Exhibitor Preview

WildBrain CPLG, is exhibiting at Licensing Expo following robust global growth, having recently bolstered its North America operations, opened an office in India and announced plans for Asia Pacific that include expansion in Shanghai and new offices in Singapore, Taipei and Seoul. Also, the agency’s newly launched ASPIRE division provides a dedicated home for its rapidly growing Corporate & Lifestyle brand representation business. Now in its 50th year, WildBrain CPLG will showcase new brands, initiatives and creative assets across a robust portfolio of entertainment, corporate & lifestyle, and sport properties, with beloved WildBrain-owned brands Strawberry Shortcake, Chip and Potato and Teletubbies headlining the slate. With a popular new animated series – Berry in the Big City – featured on Netflix and YouTube, and with more global distribution partners in the pipeline, Strawberry Shortcake is back

with a cool new look and confident, savvy attitude for today’s kids. The allnew Strawberry enjoys an extensive licensing program including a master toy range from Moose Toys, publishing from Penguin Random House, a new Roblox game and partnerships spanning apparel, accessories, games, events and more. Promotional partnerships in the US include a produceaisle takeover in grocery stores with Sunkist Growers, Envy Apples and Naturipe, plus activations from Little Debbie, Pinkberry, I’m the Chef Too!, Snip-Its, Dippin’ Dots and Zolli Candy. The classic Strawberry Shortcake brand is also enjoying a surge in popularity with multiple new deals signed across North America, including Boss Fight for articulated scented figures, fashion ranges from Unique Vintage, Samii Ryan (BSR), Dolls Kill and PacSun, and cosmetics from Glamlite, with many more soon to be announced. WildBrain’s original Chip and Potato brand, now enjoying its third season on Netflix, also features on this year’s slate, with new plush from JAKKS Pacific and homewares and bedding from Betesh launching in Fall 2023. Perennial favorite Teletubbies is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary year with a colorful calendar of partnerships and activations lined up, including lighting up the Empire State Building in iconic Teletubbies colors, influencer programs, surprise TV appearances and taking the brand into the metaverse with Azerion for virtual goods in online social games Habbo and Hotel Hideaway and Jibjab for egreeting cards. The wider entertainment line-up includes Moose Toys’ mega-hit brand Magic Mixies, for which WildBrain CPLG is signing its first US and Canadian deals across apparel, home, arts and crafts, accessories, back-to-school, sleepwear and hosiery. From ASPIRE, the agency’s newly rebranded Corporate & Lifestyle division, there are opportunities across new rights, including Sauber Motorsports’ Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, The Master Lock Company and the University of Southern California. These stand in ASPIRE’s portfolio alongside the world’s number-one premium vodka brand, Absolut, and flavored spirit brand, Malibu, for which ASPIRE is focusing on apparel, fashion collaborations, frozen goods and chocolate. ASPIRE’s slate also features Yale University, which continues to deliver strong international success across apparel and accessories, including an upcoming collection with India’s largest fashion retailer, Reliance, and further expansion planned into homewares, gifting and back-to-school categories. ASPIRE will also showcase luxury British leather goods brand OSPREY LONDON, with recent highlights including a Sitting Spiritually premium garden furniture range and new footwear collection from 33 Joints.

At Falcon’s Beyond’s booth, guests will experience immersive and interactive technologies like no other through a tour of Falcon’s X-Lab. The X-Lab will offer a 20-minute demonstration

of a handful of Falcon’s ground-breaking products by appointment. These include SpectraVerse™, Falcon’s Vision®, ON!X™ Theater, and other exciting, themed attraction systems leveraging real-time gaming technologies and metaverse integrations. “We have already helped many of the world’s most iconic brands connect with their audience to build fandom at a whole new level,” said Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO of Falcon’s Beyond. “We cannot wait to showcase our experiential entertainment innovations and new themed destinations in development that will enable brands to take the connection with their desired audiences to new heights well `beyond’ what they could ever imagine.”

ZAG is attending Licensing Expo 2022 following an incredible two years for flagship brand Miraculous™ - Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir and will also be presenting the newest property, Ghostforce.™ As of the end of 2021, retail sales for Miraculous™ - Tales of Ladybug and Cat hit US$1billion dollars with over 400 licensing partners on board around the world and over 230M products have been sold during the past four years. Season five of the series starts to roll out Q3 2022 and the $US100M+ animated feature will

premiere later this year. The movie release will be supported by a major QSR program; an expanded toyline from ZAG Lab and Playmates which will be available online and at brickand-mortar stores and incorporates new characters, the first vehicle featuring a convertible scooter, a collectible line of Kwamis, a movie 2-pack, and Movie Collector Ladybug; and from ZAG Games, the launch of the first Miraculous Console Game for XBOX, Playstation and Nintendo Switch and a new mobile puzzle game. Several cobranded partnerships are soon to be announced with some more of the most influential companies across the globe for numerous consumer products categories. Global licensing partners for the brand include Playmates, Ferrero, Good2grow, Volvic, PEZ, Swatch’s Flik Flak, Epopia, and TCC and pan-regional partners include Crayola, InSpirit Designs, and Rubies, plus many others Miraculous has become a digital planetary craze – Miraculous just hit over 30 billion views on YouTube; 15 billion views on TikTok; there have been 200 million downloads of the official Miraculous app. Disney Channels U.S. premiered Ghostforce, an original comedy-action series for kids and families that follows three junior high school students who form a secret team to defend their city from the ghastly ghouls haunting it on October 4, 2021, on Disney XD. The series also launched in most European countries with great out-ofhome and digital visibility, and subsequently became the market leader in various kids target groups, with single airings reaching up to 40.9% among all kids 3-14, and 51.2% among kids 6-9! In Latin America, the series will air very soon on Discovery Kids. ZAG Lab and Playmates is the master toy partner for the brand, and deals have already been signed for publishing, apparel, and costumes amongst others.

Hasbro is among the brands that have revealed extensive LBE plans for the Licensing Expo this year, transforming their booth into an IP-based destination that will capture attendees’ attention. From turning show attendees

into NFTs and transporting guests into imagined worlds to a VR battle arena, this year’s event is gearing up to be highly interactive and trend-driven in order to provide a more seamless

experience that facilitates new IP discovery. At Hasbro’s Experience booth, the company will be previewing the Transformers: VR Battle Arena with Meta4 Interactive which enables players to play as a Transformers robot in a VR world. Players can choose from heroic Autobots such as Bumblebee and Optimus Prime or Decepticons such as Megatron and Soundwave. Once inside the game, each player will become a part of a legendary battle. Hasbro will also be showcasing inspiration from other LBE initiatives around the world with a sampling of mini experiences inspired by: My Little Pony & Transformers X Marriott Autograph Collection, Shanghai, the first of its kind, a Transformers and My Little Pony-themed Hotel outfitted with a Family Entertainment Center, is opening in Shanghai in Q4, 2022. The Hotel features 46 themed rooms operated by Marriott within their Autograph collection; Monopoly Life-sized and Top Hat Restaurant & Bar, London, guests immerse themselves in the world-famous game of Monopoly to compete in challenges, build houses, charge rent, escape jail and even control London’s waterworks as they travel around the life-sized board earning as much money as they can Matt Proulx, VP, Location Based Entertainment, Hasbro, said, “The demand for authentic, engaging, and exciting experiences has never been higher; fans of all ages can now uncover new ways to connect with the brands they love. We’re excited to demo the Transformers: VR Battle Arena with our partners at Meta4 Interactive at our booth this year. We’ll also be giving visitors a chance to sample other activations around the world, taking inspiration from our Monopoly Lifesized in London, Transformers & My Little Pony-themed Hotel in Shanghai, not to mention what’s fueling Nerf. We hope everyone can stop by and have a glimpse into the potential of LBE.

This year, Feld Entertainment will have the Grave Digger Simulator Ride Experience, created in partnership with DOF Robotiks. This stand-alone attraction allows attendees to experience what it is like to take a ride in a Monster Jam truck. The simulator offers a range of movement on a 6-axis platform featuring pitch, roll and yaw movements. The realistic motion is combined with exciting video delivered through VR headsets, which makes it an unforgettable ride. Jeff Bialosky, Senior Vice President Global Partnerships, Feld Entertainment, said, “We are thrilled to have one of our Feld Entertainment location-based entertainment activations on site for attendees to experience during the upcoming LE. As a 2022 Industry Award nominee, Monster Jam continues to engage and entertain 10s of millions of fans around the world. The Monster Jam Grave Digger simulator displayed and operating in Booth #A209 will give those who are brave enough to ride it the true feeling of being behind the wheel of a 12,000-pound, 1500 HP Monster Jam truck.”

Perfetti Van Melle’s licensing team is delighted to be back at the Licensing Expo and ready to welcome its business partners to offer them a sneak peek of the latest launches and artwork developments the candy house is renowned for. This year Mentos is in the spotlight. The brand has just released a fantastic new style guide which not only includes a fresh approach to the brand icons, but also cool to the core fashion trends and vintage holiday designs. The fresh DNA of the brand and its beautiful pastel shades make Mentos a natural in the beauty category too. After the success at retail of the Sally Hansen & Mentos nail polish line last year, new launches of beauty products are following suit this year. Perfetti Van Melle is witnessing a huge appetite in the F&B aisles for innovative collaborations with the signature flavors of its brands. Chupa Chups is a fore runner and its sparkling drinks by Korean licensee Namyang are now sold all over the world and nominated finalist this year for best Product in the category Food or Beverage for a Corporate Brand of the Licensing International Excellence Awards. Mentos jelly drinks will be next on the menu. Shortly after Bulla’s release of the dreamiest and creamiest Chupa Chups ice cream in Australia, the Fruittella brand is in the starting blocks for a promising launch of ice pops with Iceland in the UK. Meanwhile, international agreements are being put on track to develop protein products with Airheads and Chupa Chups. Location based licensing is also taking a leap for Perfetti Van Melle. Visitors stopping by Perfetti’s booth can check out images of the amazing themed installations that have been created with Mentos and Chupa Chups in Asian malls and venues. They typically involve larger than life candy theatres with a wow factor, topped by the latest event at the Changhi Airport in Singapore this March where a gigantic mega sized lollipop installation was proclaimed Singapore’s largest Chupa Chups lollipop by Singapore’s Book of Records.

This year at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, The Smiley Company’s stand will be centred around how brands can become Future Positive. Extending Smiley’s mission to create a happier, kinder, more conscious world, ‘Future Positive’ will see Smiley curate with like minded partners a sustainable range of limited-edition lifestyle products, infused with brand experiences and charitable giving opportunities. For the past three years, this brand mission has been realised through Smiley Movement, a not-for-

profit that kick-starts meaningful engagement with consumers to build a social legacy. And now, brand representatives will have an exclusive early opportunity to register their interest in becoming a key part of this forwardthinking movement. Launching next year, Future Positive brings together the most forwardthinking brands to drive their business forward through an immersive 360° campaign which aims to boost sales and recognition by supporting change-makers in the brand extension community. Future Positive will also kick-start meaningful engagement with consumers across the online brand ecosystem. Using high-quality content to engage with a Future Positive community of over 5 million online consumers, creative activation takeovers ensure partners gain valuable exposure via marketing campaign promotions across the website and social channels. Whether in the form of artist collabs, podcasts, videography, animations and photography content, partners will benefit from featuring in exclusively curated content produced by Smiley’s in-house team.

Leading toy and licensing powerhouse Jazwares brings a new level of fun to Las Vegas Licensing Expo with its popular Squishmallows plush brand. Squishmallows’ monumental growth has fuelled exciting global cross-category collaborations across beauty, games, apparel, home decor, and more adding to the brands’ impressive portfolio of best-in-class licensing partners. As Squishmallows continues to evolve into a global lifestyle brand, Jazwares will be talking to new UK licensing partners, teaming with best-in-class licensees to create meaningful fan-first product extensions for UK fans and collectors. UK Squishmallows sales doubled in 2022, achieving mind-blowing rates of sale of over 100 at toy specialists, whilst ranking as the 2nd fastest growing property on UK NPD. Incredible results at retail are further fuelled by out-of-aisle activations across all major retailers supported by a robust marketing campaign where the UK’s biggest TikTok stars showcase their Squishmallows Squads. This year Squishmallows took the US toy industry’s top honour, the Toy Association’s coveted overall Toy of the Year Award, while also hitting a 125+ million plush sold milestone. On social media Squishmallows content has officially squished through the roof, generating over 6+ billion video views on TikTok and @Squishmallows (and related hashtags) tagged in more than one million Instagram posts. In addition, the Squishmallows social media channels have ballooned to more than 827,000 followers and nearly 100 global and local Facebook groups have been created by fans. In the metaverse, recently launched Squishmallows on Roblox continues to surprise and delight fans of all ages ascending to the #1 toy game by concurrent players with a massive 1.5M monthly active user base. Recognising the brand’s vast global audience and multi-generational appeal, Jazwares created its premiere Squishmallows global licensing programme last year supported by some of the biggest names in consumer and lifestyle products including Bioworld, BigMouth, BBC International, Franco Mfg., Fashion Angels Enterprises, Primary Colors, HarperCollins Publishers, amongst others. Following a successful launch in the US, an extensive UK programme will debut with soonto-be-announced licensees across multiple categories including bath and beauty, swimwear and apparel, bedding and more.

Tezuka Productions the Japanese animation studio founded by Osamu Tezuka in 1968, will be seeking licensing partners at Licensing Expo Online for a number of Astro Boy anniversaries. Promotional activities began in 2021 for the 70th anniversary of Astro Boy’s debut as an iconic character. 2022 is the 70th anniversary of the launch of the manga series, and 2023 will be the 60th anniversary of the first broadcast of the TV series. Tezuka Productions have been engaged in various activities including planning and licensing of premium products tjat for the celebrate the anniversaries.

TSBA – The Sports and Brands Licensing Agency – is an award-winning licensing agency based in the UK. Their team of licensing experts have

a wealth of experience in delivering global licensing programmes for major sporting and heritage brands. These include: The Open - the oldest and most prestigious golf championship in the world; Transport for London (TfL) - the world’s first and most iconic underground network; the National Portrait Gallery – housing the most extensive collection of portraits in the world; and the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) – an epic motorsport adventure of man and machine against the elements. As part of the Cre8 Group of compa-

nies, TSBA offers a unique, holistic service to our clients with additional platforms to diversify their brand offerings and propel growth. Services include product design, development and production, and tailored e-commerce and event retail solutions. Now in their 13th year, TSBA continues to expand and build on its strong reputation within the licensing industry. They are immensely proud to have received finalist nominations at both the Licensing International Excellence Awards and the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. This year they have also welcomed an array of licensees from apparel and accessories to homewares and gifting to their licensing programmes. The 150th Open will be celebrated in July when the Championship will be played at St Andrews, the home of golf, while WRC celebrates its 50th rally season this year. The Elizabeth Line will open later this year, which will provide further licensing opportunities for the TfL brand. And, after a three-year refurbishment programme, the National Portrait Gallery will re-open its doors in Spring 2023, providing opportunities for collaborations to celebrate this landmark occasion. Consumer behavior has changed significantly during the past two years due to the global pandemic. In addition, Covid will continue to affect future developments. Experts assume that licensors worldwide will have to adapt their business models and rely on solutions that likewise address licensees and end consumers. The reason for this is that e-commerce continues growing and becoming more and more widespread. Many licensors and licensees are shifting to a comarket model. For that transition to succeed, they need secure and reliable solutions that enable full transparency and attract the customers’ attention.

Meeting the industry’s needs, Leonhard Kurz and Scribos have joined forces to present a brand-new security label that offers three essential benefits: Reliable brand protection, convenient process management for both licensor and licensee, and bonus features for consumers. The new label combines innovative and secure product markings with cutting-edge digital tools. The established Trustseal Protect technology by Leonhard Kurz includes proprietary security features such as ‘Diffractive Gold’ or ‘Diffractive Red’ and is exceptionally counterfeit- and tamper-proof – especially when combined with the ValiGate security pattern by Scribos. Hidden inside a QR code, the intelligent structure provides the code with a copy-protected identity. Thanks to a connected digital platform, licensors can manage all licenses centrally. Licensees also benefit as they can simply order and receive the appropriate product markings online. This sustainable on-demand solution helps build a trusting business relationship and keeps the effort low for licensors and licensees. The management platform also allows companies to compare order volumes and sales reports, thus offering full transparency. Licensors build trust with end consumers by offering them a simple and reliable way to check the product’s authenticity: ValiGate gives direct feedback with just a convenient scan via smartphone. Also, the QR code offers the opportunity to implement different interaction options or bonus programs, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for consumers and fans. Last but not least, thanks to TRUSTSEAL SFX, the brilliant and customizable design attracts customers at the point of sale.

MHS Licensing & Consulting will be introducing art brands Amira Rahim, Lindsay Kivi and Blue Chair Blessings for the very first time at the upcoming Licensing. “We’ve been longtime supporters of the Licensing Expo and first exhibited there in 1996. The 2-year hiatus due to COVID really emphasized the importance of this show and the platform it provides for launching new art.” Marty Segelbaum, President of MHS Licensing & Consulting continues, “We are thrilled to be back which coincides perfectly with the launch of our talented new art brands.” Amira Rahim is a passionate abstract artist on a mission to make the world a more colorful place. Internationally collected, her globally recognized brand has been featured in major media and entertainment outlets, and her work is already distributed across multiple retailers. Amira’s bold color palette and extraordinary abstract paintings create an instant energy in any room they grace. A driving force behind the brands popularity is Amira’s impressive 118k active social media followers, many of which are emerging painters who inspire her. “Painting is my way of honoring my time on earth. It’s my way of paying homage to the human experience and it’s a process that moves me every day.” says Amira. Lindsay Kivi supports animal rescues, sanctuaries, and conservation organizations through her art and aims to inspire others to do the same. An animal lover to her core, Lindsay creates compelling art that deepens one’s connection to all living beings. From colorful fun-loving animal portraits to dramatic monochrome paintings, her stunning artwork is appropriate across multiple categories of consumer products. Emily Burger, creator of Blue Chair Blessing, is grateful for the opportunity to paint and illustrate as an instrument to share God’s word. Her charming watercolor and acrylic designs are a direct reflection of her faith. Emily explains, “While going through a very difficult time, I often found myself exhausted and sitting in a little blue chair outside my home to rest and pray. It is here where I found strength, comfort and grace, and the inspiration behind my art.” Emily’s painterly style and hand lettering lends itself well to a wide variety of product categories, including wall décor, tabletop, home textiles, stationery, and gift items.

In addition to these new art brands, MHS will also be introducing new images from their well established and sought-after art brands at Licensing Expo. Collectively these popular art properties generate over $130 million in annual sales through their licensee partners.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises is focused on promoting literacy, education, selfconfidence, and the wonderful possibilities of a child’s imagination through the works of Dr. Seuss. The creative, whimsical world of Dr. Seuss and its characters have inspired generations of readers and continues to be a true pop culture and entertainment phenomenon, with major successes both on the page and on the screen. At the 2022 Licensing Expo, Dr. Seuss Enterprises will continue to celebrate

the importance of literacy and creativity with the roll out of new product lines, programs, and initiatives, as well as growth of their entertainment and content portfolio. From expansion within several categories including entertainment, food and toys, to the development of a new Back-to-School program in 2023, visitors will get a look ahead at all the places Dr. Seuss Enterprises is going! Dr. Seuss Enterprises is stepping into the spotlight and bringing the magical Dr. Seuss world and its characters to life with new entertainment and content deals including Warner Brothers Animation- The Cat in the Hat feature film will kick off the new Dr. Seuss movie slate in 2024, followed by Thing One and Thing Two in an original feature length animated adventure in 2026. Bad Robot Productions has been tapped to adapt Oh, the Places You’ll Go! for the big screen with J.J. Abrams and head of motion pictures Hannah Minghella as producers on the film and visionary director Jon Chu, set to debut in 2027. Netflix and Dr. Seuss are partnering to develop a slate of animated preschool series inspired by the incredible, treasured stories and characters of Dr. Seuss. This preschool line-up will introduce concepts of foundational learning and also explore themes of diversity and respect for others – while focusing first and foremost on fun and engaging stories, all with the distinctive visual style and rhythm and rhyme of Dr. Seuss. Netflix’s Green Eggs and Ham- Warner Bros. Animation’s hit Netflix series Green Eggs and Ham premiered a second season on April 8, 2022. Dr. Seuss Enterprises has been working with Kilburn Live since 2019 on The Dr. Seuss Experience, an immersive and interactive attraction that brings the iconic author’s famed books to life. The attraction first debuted in Toronto and then shifted to the States with stops in Houston and Chicago. Most recently it opened in Denver in March 2022. Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books will launch Seuss Studios, a line of books for early readers by new and emerging authors and illustrators who will create original stories inspired by Ted Geisel’s (aka Dr. Seuss) unpublished sketches and illustrations.Seuss Studios books will be geared towards readers ages 4 to 8. Additional details on the inaugural list will be announced later this year. Finally Dr. Seuss Enterprises recently partnered with The Jim Henson Company to bring Come Over to My House, a new television puppet-led docuseries, to fans.

Italy’s Rainbow Group is back at this year’s Licensing Expo with an extensive brand portfolio, and global licensing opportunities across preschool, kids, and young adult audiences. Among the new entries that will be showcased on its booth (A170), is their adaptation of the children’s classic Pinocchio and Friends. Already a hit with Italian audiences, the 26x12’ series will soon debut on other international TV networks, beginning with the UK’s leading free-to-air channel CBeebies from 30th May. Summer & Todd Happy Farmers will join Pinocchio on the Rainbow stand at this year’s Expo. The 52 X 7’ CGI preschool show starring a team of animal farmers debuted last year and is growing steadily thanks to solid educational and entertainment foundations, which allow for great licensing opportunities. Many product categories are already involved, and as the show gains broadcast momentum, so will the licensing programme grow. This year also sees Rainbow showcasing two recently added third party licenses coming from the artistic scene, Lucia Heffernan, and Jack Ottanio, both of whom the group represents internationally. Lucia Heffernan is a visionary artist, a painter with a unique style, and her artistic universe gives voice to human emotions through the gestures of tender and colourful dimension of animals. Her art style provides numerous chances in the licensing sector. Jack Ottanio is the latest licensing addition to Rainbow’s client portfolio. A visionary, futuristic and eclectic artist, Ottanio’s feeling-driven pop art is unmistakable. His mix of techniques combines classic elements and innovation, providing a vast body of work

to tap into – featuring subjects like futuristic cities, gardens in lost galaxies, masks and faces of real and abstract characters and much more. Jack’s portfolio already includes more than 70 stylish and marketable designs. Last but not least, Rainbow’s top global successes, the classic Winx Club, and 44 Cats won’t miss out at this year’s Licensing Expo. Celebrating 18 years of steady growth, the Winx Club brand spans a global franchise across multiple formats, which includes the latest original liveaction Netflix series FATE: The Winx Saga. 44 Cats completes the licensing portfolio presented by Rainbow this year: the brand keeps growing amongst the most popular in the international pre-school licensing sector, with many long-standing and also new licensees who are taking up the brand.

Cyber Group Studios has exhibited in Las Vegas for a number of years and this year have some key properties on show. An international company, based in Paris with studios in France, UK, Italy and Singapore, on the licensing side Cyber Group Studios works with a network of agents covering the world and representing them in local markets. Amongst brands on show will be new properties including Digital Girl, The McFire Family, Press Start! And timeless classic Final Fantasy 1X that will be adapted for the first time into animation. In addition, their key brand Gigantosaurus continues its expansion around the world with room to grow geographicallty and also across categories. leader in digital video views is diving into the merchandising world as it opens its doors to opportunity at the 2022 Las Vegas Licensing Expo. TheSoul Publishing, with its more than one billion followers and subscribers across social media, will be exploring potential licensing partnerships with a variety of industry leaders over the three day event with the goal of creating a compelling line of products showcasing the studio’s universe of uplifting brands. TheSoul’s top channels offer natural connections to a variety of product categories including beauty, toys, and publishing. For example, the studio’s flagship brand, 5-Minute Crafts, is the world’s top DIY brand and the only channel that consistently ranks among the top ten channels on both YouTube and Facebook. There are incredible opportunities for partners to connect with the brand’s global audience who want to emulate the incredible crafting creations on the channel. TheSoul Publishing is an award-winning digital studio that’s known for producing entertaining, positive and original content for a global audience. In capitalizing on crave worthy consumer trends including cutting-edge 3D technology, stop motion, fun liveaction, quirky music videos, inspirational craft projects, and vibrant animation, TheSoul Publishing is soaring on social media. TheSoul’s universally enjoyed portfolio of original channels are distributed across social media and streaming platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat, TikTok, Roku, Amazon Prime, and Chinese platforms including Xigua, Douyin and Bilibili.

Curtis Licensing will be unveiling new on-trend artwork collections alongside remastered classic images at Licensing Expo. The new collections include fresh florals, fun summer inspired designs, popular travel locations, whimsical Christmas illustrations and much more. The company will also feature the ever-popular retro images that once graced the covers of The Saturday Evening Post magazine, making it a household name. As the licensing division for America’s oldest magazine, Curtis has an arsenal of over 200 years of nostalgic content, including an archive of over ten thousand illustrations by artists like John Falter, Stevan Dohanos, J.C. Leyendecker, George Hughes and the always popular, Norman Rockwell. In fact, the

wholesome, often humorous images that graced the covers and pages of the magazine were the cornerstone for the publication’s success in the first place. The illustrations created rich portrayals of daily American life that captured the public’s heart and mind for decades to come. These delightful images which keenly capture the innocence, love, dignity, and humor of life in decades past, have been featured on thousands of licensed products and countless promotional campaigns, both in the United States and internationally. In addition to the beloved retro art, the Curtis Licensing collection also offers the latest trends in art design. Curtis Licensing programs currently include seasonal and every day home décor, stationery and gifts, games and hobbies, publishing, educational and promotional uses and apparel.

Boat Rocker’s Kids & Family division continues to go from strength to strength leading the charge of its international franchise expansion is its roaringly successful in-house show

TheSoul Publishing is a first-time exhibitor in Vegas this year. The global

Dino Ranch (104 x 11’). The #1 preschool US cable show for kids 2-5 in its 7pm primetime slot, it was also the most-watched CBC Kids program of 2021 for kids aged 2-11 in Canada. This fresh and unique mix of ranchers and dinosaurs is set to ride back onto those channels later this year with a brand-new 52 x 11’ season of thrilling adventures. New for this season is a series of tentpole episodes including a bonus double length episode of 1 x 22’. The “pre-westoric” exploits of the Cassidy family and their pack of dynamic dinosaurs has resonated with audiences worldwide, sold to 170 countries and translated into 15 languages. Now its consumer products programme is also going global. A hugely successful toy launch in the US was followed by Canada and Australia in 2021, rolling out to major in-store and e-retailers including Amazon, Target.com, Walmart.com, Toys’R’Us, Kohls, Barnes and Noble, and Big W. Roll-out in the UK and internationally is planned for this year across over 20 major retailers in more than 10 countries. In the US Scholastic has launched its English language books whilst US apparel licensees Bentex and Komar have daywear, sleepwear and outerwear ranges launching across the year and Hybrid have an exclusive range of t-shirts launching in Kohls. Major licensing agents have been signed to represent Dino Ranch in key European territories. Super RTL is managing the brand in France and Germany, and Plus Licens for the Nordics/CEE. Fox Chapel Publishing have announced a new character-driven children’s book series and brand: Ninja Kitties. Packed with messages of goodness, kindness, and empathy, the Ninja Kitties—seven royal kitties who transform into ninja kitties to save the day—make their debut in Las Vegas at this year’s Licensing Expo. Fox Chapel Publishing worked closely with award-winning creator Kayomi Harai to introduce an empowering book series for young children. Harai originally envisioned Ninja Kitties to inspire children to believe in their inner strengths. Harai will be signing early copies of the first book in the Ninja Kitties series on May 24 and 25 of Licensing Expo to help celebrate the brand launch. Harai and the Fox Chapel team also collaborated with innovative storyteller Rob Hudnut to create messagedriven stories for the series. Hudnut, who also helped launch popular stories for Barbie, Hot Wheels, Rescue Heroes, and other memorable Mattel

brands, created storylines for the Ninja Kitties books that provide a strong family focus as well as social and emotional learning tools for kids today. The psychology of play was also a key factor during the creation of Ninja Kitties. Brand advisor Sujata Luther, a former EVP of Nickelodeon Consumer Insights, was on the creative board to map out characters and situations that would make a strong impact on children and their families—especially during today’s environment. Fox Chapel Publishing will launch six books in 2022 with several more to follow in 2023.

Greg Giordano, the Owner and Managing Operator of Greg & Company, LLC., has been in the Art Licensing industry for over 25 years, and his designs are featured on a variety of products, including greeting cards, apparel, personal checks, and blankets. After years spent as a wildlife gallery painter, Greg started his own business in the early 2000s. He licensed his first puzzle image, “Spring Days”, back in 2005. Initially, many of his images that were licensed as puzzles were reminiscent of the type of gallery paintings he did,

with a strong focus on wildlife animals and birds. In the past 20 years, Greg’s achievements in the puzzle industry speak for themselves. He now works with 26 puzzle licensees, and his puzzles are sold in over 30 countries worldwide, as well as digitally. He has created puzzle designs for co-branded licensing programs with John Deere and Farmall tractors, as well as Chevrolet, Dodge, Volkswagen and Ford automotive brands. Even more remarkable is the fact that in his archive of over 600 designs, 200 of them have been licensed as puzzle images.

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 strat-

egy for its roster of iconic entertainment properties. At Licensing Expo 2022, MGM is set to unveil exciting plans and initiatives, along with special sneak peaks for Pink Panther, Wednesday, the Creed franchise, Vikings: Valhalla and more. 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 2022 Licensing Expo, MGM will focus on showcasing licensing programs for their deep portfolio of iconic films, including Pink Panther’s 60th anniversary launching late next year and the debut of Netflix’s Wednesday series later this year. MGM is also putting the spotlight on Creed, with the third installment hitting theaters November 2022 and an expansive Vikings: Valhalla licensing program tied to the recently debuted Netflix series. MGM is also set to highlight the expansion of its sci-fi portfolio with Robocop’s 35th anniversary and Stargate SG-1’s 25 th anniversary this year, along with its extensive catalog of classic horror films like the recent box office smash Candyman and Killer Klownz.

Penguin Ventures will have a dedicated presence at Licensing Expo this year as Lindsay Pearl, Head of International Licensing will represent their portfolio of classic brands: Peter Rabbit, Spot, The Snowman and The Snowdog and Flower Fairies on the Penguin Random House US stand. In celebration of Peter Rabbit’s 120th birthday year Penguin Ventures has partnered both with new licensees as well as expanded ranges with current partners in North America as well as key global markets. New partners to the Classic Peter Rabbit programme in North America include Little Road Co. (formerly Lulu & Roo) who recently launched their Peter Rabbit apparel and accessories range which capitalises on the trend for matching sibling outfits and is aimed at boys and girls up to 8 years old. The collection has been a resounding success with over 58% of the inventory selling out on the first day. Also, new to the roster is Dreamland Baby. Featured on Shark Tank (the US version of Dragon’s Den), their range of safety-certified weighted sleep suits, pyjamas, bedding, and toddler blankets launches in August. Dreamland’s mom-designed, doctor-approved sleep solutions feature their proprietary CoverCalm Technology, even weight distribution from baby’s shoulders to toes, allowing little ones to feel calm, fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. In the play and learning space, Phidal has followed up their success on the Peter Rabbit movie with a new range of Classic Peter Rabbit titles and will be launching four books at retail later this year. The new licensee portfolio is rounded out with the addition of Craft Buddy, who have recently launched their stunning diamond art painting range in the UK and will continue to expand in key global markets including North America. The collection includes diamond art canvases, notebooks, pencil cases and greeting cards which are all designed for families to enjoy together. In addition, brand new licensee, Aspinline – will launch a range of Peter Rabbit fabric badges and pin badges later this year.

WowWee’s hit Got2Glow Fairy Finder gives kids the ability to find and catch over 100 virtual fairies across three magical electronic jars. The play experience is adventurous, interactive, and filled with enchantment that includes the tech ability for long-term engagement. The response from consumers has been so overwhelming that WowWee has named Striker Entertainment as its premiere global licensing

agency to represent the Got2Glow Fairy Finder for a strategic licensing program. “WowWee continues to bring cutting edge technology to toys allowing kids to create their own magic and it’s simply enchanting! “Having worked on Fingerlings together, Striker is thrilled to continue its partnership with WowWee on this exciting IP,” said Meagan Renner of Striker Entertainment. “Our strategy is to spearhead a refined, yet strong, licensing program with companies that are magic makers - those additive in creating a captivating universe for kids and their fairies.”