSparrow made sure the overall quality was above the competition. Booba’s season 2 and 3 were produced with a team of experienced scriptwriters lead by Debbie MacDonald.This allowed the show to be quickly pickedup by Netflix in 2017 and raised to the top ranks. A string of TV broadcasters also acquired the show, attracted by both digital success, and the quality of the script and animation. Within 2 years Booba went from a digital phenomenon to a successful kids TV show. As of now, Booba has more than 12 billion views and 11 million subscribers across his YouTube channels, with Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, Roku TV, Samsung TV, and many more major platforms offering access to his funny and unique adventures. It is also airing on TV in over 45 territories, including Cartoon Network, Discovery and the RTL Group in some key markets as well as launching in China exclusively with Tencent. With Booba’s success on screens, 3DSparrow’s focus was also to develop a 360 licensing & merchandising program internationally. Oli Bernard, 3D Sparrow’s CRO and co-founder explains, “We started our L&M strategy in 2019 and focused on markets with both TV and digital coverage; within a year in Russia/CIS we

had more than 15 licensees and over 800 SKUs across several categories. Since then we have also developed in MENA and Eastern Europe.” With a well-established L&M programme already in place in Russia/CIS and other territories, some specific categories are being launched worldwide and have already proved to be very successful: “Our plush SKUs were launched in markets where our digital presence was stronger than our TV presence, and where digital platforms are dominant” says Bernard. “These trials were eye opening, and we were so pleased to see great results. In the US, we sold 5k plush units in 4 weeks on Amazon only! Our huge digital presence clearly makes a difference and we are now eyeing a quick international L&M roll out”.

Booba’s journey as digital first product has been both quick and challenging, especially as 3DSparrow has kept an expensive high quality production on both 3D visual and scriptwriting since the start. However it has been the right call as the kids global content market is now truly a digital one. 3D Sparrow is launching Booba Season 4 around Halloween this year and there are two more projects in the making that will surely attract more eyeballs….will they be digital first?

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PEZ Sets a New Style Gabriele Hofinger, Head of Marketing & Licensing, PEZ, talked to Total Licensing on positioning the iconic brand into lifestyle Can you tell us a bit about the history of PEZ and how it all began? Gabriele Hofinger: The Austrian Eduard Haas III invented PEZ candy in 1927. With the idea to offer smokers a healthy alternative to cigarettes, he created peppermint sweets from pressed sugar and peppermint oil. This is also where the name of the brand comes from: PEZ was created from the first, middle and last letters of the word “PfeffErminZ” (German for Peppermint). The sweets were popular and sold

dies consumed each year. I understand you have a new style guide – does this signify a new era for PEZ and a brand refresh? GH: PEZ combines two apparent contradictions: on the one hand, there are hardly any other products that have changed so little in the course of their history as PEZ: the shape of the candies is the same as it was in 1927. At the same time, PEZ is innovative. And that is exactly what we are demonstrating with our new Style Guide. It includes completely new designs, is fresh, with a modern look & feel

well, but Haas was not yet happy. The small tin cans were beautiful and practical, but he was still looking for further perfection. He was looking for a hygienic form in which people could also offer sweets to their counterparts. That’s how he came up with the idea of creating a PEZ dispenser. In 1949, the PEZ dispenser was launched on the market. It had the shape of a golden lighter and thus reminded us that Eduard Haas III had invented PEZ as a healthy alternative to cigarettes. The slogan of the next few years fitted perfectly: “Smoking prohibited – PEZing allowed.” Today, PEZ is an iconic brand with cult status and collectors all over the world. Its products are sold in more than 80 countries with 5 billion can-

and so addresses the trend of today’s consumers in every respect. With our new guide, we are taking the next step as a lifestyle brand and offer interesting and appealing designs for licensees. What have been some of the most iconic partnerships signed over the years? GH: A Japanese label created cobranded accessories with PEZ and Barbie. In the US we have a fabulous partnership with Funko. We created some great ski-design with sportscompany Head. Perhaps my all-time favourite was the partnership we did with Austrian designer Lena Hoschek: She redesigned the legendary PEZ dress. Also in Europe, outside of fashion, we have a really extraordinary product from our licensing partner

“Fire Design” in France in the form of a fire extinguisher, which brings fire protection into the home, combining safety and design. And what are the immediate plans for the brands, for BLE and beyond? GH: Historically, PEZ is predominantly known for purchasing licenses for its dispensers, but PEZ has become an iconic brand worldwide. With TBR The Brand Residence as our master licensing agency, we are working on positioning the brand more strongly in the licensing sector as a lifestyle brand. We want to team-up with companies that do trendy products and at the same time place great value on quality and design. We think of fashion, accessories, electronics, sports- and stationary-products etc. At BLE, Licensing Link Europe will represent PEZ as the UK subagency of TBR. Where are your key markets for territories, and are there some new and exciting markets on the radar? GH: PEZ is known and loved all over the world. In the US lots of licensed PEZ-products are already available – just like in Japan, where PEZ is a very well-liked licensor in the fashion business. Our plan now is to become a strong licensor in Europe too. The new Style-Guide will help us achieve these goals!

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XILAM BRING NEW AND REFRESHED SERIES TO LONDON Academy Award®-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation has a distinctive, expanding and colourful slate of new and refreshed brands which it will be bringing to Brand Licensing Europe 2021.

Headlining Xilam’s current brand portfolio is Oggy Oggy – a preschool spin-off to its iconic and internationally loved Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise. The first season debuted globally on Netflix in August 2021 and from September 2022, the charming CG series will expand its broadcast presence with launches on Super RTL (Germany), Discovery (Italy) and France Télévisions (France), and additional broadcast partners will be announced soon. Kick-starting the consumer products offering for the brand, which is centred on playfulness, adventure and friends, Xilam recently secured a new master toy partnership collaboration with Simba Dickie Group for a range of toys spanning plush, figurines, playsets and accessories, vehicles, collectibles

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and sand buckets for children aged from 3 –6 years. The collection is set to hit stores in France, Germany, Italy and the UK for Christmas 2022, with an extension into Poland and Spain for Spring 2023. Xilam is looking for further partners in new categories, such as games, publishing, gifting and apparel among others. Oggy Oggy also now has its own website featuring fun activities alongside a dedicated YouTube channel. Also starring in Xilam’s brand lineup is Lupin’s Tales, a 78 x 7’ 2D and 3D comedy series for upper preschoolers. For the French market, Xilam is building the brand’s consumer products offering through a partnership with Jemini to create a line of Lupin’s Tales plush, tableware and furniture. Xilam is also looking for other licensees across categories including toys & games, publishing, apparel and more. Alongside this is Where’s Chicky?, a CGI short-form non-dialogue comedy series produced by Xilam’s Cube Creative. The series is targeted at a cross-generational audience and sees

an adorable little chick turn up in a new environment or discover a new object in every episode. Bringing fans new adventures, a new third season of Where’s Chicky? is on the way and scheduled for delivery in December 2021. Where’s Chicky? has a robust and expanding presence across digital platforms and linear TV, as well as on YouTube where the brand has over 2.2M followers and has generated 1BN views to date. Xilam is building a merchandise programme with a focus on plush, toys & games, accessories and more. Xilam is also expanding the world of its classic and long-standing Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise with

a new freshly designed reboot series: The New Adventures of Oggy. The new 78 x 7’ instalment is set to be delivered in Autumn 2021 and will debut globally as an original on Netflix. In addition, the series has already been acquired by numerous broadcasters with launches taking place from September 2021, including Gulli and M6 in France, Discovery and DEA Kids in Italy, and VRT-Ketnet in Flemish Belgium. Rounding out the slate is beloved comedy property, Zig & Sharko, for which Xilam is producing a new spinoff set to air late 2021. Xilam has also established a robust digital presence for the brand, which includes over 21M subscribers and 11BN views on YouTube, almost 900k fans on Facebook and 685k TikTok followers. Xilam Animation will can be found at BLE, booth A160. Please contact Capucine Humblot (chumblot@xilam.com) with any enquiries.

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by Greg Lansdowne

Panini at 60 What started out in the early 1960s as a craze among school kids in Italy has since been exported to well over a hundred countries and now appeals to all ages. While football collectables – initially in the form of cards – have been popular since the late 19th century, there is one brand that resonates around the world above all others. Founded in Modena, where the headquarters still resides, Panini made its name in sticker albums but times move on so you can now also wear the brand and even decorate your home in its iconography. But, of course, the core product remains the world-renowned football stickers that have depicted the major domestic leagues around the world, along with the World Cup (since 1970) and the European Championship (since 1980). Panini’s first album covered Italian football (‘Calciatori’), published during the 1961-62 season – hence the 60th birthday celebrations over the coming months. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that football fans in the UK got caught up in Panini sticker mania but it didn’t take long for playgrounds up and down the British Isles to be awash with cries of ‘Got, Got, Need’ as swaps were feverishly exchanged. My first Panini sticker album was ‘Football 79’ and a life-long love affair was quickly established. A childhood

of unsuccessful attempts to complete a whole host of Panini sticker albums eventually turned into an unforeseen secondary career in collectables. It was therefore an honour to be given the opportunity to write ‘Panini Football Stickers – The Official Celebration’ to mark the 60-year landmark (licensed out by Panini to Bloomsbury). Football fans of any era during the last six decades are certain to find something of interest in a book that showcases the whole range of historic World Cup, European Championship, UK domestic and women’s football Panini sticker albums, plus a whole lot more besides. Those who might not remember all the names will certainly have cause to marvel at the changing hairstyle fashions during Panini’s reign! As winter draws ever nearer, readers of the book may be in need of shedding a little light on the subject. Fortunately, Panini can also assist there thanks to an interior design collaboration with Italian company Tecnografica Italian Wallcoverings. Spanning a range of wallpapers and decorative panels, perhaps the showpiece element in the collection is the Led wall lamp – ‘Rovesciata Classica’ – featuring an image of the iconic bicycle-kicking footballer who has appeared on Panini album covers and sticker packets since the ‘60s. With collectables and Panini stickers as popular as ever, expect news of

many more licensing agreements in the months and years ahead. Greg Lansdowne is a freelance collectables writer and advisor. He is the author of ‘Panini Football Stickers – The Official Celebration’ (published 25th November 2021) and also wrote ‘Stuck On You: the rise and fall…and rise of Panini stickers’. For more information go to greglansdowne.co.uk

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LICENSING MATTERS GLOBAL ALL SET FOR BLE automotive sector; and Fruit-tella, the beloved candy brand that will be celebrating it’s 90th anniversary next year. LMG will also be sharing news on the high-tech audio brand, Shure, of the iconic microphones, and Shell, the global leader in energy. On the inbound licensing front, the LMG team will be looking at acquiring properties for their sister company, YuMe Toys, of Harry Potter, Among Us and Baby Shark toy ranges fame. The team is always keen to meet new licensors in the entertainment, sports and gaming spaces at the show. Located at stand A-181, right at the entrance of the show, the friendly LMG team will be looking forward to welcoming visitors at their booth for a friendly chat about all things licensing.

Licensing Matters is a global, fullservice, boutique licensing agency that works with brands to help unlock their latent equity, deepen their relationships with consumers and expand their footprint into brand new market sectors. LMG’s client roster includes Shell, KFC, Peugeot, Fruittella, Shure, Marcus & Marcus, Chef Club, Harvard and Yale. Licensing Matters Global (LMG), is gearing up for the launch of more

Visit: www.licensingmattersglobal.com Contact: felipe.noriega@ licensingmattersglobal.com, leila.loumi@licensingmattersglobal.com

than one new licensing program at this year’s BLE. The global icon that is KFC kicks off its own multi-territory strategy, bringing the authentic spirit of Colonel Sanders to both food and non-food product categories. LMG will be discussing brand new opportunities for this beloved global brand at the show. LMG will also reveal its recently signed two new pre-school entertainment licenses at BLE. With both properties already in global distribution and capturing the imagination of preschoolers around the world, these two licensing programs, unique in their respective positioning and brand values, are certain to make an indelible mark in pre-school product aisles in multiple markets. BLE will also provide the opportunity to build upon the successes already achieved with Peugeot, the 211-yearold, world-famous French brand, in its expansion into carefully selected product categories beyond the

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All in the Experience Licensing is going live with location-based entertainment, live marketing events and brand immersion

As it makes a welcome return to a world opening up, the global locationbased entertainment market size is anticipated to reach USD 30.29 billion by 2028, the The “Global Locationbased Entertainment Market 20212028” report ResearchAndMarkets. com states. This is no surprise, as the locationbased marketing and retail offering has been steadily growing, as retail trends change and consumers want a ‘real’ experience with the brands and IP they love, as well as a feeling of authenticity. Technology, including Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have created even more opportunities for spectacular events – and there are plenty planned for around the globe. One of the benefits of in-person events is that they can be localised. So of course we have the ever-popular theme parks on one hand, but many property owners, retailers and event owners are quickly seeing the attraction of immersive experiences – and ones that do not necessarily require vast budgets. Here, we bring you some of the creative, fascinating examples of this evergrowing part of licensing. Rainbow Productions spent time

adapting to the unique requirements of the pandemic, and the UK firm already had extensive experience in effectively managing COVID-safe character appearances. And with popular characters such as Bluey, Go Jetters’ Ubercorn & Glitch, Blue from Blue’s Clues & You! and Baby Shark joining their 130-strong character portfolio, Rainbow were raring to go when the live events industry opened up. Throughout the Summer, as well as managing licensed character appearances at Shopping Centres, Theme Parks, Farm Attractions and Holiday Parks, Rainbow also had the pleasure of putting characters back in front of fans at Festivals across the UK. From Camp Bestival to Gloworm, and Victorious Festival to 5 on the Farm there was rarely a family festival where children’s TV favourites couldn’t be seen. Bluey made his debut UK public appearance at Camp Bestival in July, proving to be a great addition to the portfolio alongside Hey Duggee, the Minions, Poppy & Branch and PAW Patrol’s Chase. A spokesperson at the festival commented “Fab! Bluey was so popular!” Popular children’s festival Gloworm was back with a bang, hosting appearances from Bing & Flop, Paddington,

Hey Duggee, Ubercorn & Glitch and PAW Patrol’s Marshall & Skye. Festival-goers had the chance to dance along to Duggee’s ‘Stick Song’ and joined in with PAW Patrol’s ‘Pup Pup Boogie’ activity. Ubercorn & Glitch even got the crowds on their feet when they tried their hand at DJing! BBC Studios and Sarner International recently announced a brand new exhibition, Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science meets Fiction. The exhibit will explore the science behind the global hit series Doctor Who and will give fans a chance to experience the Doctor’s adventures from a scientific perspective. Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder will be wowing audiences at several locations across the UK from May 2022, with an ambition to tour internationally. This ground-breaking venture plunges fans of all ages into a scientific universe to explore the various ways in which science has played a part in the longest running science fiction show in the world, Doctor Who. The eight zones set within this educational exhibition cover a diverse selection of exciting scientific topics while drawing in content pieces from the full canon of the TV show. The user journey for this engaging experience will take approximately 90 minutes, inspiring schools, family groups and fans of the show. Tickets will be available for purchase to the general public, from October 2021. Following their work on the hugely successful Doctor Who Experience in both London and Cardiff, Sarner worked closely with BBC Studios to design, create and produce this new experience, Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder, to WOW fans next year.

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Sarner, a renowned international experiential design and production practice are behind many world leading visitor attractions and will be sure to deliver a wonderous experience for ticket holders. Dubai Miracle Garden has announced the launch of its all-new Smurfs Village for the winter season, where the world of the blue creatures will be displayed as delightful landscape arrangements, in a deal brokered by IMG. A forest of mushroom houses awaits residents and tourists alike as they explore one of the city’s most visited destinations. Based on the Belgian comics and well-known movie and television franchise, The Smurfs are small, blue creatures who live in a community of mushroom-shaped houses in their own harmonious village. The dynamic display at Dubai Miracle Garden will feature four different areas including the Smurf Village, Smurf Activity Area, and Smurf Topiaries. “As we celebrate our tenth year, we are embarking on a wondrous launch. With the EXPO 2020 here, we at Dubai Miracle Garden want to surprise and amaze the world with an exciting series of new designs and displays that will take the Grand Floral Show to new extents. We strive to provide memorable moments for guests who travel from all over the world to Dubai Miracle Garden,” comments Engineer Abdel Naser Rahhal, Creator & Co-Founder of Dubai Miracle Garden and Vice Chairman of Cityland Group, the developer of the attraction. Spacetoon Event and Moonbug

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Entertainment have collaborated with the Saudi General Entertainment Authority to bring a CoComelon Town to Saudi Arabia for the first-time during Riyadh Season, starting this fall. For three months, Kids and parents will be able to visit the CoComelon Town while at the Riyadh Winter Wonderland, which is set to be spread out over 5 km2. This brand-new experience, inspired by the #1 mostwatched brand on YouTube with over 3.5billion monthly views, has been exclusively created by the Spacetoon Event team. Ahmad Weiss, the General Manager of Spacetoon Event has said, “Our audience has always been at the core of our work and we’re really proud to present this first-of-a-kind experience for all kids and parents of the region to enjoy” adding, “The CoComelon Town takes us one step clos-

er to achieving our goal of expanding the presence of the brand in MENA through our on the ground family friendly experiences.” American Dream recently announced that DreamWorks Water Park was named a recipient of the World Waterpark Association’s 2021 “Leading Edge Award.” DreamWorks Water Park is the largest indoor waterpark in North America and features more than 40 rides, slides and attractions, including the world’s largest indoor wave pool, the world’s tallest indoor drop slide, and one of the world’s tallest and longest hydromagnetic water coasters. DreamWorks Water Park is an immersive experience through the pairing of record-breaking rides with experiential elements loved by guests of all ages. Guests can jump into DreamWorks most adored movies, meet fanfavorite characters like Shrek and King Julien, and relax in one of the luxury skybox suites designed by New Jersey native Jonathan Adler.

The Copyrights Group has announced a new collaboration with Bakehouse Factory and The Mall at Cribbs Causeway for an exclusive Paddington-themed Christmas Grotto. Cribbs’ Christmas with Paddington will have lively and charming elf characters to meet, enchanting interactive scenes, and plenty of special photo opportunities along the way, Christmas with Paddington is a must-see attraction for families looking for sumptuous, traditional, festive magic this year. On weekdays in November, the Christmas with Paddington experience will be open for interactive sto-

ry-telling sessions, The Night Before Christmas especially designed for preschool children, schools and nurseries. Coolabi Group and its BAFTA award winning kids show, Clangers, are celebrating a host of musical activations for the much-loved brand including partnerships with Nordoff Robbins, Amazon, for the brand-new Clangers Talk Kids+ Edition, a licensing deal with tonies and an official Clangers album release with Grammy Award winning composer, John du Prez. Clangers will be partnering once again with music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins for a brand new interactive three part series of ‘On Stage at

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Home Live’. The sessions are an extension of the hugely successful series ‘On Stage at Home with Clangers’, which launched during the first lockdown in 2020 on the Clangers and Nordoff Robbins YouTube channels with six musical videos and culminated in hundreds of thousands of views. The videos also demonstrated the positive impact that music can have on everyone’s health and wellbeing. In March 2021, the team returned with the first ‘On Stage at Home Live’ Zoom workshop for preschoolers, which went down a storm with parents. Illusion Projects, and Mattel, Inc. have announced Barbie: A Cultural Icon, the first Barbie doll exhibition to tour in the United States, will launch on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip inside The Shops at Crystals. Opening in October 2021, the exhibition will honor over sixty years of

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fashion and inspiration, showcasing how Barbie is more than just a doll; she is a cultural icon. The exhibition will display the very first Barbie doll produced in 1959 and lead guests through the decades, paying homage to Barbie and the world around her. The exhibition will also feature 150+ vintage dolls, artifacts, and life-sized fashion pieces that will come to life through tastefully custom-themed displays.Video media and interviews with Barbie designers will expand the narrative. Additional tour dates to come. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aldo Maria Vigevani, CEO Gardaland, have announced that Gardaland, located in Ronchi, Italy, will be the first theme park in the world to host a fully themed Jumanji ride called Jumanji – the Adventure, based on Sony Pictures’ popular film franchise. When boarding Jumanji – the Adventure, Gardaland guests will be transported to the world of Jumanji, where an exhilarating adventure awaits them: a journey full of pitfalls, surprises, and dangers through the wild jungle. Set to open at the beginning of 2022 season, the new Jumanji – the Adventure attraction will be a dark ride for adventure lovers of all ages, a wide audience consisting of both families and teenagers and young adults. Following on from the original Robin Williams film in 1995, the adventure continues in the brand-new film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan. The film franchise’s continued success has made it Sony Pictures’ biggest wholly owned film franchise of all time.Taking in $2.1 billion at the global box office the Jumanji film franchise is popular with both family and teenage audiences worldwide.

This Halloween season, Zombieland: AFK Survival is being invaded by aliens, agents, and gear from the blockbuster Men in Black films during a month-long event The hordes of zombies in Zombieland: AFK Survival have been replaced by the scum of the universe, and the best way to defeat them is to join forces with the experts in the field of fighting aliens - the Men In Black. Players can collect eight new MiB inspired heroes, including Agent J, Agent K and Zombieland characters Tallahassee and Columbus suiting up and wearing shades with the Men In Black. To better beat the new alien enemies, there are over 30 new weapons, trinkets and iconic Men in Black gadgets, including the memory erasing Neuralyzer the Noisy Cricket and Agent K’s car. Players will be able to enjoy all of the rewards they earn even after the event. The Men In Black Franchise has earned over $1.9 Billion in Global Box office across four films, gaining a multi-generational fanbase with releases spanning from 1997 - 2019. Vogue Café Shanghai has opened its doors as Condé Nast’s second branded property venture in China. The Café opens at the world-renowned luxury shopping destination, Galeries Lafayette Shanghai and follows the success of the opening of Vogue Café Beijing which opened in November 2020. Both of the Vogue Café’s in China operate under license agreement with Beijing Sycamore Seed Advertising & Media Co Ltd. “As a global curator with a passion for fashion, culture, art and lifestyle, Galeries Lafayette always aims to create unique retail experience through introducing shoppers to the most exciting brands, trends and products, and Condé Nast is one fabulous partner to achieve this goal. Driven by the same vision, it is firmly believed that this new opening not only will facilitate Galeries Lafayette Shanghai to further enrich its portfolio, but also help to upgrade the shopping experience for all the consumers,” said Lawrance Shum, Chief Executive Officer, Galeries Lafayette China.

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April - May 2021. Source: BrandTrends Entertainment

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Welcome...

to the world of the Zoonicorns! Zoonicorn recently hit a further milestone in its brand development by partnering with Toonz Animation for production of new TV episodes and global distribution and to seek out licensing partners on a global scale.The first season of episodes – with the animation completely reimagined and stories and music from top people in the industry – are now completed. Toonz is now actively signing and seeking deals with television networks and streaming services worldwide. Zoonicorn is a character-based preschool entertainment property for kids ages 2-6, created by Mark Lubratt. J’net Smith of All Art Licensing (Brand Manager/Director) and Bruno Zarka, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Toonz sat down with Becky Ash at Total Licensing to outline the detailed strategy for the licensing program. It sounds like the Zoonicorns have a great team working to bring them to kids around the globe. Can you tell us how you came together? J’net: You know Bruno and I have been going to same shows, such as Licensing Expo, for years. But we never actually met until recently. We are just getting to know each other, and this is the first time we’ve collaborated. A little bit of background to the Zoonicorns – I connected with Mark Lubratt, the creator in 2015 at Licensing Expo. I really loved the idea of the concept and optimism and resilience being the theme, the umbrella, you never give up, and look forward to the future. The universal appeal of the unicorn is fantastic, but we have a difference – we started working together on music videos, online books, creating content

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that would help people understand the concept, and to build towards licenses. It was not until we had our music video out for a couple of years that we met Toonz, at Kidscreen. I pitched Toonz at Kidscreen – they understood the story so well, the characters and the concept behind these zebra-unicorns that fuel imagination and adventure. We started working together in 2020, and we’ve brought together a great team – Mark Lubratt always says it’s entertainment first, education, social emotional learning etc next. First and foremost is content and connecting to kids. We have fantastic people working on the music and the storylines, led by the award-winning Mark Zaslov, who serves as show runner and lead

writer/editor for the series. The music is by Emmy Award winning composer Rich Dickerson. We are looking at having all 52 x 7 minutes episodes done by spring 2022, and we are well on our way! Toonz is doing a great job. Every episode has the same format for the pre-schooler audience. When our characters fall asleep, they have a challenge. They enter the Zooniverse, the dreamworld of the Zoonicorns. They go on the adventure and at the end they see and learn something they didn’t know before. Each episodes is bookended – they go from real life to dreamland and then back to reality. So that’s the background in a nutshell! In terms of building the licensing program, we are talking right now with publishers and toy companies of course, and we have seen phenomenal

TOTAL LICENSING interest. The imaginative and cooperative play aspects are particularly appealing. And so on to broadcasting. Are you talking to traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms? Bruno: We are exploring opportunities across all platforms in all markets. I am a strong believer that the kids need to access content, across all platforms – all to be revealed! We expect to be making some announcements regarding program sales during first quarter, 2022. When launching a new brand for kids, you need to find the space for it, and find a unique place in the market. Zoonicorn is a fantastic show, it is sweet, entertaining, and the message stays with children and parents after viewing. Parental enjoyment is a key element as well. We notice if parents don’t watch or enjoy shows, these shows tend to be the ones that are less successful and don’t last. Children and parents will always put content they want to watch first, and family viewing is essential. J’net: We’ve certainly included the little jokes and nuances that the parents will appreciate! It is the same with licensing. There certainly is a socially conscious side of the show – we are really trying to tackle a lot of different subject matters, such as diversity. One episode is as an illustration of the way we have woven that into the storyline, the Zoonicorns lose all their stripes and they can’t identify each other, for example – inclusivity, embracing dif-

ferences, and the ‘real’ you is inside you are all themes of the show. We tackle many issues but in a fun way. It’s all under our umbrella of optimism and resilience. The Zoonicorn tagline says it all “The power to win is always within!” How many characters are there? J’net: There are four Zoonicorns, all with distinct personalities.They all play their specific roles and fit very well together in the shows. And of course the little neighbourhood kids who go into the Zooniverse with their imaginations! The colours are just brilliant and really

“The power to win is always within!” stand out. Toonz has really created a unique and beautiful Zooniverse. In the show there is a plush stuffed Zoonicorn. They call the plush Zoonicorn a ‘stuffie’ in all the episodes. They carry them to bed, talk to them and even... one day the Zoonicorns come to their world. We have a great opportunity to create products around stories like these.

How do you plan on translation the ethos of the show into the licensing program? J’net: I think the Zooniverse itself will become the playground – using imaginitive play – this provides a real place for action. One of the other areas of course is plush/stuffies, as in the bedroom on the show they have a stuffed Zoonicorn, which fuels their imagination. The toy is comforting, they are their friends – this is a great way to connect to the character- that is an entry point, and just the beginning. We have also have some fantastic concepts for bedding, pyjamas, and catching zzzs! What about international markets? J’net: There is definitely something to be said for creating individual products per territory – we are talking to global partners and also looking to carve out some localized ideas, taking into account cultural sensibilities in design and function. How has business been, and promoting and working on Zoonicorns over the last 20 months? J’net: The timing has actually been fortuitous. We and Toonz were able to meet at Kidscreen, sign the deal, and then we went into production mode – all over the globe, India, New York, and I’m in Sedona Arizona so it’s been incredible to all be able to work remotely and still bring Zoonicorns to life. And what’s next? J’net: Next year we will be at Toy Fair, Kidscreen, Licensing Expo and BLE, so there is a lot to look forward to! Bruno: As well as the episodes, we are looking at creating some unique content for YouTube and social media as well next year, so we are gathering all the forces to get the word out to the moms and kids, and driving the recognition! And we are working on getting the right partners together in different parts of the world. J’net: No other preschool show has this kind of universal concept AND a type of unicorn as the lead characters. Zoonicorn has a familiar, yet new feel! It’s comfy, sweet, and new so it makes a great combination.

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TOTAL LICENSING By Utku Tansel LLB, MBA

Utku has 17 years of success in driving global thought leadership, project and content management, delivering strategic business intelligence and actionable insight to major international companies, retailers and financial institutions.Throughout his career, he has led many global research programs across a wide range of diverse and dynamic industries including Toys & Games, Licensed Consumer Products, Consumer Electronics, Apparel & Footwear, Homewares & Home Furnishings, and Personal Accessories & Eyewear.With a solid market research background, Utku regularly writes for leading industry publications including Total Licensing focusing on the most recent trends and developments. A sought-after speaker, he also presented at world-renowned industry events including Licensing International Mind Mix Executive Conference, Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, PlayCon,World Congress of Play, and Walmart Global Toy Summit highlighting key findings from the latest global research studies. https://www.linkedIn. com/in/utku-tansel-llbmba-982316361

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GROWING SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS PRESENTS GOOD OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOTWEAR The fashion sector is witnessing a heightened awareness about its impact on climate, and many consumers are looking for ways to reduce their own contribution to this. COVID-19 has acted to accelerate the trend towards more sustainable fashion and this could be one of the long lasting legacies of the pandemic in retail. Plastic is not inherently bad, but our throwaway use is. As mentioned in Mintel Trend Rethink Plastic, brands and consumers are reviewing their own behaviours to prevent plastic pollution. Our throwaway culture is also becoming a contentious issue and as highlighted in Mintel Trend Hungry Planet, consumers are looking for ways to conserve the planet’s resources. According to Mintel Sustainability Barometer March 2021, a substantial 64% of Italians, 59% of Germans and Spaniards as well as 56% of consumers in the UK agree that their behaviour can make a positive difference to the environment, the second highest in the world while almost half of Germans agree that companies can do more than governments to change the world, the highest globally*. Race to become eco-friendly Over the past year, we have seen a number of initiatives bringing footwear brands more in alignment with the concept of circular economy. Foot Locker Europe’s recent move to open a new sustainability driven store in Barcelona, Spain with recycled materials such as mannequins created from reused sneakers, is a clear confirmation that sustainability is gaining further traction in footwear which we have also investigated in our Footwear Retailing Europe Report 2021. In September 2020, French outdoor brand Salomon designed a pair of running shoes that are completely recyclable. The thread used to sew the shoes is the same material as the rest

of the upper. The shoe’s upper, itself made from recycled polyester, can be recycled again into a new thread for fabric, and the foam sole can be ground up and used in the brand’s ski boots. Therefore, nothing will end up in the landfill. The shoes can be easily disassembled for collection centres, which can then gather used shoes for cleaning and disassembling before sending the materials to local partners for recycling.The recycled foam will be sent to the factory that makes Salomon’s ski boots, allowing the groundup sole of each shoe to be used for a new ski boot shell. Savana, a Portuguese-based footwear company focused on protecting the environment, has launched a new brand: Contagious. The new brand is made entirely of 100% recyclable materials.The outside of the shoe is made of cork, recycled mesh and the entire lining is made of 100% organic cotton. Zouri, another Portuguese-based footwear brand - which is known for using plastic waste collected from the ocean in its productive process - is now using apple waste in its products. The brand has launched a new range of children’s footwear using apple peel as a material to make shoes. Spanish specialist footwear retailer, Camper introduced its new “Made to Walk Again” product line which is part of Camper’s new ReCrafted initiative in February 2021. The company’s website describes it as,“ReCrafted, a special collection of used, returned and defective shoes that, when combined with other leftover components, results in a truly unique selection of Camper products”. Restructuring the idea of the life cycle of a shoe, changing the destination of the merchandise and encouraging more environmentally responsible purchasing, Camper receives second-hand shoes from its headquarters in Mallorca and those excluded because of various manufac-

turing faults. Following this, a team of designers and craftsmen create new and original models. The re-designed range of shoes is then sold in its physical stores and online. Adidas opened a flagship concept store in Soho, London with a focus on sustainability and creativity in October 2020. The boutique-style store is aiming to be hyper-local with much of the venue inspired by different faces of London. The upper floor has a huge Adidas trefoil seating area made from dead stock which has been created by London-based designers. In October 2020, French sustainable footwear label Veja and fashion designer Rick Owens teamed up for the second time for a range of eco-friendly shoes for the Autumn/Winter 2020 Veja and Rick Owens latest collaboration, 2020 Source:Veja

season. The collaboration is made up of two seasonally appropriate knitted items, combining Owens’ signature aesthetic with Veja’s eco-conscious messaging. Both models are fully sustainable and feature Veja’s first-ever natural cork sole. In January 2021, footwear brand Melissa, known for its plastic jelly shoes,

TOTAL LICENSING created a new collection made from previously worn shoes. The used items were collected at stores, each of which has a drop-off point where customers can drop off old shoes. Following this, in March 2021 Melissa teamed up with Parisbased “hardcore vegan” brand Rombaut to launch a fully vegan collection of jelly shoes. The Melissa x Rombaut collection features two styles that have been reinvented in vegan jelly form. Each pair is made out of 50% recycled PVC sourced from factory waste and 30% bio-based renewable carbon content. This collection utilises the recycling initiatives in Melissa stores; 50% of shoes in the Melissa x Rombaut range are made out of upcycled PVC shoes that were previously collected from Melissa drop-off points. Luxury Italian fashion house Bottega Upcycled Melissa x Rombaut collaboration, 2021 Source: Melissa/Rombaut

Veneta also continued to push its sustainability initiatives. After repurposing a range of its most popular bags out of recycled paper for Autumn/Winter 2020, in February 2021 it unveiled a fully biodegradable clog for its latest seasonal range dubbed “Salon 01”. Made from a biodegradable polymer base, the clog, inspired by the brands’ popular puddle boot, can be dissolved when buried underground or in a controlled environment by introducing microorganisms.

Retailers need to look at rental & second-hand Both buying and selling second-hand, and renting, tie in with Mintel Trend Why Buy. These two channels of consumption are examples of how the circular economy is now penetrating many aspects of life. In addition, with the increased financial difficulties that many consumers are facing as the full economic impact of the COVID-19 epidemic unfurls, retailers could highlight the money saving aspect of these models as the added value of a sustainable retail experience to the consumer. As part of any strategy to broaden and diversify the range of services they offer, specialist retailers should be looking at other ways in which their customers can acquire, use and dispose of footwear. Mintel Trend Ownership Evolution highlights how, in the UK, Gen Z is putting their own twist on what ownership looks like with sustainability leading the way. Rather than removing the concept of ownership altogether, Mintel data on fashion and sustainability reveals that 22% of UK Gen Z consumers have rented fashion items, while a significantly higher percent (42%) have bought second-hand fashion items. Meanwhile, peer-to-peer marketplaces, like Vinted, continue to reimagine what buying second-hand can look like, and brands have the opportunity to pre-empt the creation of peer-to-peer marketplaces that threaten their business by creating their own. Of course, some kinds of footwear are better suited to this than others, with high quality expensive brands and branded trainers having the most appeal. Overall, specialist retailers could look at offering short-term rental of more expensive items, launching second-hand corners in their stores or online, or at launching their own peerto-peer marketplace. What’s next? Moving forward, strong environmental credentials could well become a clear product differentiator across Europe. It should be noted that it could be quite a challenge to communicate the benefits and the overall sustainability

initiative to the consumer. In order to overcome this, retailers could offer various incentives to tap into the opportunity and with the issue of waste high on the agenda, they should be looking at how they encourage their customers to recycle unwanted footwear. One way they could do this is via a reward scheme (perhaps linked to a wider loyalty scheme). We have seen retailers like TK Maxx in the UK trialling a scheme that rewards customers by exchanging unwanted items for vouchers that can be spent in-store, while the US start-up For Days gives shop credits in return for clothes they no longer wear, which are then resold or recycled. Another good example could be Spanish footwear specialist Camper where customers who hand in their used pair of shoes as part of the company’s “Made to Walk Again” project are awarded with a €10 discount voucher for their next purchase. Furthermore, specialist footwear retailers could look at creating areas in-store and online dedicated to sustainable footwear, so that customers can quickly and easily choose products based on their environmental preferences. Continuing with the sustainability theme, we’ve seen online giant Amazon launch an ‘eco-friendly’ shopping platform offering more than 40,000 sustainable products, initially in the US, but this has now been rolled out to Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the UK. In the future, we are likely to see much more of a “buy less, buy better” approach, with a divided wardrobe, with rented items sitting alongside secondhand or vintage items. By engaging with these modes of consumption, traditional retailers could leverage their bricks & mortar stores to add a new layer of convenience while also drawing in a younger customer. Such services respond to two types of customers – those that are concerned about the environment and want to reduce their impact, and those for whom value and saving money are more important drivers. *Source: Mintel Consulting, 500 internet users aged 16/18+

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GENERATION Z

TARGET CONSUMERS FOR LICENSED PRODUCTS IN CHINA By Charles Sun, Licensing Team, China Toy & Juvenile Products Association charles_sun@ tjpa-china.org)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Beijing

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Universal Beijing Resort finally opened to public this summer in Tongzhou, after years of preparation, and soon hit the headline in China. One of the most popular destination is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a big stir in the young audience. From magical spells to magical creatures, from dark villains to daring heroes, plus, experience pulse-pounding rides and attractions, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter transport visitors into a world of magical thrills and excitement.

In September 2000, Harry Potter books were published in mainland China. Less than one year later, the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released too, setting off an upsurge among the Chinese young generation at that time. 20 years later, in September 2021, the mobile game Harry Potter: Magic Awakened was launched, licensed by Warner Brothers and produced by NetEase Games, once again ignited the magic world for the old and new fans, among which Generation Z (Gen Z) is the main component. Gen Z is a widely researched group around the world. In China, Gen Z is growing to a leading force of con-

sumption, especially for cultural entertainment and licensed goods. China licensing industry are paying more attention to Chinese Gen Z, researching their consumption habits, to seize the growing market opportunities. Profile of Chinese Gen Z Consumers A widely accepted definition of Chinese Gen Z refers to people who was born between 1998 and 2014, which has a population size of nearly 280 million. Up to now, over one third of Chinese Gen Z are adults, which already started colleges or work, having strong consumption ability.

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CHART 1. Chinese Gen Z Consumers’ expenditure on licensed products/services in 2020

Below 500 yuan

3.6% 14.9%

500 - 1,000 yuan

36.3%

1,001 - 2,000 yuan 26.6%

2,001 - 3,000 yuan 3,001 - 5,000 yuan 5,001 - 10,000 yuan Above 10,000 yuan

12.1% 5.2% 1.3% China Licensing Industry Report 2021 by CTJPA Brand Licensing Council shows that, according to annual expenditure of Chinese Gen Z consumers on licensed products, the consumption sum of RMB 1,001-2,000 a year took up the highest proportion (36.3%), followed by that of RMB

2,001-3,000 (26.6%). The annual expenditure of Chinese Gen Z consumers on licensed products was mainly less than RMB 3,000, which was also positively correlated with the income of Chinese Gen Z consumers. As the income of Chinese Gen Z consumers increased, its capital investment in licensed products also had great growth potential. When asked the willingness to purchase in the future, 50.7% of Chinese Gen Z consumers expressed they would like to stay in line with their previous budgets, and 34.9% of them stated that their consumption budget would enlarge their budgets. On the whole, Chinese Gen Z consumers tended to maintain relatively high expenditures on licensed products. Chinese Gen Z consumers on licensed products were relatively scat-

tered, and relatively concentrated in the regions with relatively developed economies and high per capita disposable income. Top 5 was Jiangsu Province (6.8%), Guangdong Province (6.5%), Shanghai (6.1%), Beijing (6.0%) and Zhejiang Province (5.6%), but the consumers were more balanced distributed in overall. The purchasing power of the youth in the markets in lower-tier cities and their enthusiasm and love for IPs should also not be underestimated. Properties Chinese Gen Z loves Chinese Gen Z was born and grew up with the Internet. Heavy use of social networks has enabled them to develop the habit of content consumption, such as Network literature, animation, computer games. Properties and characters are consumed, discussed and shared by Gen Z, resulting in the formation of subculture circles. Doula Continent owned by China Literature, INCARNATION produced by Bilibili, Honor of Kings, Game for Peace produced by Tencent Interactive Entertainment have accumulated hundreds of millions of players. A remarkable feature of Gen Z’s is they in general have stronger pride and confidence than their elders for Chinese culture. Therefore, they are keen to pursue Chinese culture and Chinese brands, which lead to a trend known as China Fashion (guochao). Designer toys, a big cake Among all the categories of licensed goods and services, Designer toys are especially preferred by Chinese Gen Z, spawning several listed companies and unicorns focus on these businesses.

CHART 2. Chinese Gen Z consumers’ willingness to spend on licensed products/services in 2021 Over 30% increase. 4.6% 1-29% increase. 28.0% Almost as 2020. 50.7% 1.29% decrease. 9.8% Over 30% decrease. 4.6%

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TOTAL LICENSING One of them is POP MART, owner of Molly, Dimoo and other dozens of popular designer toys among Chinese Gen Z, listed in Hong Kong stock market last winter, whose market value reached nearly RMB 100 billion this February. Compared with older groups, Gen Z consumers paid more attention to additional factors such as product appearance, expression of self-views and attitudes, emotional connection and trends in product consumption. Top three reasons why licensed products/ services attracted Gen Z consumers were character setting or mood (26.6%), consumption atmosphere (23.7%) and good-looking products (15.7%). Both Licensors and Licensees are adjusting their business strategies, paying more attention to industry seminars and exhibitions, to better satisfy preferences of generation Z and to seek breakthroughs. From February 23 to 25 next spring, licensors of animation, films, museums, art and other categories will gather again at the 15th session of China Licensing Expo at Shanghai New International Expo Center to promote the continued development of licensing business. After 15 years of development, China Licensing Expo is widely recognized as the most effective channel to understand the licensing market, promote brands, and expand licensing business in China and Asia.

CHART 3. Gen Z consumers on licensed products by region

Jiangsu 6.8% Guangdong 6.5% Shanghai 6.1% Beijing 6.0% Zhejiang 5.6% Shandong 4.6% Fujian 4.4% Henan 3.5% Hubei 3.5% Sichuan 3.4% Others 36.8%

CHART 4. Gen Z consumers’ motivations in purchasing licensed products

Matching my image or mood 26.6% Good consumption environment 23.7% Stylish design 15.7% Attracted by high popularity 15.4% Superior quality and craftsmanship 9.6% Affection and support of an IP 5.1% Interesting and creative design 3.9%

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Legally Speaking

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What to know about NFT License Agreements By: Gregory J. Battersby

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 published 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 gjbattersby@gbiplaw.com www.gbiplaw.com 154

NFTs, otherwise known as “Non-Fungible Tokens,” are perhaps today’s hottest new licensable property. They are digital assets that represent real-world objects such as art, music, games, and videos. NFTs are bought and sold online and are typically encoded with the same type of software as cryptos and are commonly sold using cryptocurrency. They are stored on a blockchain which is essentially a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across a computer network. There can only be one owner at a time and they can be transferred using transfer tokens. First introduced in 2014, NFTs became particularly popular over the last couple of years as parties came to realize that they are a great vehicle for buying and selling digital artwork. As of this writing….and things are changing virtually daily, the most expensive NFTs that was Michael Winkleman’s (a/k/a Beeple), EVERYDAYS—THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, which sold for $69M. NFTs are unique, i.e., either one of a kind or part of a limited production run, and they contain unique identifying embedded codes or digital signatures. They are “minted” from virtually any digital image and generally fall into the following categories: traditional digital art, game-specific NFTs, crypto-collectibles, music NFTs, virtual real estate, branded collectibles, video, GIFs, etc. Since they are unique, that makes them valuable as a collector item. So, how does relate to licensing? The major difference between traditional licensing and the licensing of an NFT is that instead of licensing physical goods, the licensor is licensing digital goods. One of the major advantages offered by licensing digital goods is that the licensor’s ability to collect a royalty doesn’t end when the licensee sells the physical product to the retailer. With digital goods, the licensor can collect royalties every time those products are sold…. and resold. Thus, the royalty stream and ultimate compensation for the licensor are potentially extended for years or even decades.

The NBA has certainly figured out a way in its Top Shot product which is a blockchain-based, trading card system with NBA highlights and digital artwork. The NBA licensed its reels to Dapper Laps, which digitized the footage and created a limited amount to create scarcity. Some NFTs feature highlights in different angles and digital artwork. One is currently listed for $240K. All told, Dapper Labs reported that it had generated over $230M in gross sales through February of 2021. License agreements for the use of different forms of intellectual property for NFTs are quite similar to the types of license agreements that we have all become accustomed to in the industry for years—there’s an identification of the property involved, a specific grant of rights to a licensee for a particular use, e.g., for NFTs, provisions concerning term, territory, approval rights, insurance, indemnification, termination, etc. Where NFT agreements are different from traditional merchandising license agreements are the consideration provisions. How much the licensee will pay for the right and in what form? Typically, a royalty is paid and there are guarantees and advances but will payments be made in dollars or bitcoin? It is also quite common for a licensor to receive compensation every time the NFT is sold and resold. The owner of the intellectual property can spell out exactly what the licensee can do with the property, particularly how often a particular NFT might be sold. Since the property owner will derive a royalty from the sale of the NFT, it’s in the licensor’s best interest to permit a rather wide distribution of such products although this may limit the uniqueness, and therefore the value, of the NFT. Stay tuned, because the industry is only now beginning to get its arms around this exciting new form of licensed products. Today it has shown to be a successful product for collectibles. Where it will go from here, however, is limited only by the imagination of a creative licensing professional’s mind.

TOTAL LICENSING With such a long and beloved heritage, the Dr. Seuss brand no doubt provided comfort to many families during the pandemic. Did you notice a rise in popularity in any particular area? We have continued to see enthusiasm for our iconic characters and stories, despite the challenging environment of the pandemic. There seems to be a renewed connection with nostalgia, and since generations have grown up on our property, Dr. Seuss is really resonating right now. From Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, which continues to be an inspirational title especially around graduation time to How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, which had a banner year in 2020 with many fans embracing the character and high demand for licensing during an unusual holiday. We also celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Lorax with a licensing program that focused on sustainability and also partnered with The Old Vic in London for a streamed performance of The Lorax Musical in April. As we continue to see the universal appeal of Dr. Seuss expand, we are looking to create partnerships with companies that meet fans where they are at and connect with the larger culture. In addition to aligning with bestin-class apparel, giftware, and other merchandising partners, we’re also exploring cutting edge platforms. For example, we are partnering with Dapper Labs to bring the first Dr. Seuss NFT experience to fans in Q4 2021. Also, seeing the surge in popularity of audio during the pandemic, including podcasts and audiobooks, we recently signed a deal with Tonies to bring Dr. Seuss titles to the platform. Can you outline some of the recent partnerships signed by Dr. Seuss Enterprises? Dr. Seuss Enterprises has already lined up some exciting partnerships that will roll out at the end of this year and into next year in the UK and Europe.These partnerships include new UK licensees for How the Grinch Stole Christmas! such as Brand Alliance for adult apparel and accessories, Solent Brands for a “bag for life,” H&A for health and beauty items, and Fizz Creations

for gifting and kitchenware. Additionally, Beautiful Games will introduce wall stickers and decals for various Dr. Seuss titles. Stor is also creating a line of Grinch kitchenware that will be available at retail shortly. Beyond that, Brand Internationals is on board to produce Grinch footwear and accessories, as well as nightwear for The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. I note you have many recent holiday partnerships for The Grinch – is this a very important time of year for the brand? How the Grinch Stole Christmas! continues to be an iconic and timeless holiday property that fans adore, with growing popularity around the world. So many families return to the book, movies, and TV specials at this time of year and love the merchandise that lets them indulge their fandom. At Dr. Seuss Enterprises we recognize this desire to bring The Grinch home and continually look for new ways to create new touchpoints for fans from unique merchandising programs, to live experiences, like our Grinch Grotto meet and greets. In 2022, we are celebrating the 65th publishing anniversary of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and we’re looking forward to rolling out a really great program to celebrate the occasion. What is it about this character that appeals to so many? When it comes to the Grinch, there is something that resonates with everyone. Some fans love The Grinch’s snarky sense of humour. Others embrace how The Grinch changes at the end of the story; how his heart grows three sizes bigger to embrace the true meaning of the season. Regardless, if you gravitate towards the snarky Grinch or the big-hearted Grinch everyone likes a hero and ultimately that’s what the Grinch is, a hero that brings back Christmas. Sure he starts out bad, but it’s not how you start it’s how you finish and the Grinch finishes triumphant. Who couldn’t be fascinated by a character like that? How do you keep such a heritage brand up to date with modern times, trends and movements?

Susan Brandt, President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises talks iconic characters, new deals, fan bases and the fascination of The Grinch. Grinch Dr. Seuss Enterprises is very fortunate because we have a loyal and dedicated global fan base of all ages who love our characters from The Cat in The Hat to Sam I Am, To Horton the elephant and many others. Our property is successful because these characters and stories are timeless. But we don’t rest on our laurels--we are always re-inventing ourselves. We actively seek new opportunities and create new projects to deliver our content in new and fresh ways. We celebrate anniversaries, develop new entertainment projects, create new publishing streams all to find new and unique ways to reach our broad target audience. For example, as the popularity of digital collectibles and audio surged, we took Dr. Seuss to these platforms. But it’s not just about the latest, most cutting-edge technologies. We know that fans are also looking for immersive, Instagramable experiences, which is why we kicked off the “Dr. Seuss Experience” in North America in 2019 in Toronto, brought it to Houston and recently opened the event in Chicago. We also look for creatively unique brands to design collaborations, which is why we partnered with Irregular Choice in 2020 for a shoe and accessories line that sold out in a matter of days.

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TOTAL LICENSING By Martin Brochstein SVP Industry Relations and Information Licensing International www.licensinginternational. org

Licensing University (now known officially as Licensing U), has long been a mainstay of Licensing Expo Las Vegas, with a varied program of sessions designed to offer education to everyone from those just getting to know the licensing business to more advanced executives looking for perspectives on the latest trends in the licensing, marketing, media, retail and other affiliated fields.

A Transformed Sense of ‘Normal’

It’s part of Licensing International’s ongoing educational commitment, which includes the Coursework in Licensing Studies (CLS) program, taught by high-level industry executives, that leads to designation as a Qualified Licensing Professional, as well as our ongoing webinar series that addresses issues of the day. This year, for the first time, we’re presenting Licensing U in conjunction with Brand Licensing Europe, offering more than a dozen panels, discussions and presentations. So that they can reach the broadest possible audience, they’ll be presented online beginning November 22 as part of BLE Virtual, which will take place November 30-December 1 as a follow-up to the much-anticipated in-person BLE (which takes place November 17-19 at Excel London). The Basics track will include an all-encompassing Basics of Licensing session conducted by Licensing International UK Managing Director Graham Saltmarsh, as well as specialty sessions devoted to Styleguides, Law, and Working with Agents and Consultants. The Spotlights will include looks at several categories, including Art, Esports/Gaming, Location-Based Experiences and Fashion – each with views and perspectives from experts in those fields. The Tactics & Strategies tracks track will feature discussions about Collaborations, Sustainability and Diversity & inclusion, among others.

ing Director Licensing International UK

Products Director, Epic Games; Stuart Saw, CEO, RTS

Licensing Law for Non-Lawyers Presenter: Esther Jolley, IA Director, Brand Extensions, Stobbs

Fashion Moderator: Roberta Nebbia, Licensing International, Italy Panelists: Angela Farrugia, Founder, Brand x Society; Daniela Cosso, Head of Global Customer Marketing, Miniconf; and Matteo Ward, Co-Founder WRÅD

For more information and to register for Licensing U, go to: https://www.brandlicensing.eu/en/learnbrand-licensing/licensing-u.html

Sports Licensing Moderator: Marty Brochstein, SVP Industry Relations & Information, Licensing International Panelists TBD

Here’s a look at the agenda and speakers (as of November 1):

Basics Track Basics of Licensing Presenter: Graham Saltmarsh, Manag-

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Working with Agents & Consultants Moderator: Laurent Taieb, Board President, Licensing International France, and Licensing Specialist, Motul Panelists: John Taylor, VP Northern Europe, Wildbrain CPLG; and Patrick Tamburlin, Global Food & Non-Food Licensing & Promotional Manager, BEL Style Guides: Bringing Brands to Life Speaker: Margot Michon, Media Bridge

Spotlights Track Art Licensing Moderator: Kati Uusi-Ravi, Licensing International Nordics; and Director, AGMA Panelists: Marijn Veraart, Licensing Manager, VanGogh Museum Amsterdam and Samira Henley, VP Brand Licensing, Jewel Branding & Licensing Inc.; Camilla Lundsten, Artist/Designer, Camilla Lundsten Studio Location-Based Licensing Moderator: Simon Foulkes, Managing Director, Rainbow Productions Panelists: Matt Proulx, VP Location Based Entertainment, Hasbro; Phil Higgins, Co-Founder and COO, Katapult; Kelly Herrick - Creative Strategist, Katapult

Gaming & eSports Moderator: Matthew Primack, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Licensing, IMG Panelists: Wes Phillips Consumer

Tactics & Strategies Track The Key to Successful Partnerships & Collaborations Moderator: Gisela Abrams, SVP Global Partnerships, Licensing International Panelist: Carla Silva,VP & GM, Head of Global Licensing, King Features; Katie Hall, Associate Director, Brand Management, Beanstalk Confronting Supply Chain Challenges Moderated by Marty Brochstein, SVP Industry Relations & Information, Licensing International Panelists TBD The Changing Face of Retail Moderator: Keith Pashley Founder and CEO The Keith Pashley Project Panelists: Karen Hewitt, Buying Director, Character.com; Scott Macrae, Lab16 Mission Lead, George at Asda; Jalil Rahman Director of Licensing & Brand Partnerships at Liberty Ltd Sustainability Presenter: Helena Mansell-Stopher Founder & CEO Products of Change; Additional presenters TBD How to Promote Diversity & Inclusion in Licensing, Marketing and Advertising: A UNICEF Playbook Moderator: Maura Regan, President, Licensing International Panelists: Madeline Di Nonno, President & CEO, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Shreyasi Jha, Senior Advisor - Gender Equality, UNICEF

TOTAL LICENSING

Brand Licensing Europe Korea Character Licensing Fair Cartoons on the Bay Blueprint Live CES Atlanta Gift Market British Toy & Hobby Fair Paperworld Nuremberg Toy Fair Magic Las Vegas Kidscreen Summit New York Toy Fair Licensing World Russia Australian Toy Fair Bologna Children’s Bookfair Licensing China (Shenzhen) MIP.TV London Book Fair Hong Kong Int. Licensing Show Annecy Festival Licensing Expo China

Nov 17 - 19 Nov 25 - 28 Dec 3 - 8 Nov 30 - Dec 2 Jan 5 - 8 2022 Jan 11 - 18 Jan 25 - 27 Jan 29 - Feb 1 Feb 2 - 6 Feb 14 - 17 Feb 14 - 17 Feb 19 - 22 March 1 - 3 March 6 - 9 March 21 - 24 March 30 - 1 April April 4 - 6 April 5 - 7 April 27 - 29 June 13 - 18 July 6 - 8

ADK ...................................................................................47 Asmodee ...........................................................................51 Australian Toy Fair ........................................................143 BBC ....................................................................................17 Beano .................................................................................29 Boat Rocker .....................................................................11 Boxine GmbH ..................................................................45 Brand 4 Rent ..................................................................103 Brand Licensing Europe .................................................43 Bulldog ...............................................................................55 China Licensing Expo ...................................................151 Crunchyroll ......................................................................63 CTB Film Company ......................................................101 Edutainment ...............................................................88, 89 El Ocho ...............................................................114 – 116 Exim Entertainment .......................................................41 Howard Robinson ..........................................................31 King Features Syndicate ....................................... 15, 159 Konami ........................................................................19, 21 Licensing China ..............................................................109 London Toy Fair ...............................................................83

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www.brandlicensing.eu www.characterfair.kr http://www.cartoonsbay.rai.it/en/ www.blueprintshows.com www.ces.tech www.americasmart.com www.toyfair.co.uk www.paperworld.messfrankfurt.com www.spielwarenmesse.de/toys/trade-fair www.magicfashionevents.com www.summit.kidscreen.com/ www.toyfairny.com/ www.licensingworld.ru www.toyfair.com.au www.bolognachildrensbookfair.com www.licensing-china.hk.messefrankfurt.com www.miptv.com www.londonbookfair.co.uk www.hktdc.com/fair/hklicensingshow-en www..annecy.org/home www.en.licensingexpochina.com

Magic Light ........................................................................53 MGM ..................................................................................23 Millimages .........................................................................57 Mondo ...............................................................................37 Penguin Ventures .............................................................67 Pokemon ......................................................................... 4, 5 Pyramid .............................................................................81 Rainbow Productions .....................................................14 Rainbow SpA ...................................................................... 1 RX Global .........................................................................95 Sanrio ............................................................................... 8, 9 SEGA Europe ...................................................................61 Smilegate ...........................................................................25 Smiley .............................................................................. 6, 7 Studio ..............................................................................100 TF1 .....................................................................................39 ViacomCBS ............................................................ 2, 3, 160 Xilam ..................................................................................13

List correct at time of going to press