IMG College Licensing partnered up with the NCAA to make anti-counterfeiting preparations for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four games, as per a report in the Global Licensing.
“Our goal is to protect the brand integrity of the NCAA and our partner colleges and universities, as well as to protect fans from purchasing unlicensed counterfeit merchandise that often is of inferior quality,” said Cory Moss, senior vice president and managing director, IMG College Licensing.
IMG College Licensing is the exclusive trademark agent for the for Kansas, Michigan and Villanova for the Men’s Final Four. On the other hand, Louisville, Mississippi State and UConn worked for the Women’s Final Four.
IMG also provided customers with a comprehensive guide for identifying unlicensed merchandise. Indicators included inconsistent school logos, disheveled tags, and garments without the NCAA “Officially Licensed Product” hologram.
Sugal & Damani Group and the Stars Group announced that PokerStars.IN will be available to customers across a majority of Indian states starting April 17.
Sachiko Gaming that focuses on games of skill, will operate PokerStars.IN with the Stars Group licensing its brand and providing certain support services.
“The popularity of poker in India is growing and we are excited to build the market with the support of the global leader in online poker,” said Kamlesh Vijay, Chief Executive Officer of Sugal & Damani Group.
The game will be available on desktop and mobile to a majority of the age-qualified, adult Indian population and will offer online poker to players in Indian Rupees in a number of skill game formats, including No-Limit Hold’em and Omaha variants.
PokerStars will also host localized versions of branded series and events, such as the Sunday Million and World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).
Commenting on the collaboration, Rafi Ashkenazi, Chief Executive Officer of the Stars Group, said, “PokerStars has helped to make poker one of the most popular skill-based games in the world and we look forward to Sachiko Gaming introducing the brand into the Indian market.”
PokerStars will offer industry-leading responsible gaming, player protection and fraud detection mechanisms to help ensure the integrity of games and the safety of players.
In line with local regulations, players residing in Indian states which do not permit participation in real money skill games will be prevented from playing.
To mark the DVD release of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Sony Pictures Entertainment has launched an official e-commerce store with online marketplace Redbubble.
The site will feature 12 official merchandise designs as well as nine original designs created by an independent artist within the Redbubble community, which will be exclusive to the site.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a part of the Jumanji franchise, released in 2017. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and Bobby Cannavale.
Set twenty-one years after the first film, the plot follows four teenagers who are transported into the video game world of Jumanji, playing as the characters they chose. Uniting with another player, they must overcome the game’s magical power in order to win and return home.
Commenting on the association, Jamie Stevens, executive vice president, worldwide consumer products, Sony Pictures Entertainment said, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle became a fan favorite globally, and we want to engage those fans and thank them for making it the fourth highest grossing film of 2017.”
To make it more interesting, fans will also have the chance to include graphics on products such as apparel, stickers, home decor, stationery and more.
“Our collaboration with Redbubble gives us a way to extend the reach of the Jumanji brand, while giving moviegoers a new way to express themselves about the movies they love,” Stevens further added.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sandlot, 20th Century Fox Consumer Products will release a line of apparel, collectibles and more.
Fox has joined with Funko for a collection of collectibles featuring characters from the film including Smalls, Benny, Ham, Squints, and the Beast. Funko will release its Sandlot-inspired figures this June.
Commenting on the association, Ricardo Cruz, head of global fashion, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products said, “We are so thrilled and thankful for our incredible fans that have supported The Sandlot over the last quarter century. We look forward to future collaboration as we introduce new fashion programs around this quintessential baseball film.”
Fox Consumer Products has also collaborated with the Roosevelts for an apparel line featuring branded button-down shirts.
New Era has also developed a hat collection showcasing key moments from the movie that have been customized for local MLB teams. The range will be available in-store and online this spring.
Spencer’s has also signed on to offer three versions of the “You’re Killing Me Smalls” t-shirt design.
DHX Brands, the dedicated brand management and consumer products arm of DHX Media announced that the new Teletubbies series has been picked up by South Korea’s leading public broadcaster, KBS.
This is the first South Korean broadcaster signed for the new Teletubbies series. Additionally, SMG Holdings/Joon International has been appointed as the licensing agent for Teletubbies in South Korea and is expected to begin rolling out a consumer products program in the territory later this year.
Commenting on the association, Peter Byrne, EVP DHX Brands, said, “There is a huge appetite for the Teletubbies brand in Korea and SMG Holdings has an extensive track record of managing top entertainment properties, making them the ideal agency to bring the magical world of Teletubbies to a new generation of preschoolers through consumer products and live experiences.”
The strategy behind the development is to expand the Teletubbies brand throughout Asia and to capitalize on the significant potential for consumer products in the territory.
The announcement come on the heels of recently announced broadcast and consumer products deals for Teletubbies in China, where the series is seen on the country’s most popular streaming services, including iQIYI, Youku, Tencent and others.
“Our Asian roll-out of the new Teletubbies series is off to a tremendous start,” said Josh Scherba, EVP, Content and Distribution, DHX Media. “We’ve seen strong viewer response in China so far and we’re really excited now to expand this delightful evergreen property into South Korea for preschoolers and families to enjoy.”
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group, Disney and Pixar have joined hands to create the new video game “LEGO The Incredibles.”
“The Incredibles franchise, full of super-powered characters, adventures and teamwork, combined with all of the humor, puzzle-solving elements and unexpected surprises of LEGO games makes for the perfect combination for players,” said Tom Stone, managing director, TT Games Publishing.
Check out the official announcement trailer here:
The new video game invites players to explore a variety of story levels with the Incredibles family/. In addition, it will also use LEGO’s building skills to navigate in-game challenges.
“LEGO The Incredibles” will be available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on June 15, with the release of the Incredibles 2 in theaters across the United States on the same day.
The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) has announced the finalists for the 2018 International Licensing Awards.
“We received record 700 submissions, which truly reflects the broad scope of licensing from around the world,” Charles Riotto, president, LIMA was quoted as saying from the Global Licensing.
The honours recognize outstanding creativity and performance in all major segments of licensing.
This year’s nominees include:
LICENSED PROGRAM:
Art/Design:
Andy Warhol–The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts,
Kaomoji–Dou Weiwei
Keith Haring–The Keith Haring Studio/Artestar
Nina and Other Little Things–Eloise Morandi Nash/DIC 2
Selfies–Howard Robinson Illustration
The Very Hungry Caterpillar/The World of Eric Carle–Eric Carle Studio–The Joester Loria Group
Victoria and Albert Museum–Victoria and Albert Museum
Celebrity/Fashion:
Airwalk–Authentic Brands Group
Dear Drew–Barrymore Brands/CAA-GBG
Guns N’ Roses Was Here…–Bravado
LaurDIY–Lauren Riihimaki/The Brand Liaison
Maya Angelo–Estate of Maya Angelou/CMG Worldwide
Character/Toy Brand:
L.O.L. Surprise! –MGA Entertainment
Nickelodeon Slime–Nickelodeon
Paddington–Vivendi/The Copyrights Group
Pusheen–Pusheen Corp./Fluid World
Rube Goldberg–Rube Goldberg/Brand Central
Shopkins–Moose Toys/The Licensing Shop
Corporate Brand:
American Red Cross–American Red Cross/Seltzer Licensing Group
Energizer–Energizer Brands/Beanstalk
Girl Scouts of the USA–Girl Scouts of the USA/The Wildflower Group
Alien slime soda, anyone? Then rush to Disneyland’s Tomorrowland.
According to a report in Cosmopolitan, Disney is planning to turn an obsolete pizza restaurant at one of their parks into a real-life version of Toy Story’s Pizza Planet.
For those who are not aware of Pizza Planet, it is a space-themed arcade restaurant where Buzz Lightyear and Woody meet the aliens (aka Little Green Men) who worship “The Claw” machine game in the movie ‘Toy Story’.
Still confused? Check out the clip here:
However, no official confirmation from Disney has taken place.
This toy story themed-restaurant is coming up at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. According to Disney News Today report, Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port in Tomorrowland will be transformed into “Alien’s Pizza Planet — A Better Place”.
Media reports suggest the new restaurant will open on April 13.
Pixar Fest is all to set to kick off at both Disneyland Resort parks from April 13. Meanwhile, the Walt Disney World is opening Toy Story Land in June 2018.
However, the Toy Story re-theme of the pizza restaurant in Tomorrowland is supposed to be temporary. However, other restaurants, like a Beauty and the Beast-themed Red Rose Tavern, have ended up sticking around past their temporary status.
As the restaurant’s tagline “A Better Place”, we can assume that the aliens and their claw game will be the focus of the new restaurant’s decor.
Tata Global Beverages announced the appointment of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as its brand ambassador for Tetley Green Tea. The brand was earlier endorsed by Kareena Kapoor Khan.
“We pioneered the green tea wave in India and fully understand its reported health benefits. The new campaign is an effort to reiterate the credibility of those benefits,” said Sushant Dash, Regional Head – India and Middle East, TGBL.
The company has rolled out a new campaign, made by advertising agency Mullen Lintas, featuring Padukone giving in to temptations in day to day situations. The commercial highlights the product’s USP as an enabler of a healthy lifestyle. The commercial portrays everyday situations that, despite our intent, don’t allow us to resist indulgences every now and then. While you can’t always control what you eat, a cup of Tetley Green Tea a day will help to cleanse and feel active.
The advertisement pitches Tetley Green Tea as a solution which cleanses from within leaving her feeling refreshed and active.
Watch the advertisement here:
“There are times we face unavoidable situations where saying no to indulgences is almost impossible. In such times, I think it helps to add a cup of green tea to one’s diet that enables detoxification and feeling active. It is one of my most favourite go-to beverages and there’s no one better than Tetley to associate with in that regard,” Padukone was quoted as saying from BestMediaInfo.
Tetley tea comes in three categories—green tea, long leaf green tea and super charged green tea—and offers a wide variety of flavours.
“Just when you decide to eat right, act fit, the entire world seems to conspire to throw you off the attempt. This is the insight we leveraged in our latest campaign for Tetley Green Tea. The fact that it also happens in the life of the fittest celebrity around just makes it all the more enjoyable,” Shriram Iyer, national creative director, Mullen Lintas was quoted from Livemint.
With a presence in over 40 countries, Tata Global Beverages has interests in tea, coffee and water brands. Its constant beverage brands includes Tata Tea, Tetley, Himalayan Natural Mineral Water, Tata Water Plus and Tata Gluco+, Good Earth tea, Grand Coffee and Eight O’clock coffee.
WOW! Unlimited Media Inc. continues to make inroads in the competitive marketplace of kids and youth entertainment. Mainframe Studios, WOW’s Vancouver based animated and live-action television production studio, is about to debut projects that reach a broad demographic. While it continues to offer traditionally accessible fare, the company is embracing the new digital options that showcase its innovation and production expertise.
Mainframe Studios’ highly anticipated hybrid live-action /CG animated series ReBoot: The Guardian Code, will premiere as a Netflix original series worldwide on March 30, followed by Canadian distribution on YTV in June.
Created by Studio Head Michael Hefferon, the action-comedy follows the adventures of four teenagers who discover on the first day of high school that they have been selected to become the next generation Guardians of Cyberspace with the help of Vera, an artificially intelligent bio-constructed teenage girl.
ReBoot: The Guardian Code is the first television series to create visually stunning animation using the Unreal Game Engine with 4K resolution and features a mix of character driven stories, humor, and adrenaline pumping action to captivate and engage a wide audience of viewers. ReBoot: The Guardian Code is distributed by Nelvana and produced by Mainframe Studios.
Mainframe is currently developing The Anybodies, a 6-11 animated comedy/adventure series about a 12-year-old girl who discovers her powers as a shapeshifter when reunited with her real family after being switched at birth.
Mainframe Studios will also continue its longstanding relationship with Mattel and Barbie. It is in production on a 26-episode TV series entitled Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures. The studio has produced 30+ animated Barbie movies with Mattel over the past 17 years.
WOW Unlimited Media, formerly Rainmaker Entertainment, is creating a leading next-generation kids and youth animation business by focusing on digital platforms and content.
Mainframe Studios produced the first ever CG animated series ReBoot in 1994. The studio, along with the company’s feature division, Rainmaker Studios, has produced over 700 half hours of television and 60 movies, working with global partners in helping to realize some of the biggest branded entertainment.
