Expansion Plans for Smiley

from Total Licensing China, May 2020

Interview: Jianbo Wei, WildBrain

Smiley announces expansion plans for Greater China

The Smiley Company continues to enjoy growth and success in China, 2019 was its best year yet, and this comes after almost a decade of annual growth.

Nicolas Loufrani, (pictured), CEO of Smiley, said, “We’ve had great success in China. Thanks to a long-term approach that has allowed us to gain a lot of local knowledge and curate partnerships that we know are likely to work. By collaborating with established partners, who understand our way of working and know how to build a real brand, with a real strategy, we’ve been able to grow the business steadily, laying a platform for the future. China is such a sophisticated market nowadays and to succeed; you need to have the local insight to create relevant products, supported by engaging marketing and do it with the right partners, properly supporting them in their efforts to capture the minds of consumers. We have invested a lot of time and resources to build our business in China, exhibiting at the local licensing shows, recruiting a leading marketing agency in Shanghai and putting a team in on the ground.”

Loufrani continues to spend a lot of time in China himself, regularly attending PR and influencer events, trade

shows and it’s this personal touch that is driving Smiley’s growth. 2020 appears to be the year that Smiley starts to build on the foundations its set, with the brand already embarking on a five-year retail program, that will see Smiley open over 600 adults and kids footwear stores across Mainland China by 2025. Through a 5-year deal with Fipo Group, Smiley will open adults’ footwear and accessory stores, including 30 corner shops and 11 flagships over the next 12 months, with the partnership targeting 200 retail outlets by the end 2022. Smiley has also best possible direct support from our specialised category teams. We are closely monitoring regional specific trend forecasting and regularly (preCOVID), sending our design teams on store visits there. By tapping into local trends and benchmarking against brands active in the market, we have started to develop exclusive style guides for the region and co-creating collections on request from our local partners. This local intelligence has helped us to build successful and longlasting relationships in the region.”

signed an apparel license with Fipo Group to supply fashion programs in China.

Meantime in a similar 5-year deal with Wenzhou Ouhai Heirloom Shoes Co. Ltd, SmileyWorld will launch 14 retail stores and 4 flagships kids footwear stores in China by the end of the year, with the plan to roll that out into 400 retail stores and 30 flagships by the end of 2025. Smiley has also scaled up its retail operations in China, setting up an official architectural studio in Hong Kong to ensure tighter control of consistency across all of its retail fascias. Also recruiting a social media agency in China to ensure its positive and uplifting lifestyle message is properly readapted to the local market.

Nicolas Loufrani added, “China is a major growth market for us right now. We have recruited Chinese staff in London to offer our partners the

With China continuing to be one of the world’s leading consumers of luxury goods, Smiley’s international network of upscale collaborations is driving further standout in the market. Loewe, Moschino, Ami Paris, Anya Hindmarch, Joshua Sanders, Ante Prima and Sandro all recently launching Smiley lines at retail in China. While Chinatown Market, Lee Jeans, Pomelo, Stradivarius, Zara, Pull & Bear and TSMLXLT are offering desirable midmarket alternatives. This buzz at retail will now be complemented with the debut of a Smiley cosmetic line, set for launch in June 2020 by Eternal and featuring 13 beauty products including foundation, highlighter , eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks and lip glosses. Eternal already have plans to expand into skincare and fragrance by the end of 2020. promotions continue to drive growth for the brand, with Smiley icons lending themselves particularly well to mall and retail activations in some of the country’s most popular high footfall sites. Smiley ball ponds, life-sized sculptures and themed décor were used recently in promotions at Beijing Wang and Living Mall in Guangzhou. Smiley’s lifestyle extends beyond themed emoticon décor, with hipster fashion store LCX throwing a Smiley Chinese New Year event decked out with Smiley themed DJ booths and including giveaways, artist meet and greets and a full range of products. The eGG Optical are even using Smileys for in-store design, Instagrammable moments and their Smiley-themed café with food items for purchase. As an organisation, Smiley continues to do in China what it does best, bringing positivity and hope, through a lifestyle aesthetic that’s become synonymous with fun and cool.

www.smiley.com

法国动画工作室Xilam Animation去年9 月任命Manya Zhou担任中国区业务发展主管这一新设立的职务，负责制定公司在该市场的战略，包括管理当地的内容分销、L&M和潜在的合作制作机会。目前，Xilam希望通过关键资产在中国最大限度发挥其潜力，其中包括Where’s Chicky、Zig & Sharko、Oggy and the Cockroaches、Lupin’s Tales和 Paprika。

今年是Zig & Sharko的10周年，而Oggy and the Cockroaches则已在去年迎来它的20周年。为了扩大这一国际影响力，Xilam近来在中国的各大视频点播平台爱奇艺和优酷上推出了这两个系列，并面向应用程序和数字游戏、玩具、生活方式和时尚以及运动用品等资产寻求当地的授权合作。 Lupin’s Tales (78 x 7’)是Xilam的全新 2D和3D喜剧系列，主要针对年龄较大的学龄前观众。Xilam正专注于在中国签订出版合作协议，并凭借Lupin在整个系列中拥有40多个装扮造型这一点，最大程度地发挥其可收藏玩具的潜力。同样在学龄前领域，Xilam正与中国最大的视频平台之一洽谈，让其成为Learn and Play with Paprika (47x3’)的独家播放平台。这一学龄前教育娱乐内容，基于Xilam 的学龄前剧集Paprika，帮助孩子们同时进行学习和游玩，并包含音乐片段、数字、字母、词汇和如何画画的视频。Learn and Play with Paprika也将通过该系列节目，让中国的幼儿们有机会学习英语。为了支持该系列，Xilam正在寻求本地消费品

Where’s Chicky (52x1’)是Xilam 最近收购的CG及3D动画工作室Cube Creative的短篇喜剧系列。该剧除了在短视频平台西瓜视频上热播外，还在腾讯、爱奇艺、优酷等中国各大视频平台上播出。Where’s Chicky在市场上的播放量已超过25亿，主演的小黄鸡吸引了当地的孩子和年轻人。目前，该剧第二季的开发工作正在进行中，Xilam正在寻求建立玩具、生活方式和出版类上的品牌授权合作。此外，Xilam还将继续利用其两个标志性品牌Zig & Sharko和Oggy and the Cockroaches在中国的普遍吸引力。

Cyber Groupe Studios与北京的Pacific Media Group达成合作，管理并分销广受欢迎的Gigantosaurus在中国的学龄前电视特许经营权及相关消费品和营销。作为与Alibaba Group旗下的优酷（中国顶级在线流媒体视频平台之一）达成战略协议的一部分，Gigantosaurus于12月在中国首播。自首播以来，Gigantosaurus 在优酷的境外动漫人气榜上排名第一。Gigantosaurus在包括新剧集、教育类、儿童VIP、热播类、热播类、2019 年最受欢迎动画在内的热门内容榜单上异军突起。除了在优酷网成功首播外，Gigantosaurus还从去年12月开始在 CCTV14播出。CCTV是中国大陆地区的主导公共电视网络，拥有50个频道，拥有十亿观众。 2020年1月，Gigantosaurus中的两个角色 Mazu 和 Tiny出现在被称为春节联欢晚会或春晚的CCTV跨年晚会上。特别之处在于，这是世界上收视率最高的娱乐电视节目，有近十亿的观众。Gigantosaurus 的角色是极少数被要求在该节目中出现的外国儿童角色中的一员，该节目始于 1983年，中国最具人气的明星都会上台表演。 Gigantosaurus的消费品和其他娱乐活动，如现场巡演等，有望在未来几个月内进入中国消费者的视野。该品牌的玩具总授权商Jakks Pacific已经开始在中国大陆地区出货。

ICONIX出售UMBRO CHINA

Iconix Brand Group已达成协议，以6250 万美元的价格向HK Qiaodan Investment 出售Umbro China。此次出售预计将于9月前完成，包括Umbro 运动品牌在中国大陆、香港、台湾和澳门的业务。Iconix曾于2016年以一百万美元将Umbro China 5%的股份出售给 MH Umbro China 5%，并于2019年7月以130万美元的价格进行了重新收购。该公司还达成协议，以2000万美元的价格向 Photosynthesis Holdings出售Starter China，交易结束时间近日延长至6月30 日。Iconix China，拥有包括Candie's和 London Fog在内的15个投资组合，将继续运营。