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Rocket Licensing to celebrate Grinch’s 60th anniversary

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Rocket Licensing to celebrate Grinch’s 60th anniversary

In a heartening news, Rocket Licensing, the U.K. licensing agency for Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas has decided to celebrate the character’s 60th anniversary this year with an expanded licensing and promotional campaign.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas was a 2000 made comedy film directed by Ron Howard written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman based on the 1957 story of the same name by Dr. Seuss. It was the first Dr. Seuss book to be adapted into a full-length feature film.

The Grinch’s birthday celebrations will start in the fourth quarter of this year and will include an anniversary logo and targeted marketing, such as in-store activities, events and press. The campaign will also be supported by the recently launched Grinch style guide.

Furthermore, Rocket Licensing has signed on a number of licensees for the celebration that include Cooneen for kids’ nightwear and underwear; Misirli for kids’ nightwear, underwear and socks as well as adult socks; BC International for kids’ nightwear and underwear; Park Agencies for adult t-shirts and knitwear; Somerbond for adult nightwear and underwear; c for footwear and slippers; Smiffy’s for dress up; Dreamtex for home textiles and Design Group International for wrap.

Additional partners across categories such as kids’ daywear, accessories, gifting, decorations, food gifting, plush, seasonal confectionery, boxed cards, activity packs, games and puzzles, stationery, tech accessories and more, will be disclosed later this year.

Says Rob Wijeratna, joint managing director, Rocket Licensing, “This is a fun, classic brand with perennial Christmas appeal proven success at retail and strong demand from the U.K. public.”

“We’re therefore really looking forward to the Grinch’s sixtieth anniversary later this year which will drive this success to even greater heights,” he concludes.

 

Laika studio taps Striker Entertainment LLC to serve as its worldwide licensing agent

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Laika studio taps Striker Entertainment LLC to serve as its worldwide licensing agent

Award-winning animation studio Laika has tapped Striker Entertainment LLC to serve as its worldwide licensing agent.

Founded in Portland, Oregon in 2005, Laika’s mission has been to blend art, craft, science and technology to tell new, original, and innovative stories, resulting in four Oscar–nominated features to date that includes Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009).  The studio’s community of storytellers, artists, inventors, technicians, and craftspeople from around the world is committed to making movies that matter.

Says Travis Knight, Laika’s President & CEO and director of its latest feature film, Kubo and the Two Strings, “Laika’s reason for being is to make films and tell stories that bring people together and inspire them to dream,”.

“Knitting our artistry and storytelling more meaningfully into our fans’ lives through the world of consumer products is a continuation of that vision.  It’s an enormous privilege to partner with industry-leading firm Striker to further advance Laika’s future expansion,” he adds.

Avers Brad Wald, Laika’s CFO and head of business operations, “As Laika looks to broaden its licensing program, we will be working in conjunction with Striker to develop a global licensing program with best-in-class licensees to ensure the highest level of quality and authenticity for our ground-breaking catalog of films,”

Before joining Laika in 2016, Wald’s career highlights included managing NBCUniversal’s highly successful commercial activities surrounding Downton Abbey.

Besides working closely with distribution and home entertainment teams to fully expand the show’s global reach, Wald developed new ancillary revenue streams from scratch including a Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association award-winning consumer products portfolio.

Warner Bros., DC Entertainment in a licensing agreement

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Warner Bros., DC Entertainment in a licensing agreement

As the release of the Wonder Woman film on June 2 nears, Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) and DC Entertainment have got into a global licensing agreement to promote the heroine’s first solo feature film.

This activity has materialised into a first-to-market deal with global toy partner Mattel and Walmart that includes an exclusive two-pack doll set featuring Wonder Woman and her ally Steve Trevor.

Other film-inspired dolls and role-play toys can be exclusively seen on the shelves of Walmart stores till April 28. Soon after the period ends, the line will become available at other retails as well.

Additionally, Walmart will showcase exclusive products from Jakks Pacific, Funko and Fisher-Price in May.

The larger global merchandise programme featuring an exclusive construction toy offering from The Lego Group at Toys ‘R’ Us and Lego stores includes collectibles, greetings and novelties, dolls, apparel and accessories. These products will launch at global retailers beginning April 7.

Licensing partners include Rubie’s Costume Co. (costumes, accessories), Funko (collectibles), Jakks Pacific (collectibles), Nobel Collection (prop replicas), Sideshow Collectibles (statuettes), Hallmark (greeting cards, gift presentation, plush), Jada Toys (collectible figures), Icon Heroes (novelty replicas), QMX (collectible figures), Tonner Dolls (fashion dolls), Madame Alexander (dolls), Bioworld (apparel, accessories), Evy of California (apparel), New Era (caps), Underboss (underwear, sleepwear), The Northwest Company (bedding, home décor), Trend International (bedding, home décor), HarperCollins (publishing), Centum (publishing) and Titan Books (publishing).

 

HUL in a legal war with GCMMF

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HUL in a legal war with GCMMF

In a recent advertisement of Amul ice cream, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) had urged ice cream lovers to ‘Check for real ice-cream on the packs before buying them.’

Later, the add cautions against frozen desserts that are made using ‘vanaspati tel’ and urges consumers to instead opt for ‘real ice-cream’ that’s made of milk.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL), that markets frozen desserts under the Kwality Walls brand has initiated a legal battle against GCMMF.

As reported in Brand Equity, a HUL spokesperson said that Amul has been airing a misleading television commercial since March 2017. This advertisement makes factually incorrect statements creating apprehensions among consumers of frozen desserts. The advertisement makes incorrect claims about the usage of ‘vanaspati/vanaspati-tel’ in frozen dessert products.

We wish to clarify that Kwality Wall’s range of ‘frozen desserts’ do not contain Vanaspati. In fact, Kwality Wall’s range of frozen desserts contains milk/milk solids like ice creams. The only difference is that frozen desserts use vegetable fat instead of dairy fat, which actually makes them healthier as they have lower saturated fat and do not have cholesterol.”

In the same article, RS Sodhi, MD, GCMMF has been quoted as saying, “Frozen desserts are masquerading as ice creams. By using low-cost ingredients, they are misleading consumers who are looking for real products. We are trying to make consumers aware of the difference…. It is unfortunate that Indian companies which genuinely work in (the) interest of milk producers and consumers alike are being threatened with legal suits for airing facts…”

Srinivasan Swamy, chairman, ASCI, a self-regulatory body that circulates responsible advertising, avers, “Both HUL and Amul have this long running dispute. This (dispute) is (about what lies) at the core of their product offering. Let them settle this in Court…”

Neither HUL nor Amul is likely to take the decision taken by ASCI’s CCC (Consumer Complaints Council) with a pinch of salt, he goes on to say.

 

TeenVogue smells rat in Hasbro’s trademark application for a scent

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TeenVogue smells rat in Hasbro’s trademark application for a scent

People at TeenVogue have of late come to know that the Hasbro group, the makers of Paly-Doh, the clay-like toy modelling compound used by young children for art and crafts, has applied to trademark its distinctive scent.

In its application, Hasbro has described Play-Doh’s particular fragrance as a unique scent formed by the combination of a sweet, slightly musky, vanilla-like fragrance with slight overtones of cherry and the natural smell of a salted, wheat-based dough.

The application to the US’s Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) covers all toy modelling compounds.

Play-Doh is a modeling compound used by young children for art and craft projects at home and in school.

Composed of flour, water, salt, boric acid and mineral oil, the product was initially manufactured in the 1930s in Cincinnati in the United States as a wall paper cleaner. Then after the product went through a lot of reworking, it was marketed in schools in the mid-1950s. Finally, it landed up on the shelves of prominent department stores.

In 2008, Hasbro collaborated with Demeter Fragrance Library that makes and sells scents inspired by familiar everyday fragrances to create an ‘eau de Play-Doh’ perfume to mark the latter’s 50th anniversary.

 

Blackberry plans to integrate BlackBerry Secure software in its devices

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Blackberry plans to integrate BlackBerry Secure software in its devices

BlackBerry, that is known to make phone hardware under the same name, is seeking partners across several categories to integrate BlackBerry Secure software into both BlackBerry-branded and co-branded devices as part of its brand licensing strategy.

Towards this endeavour, the company has signed pacts with new licensing partners. It is also planning to come out with tablets, wearables, medical devices, appliances and point-of-sale (POS) terminals under its brand name other than Blackberry-branded smartphones.

Commenting on the announcement, BlackBerry CEO John Chen said, “We have taken a long-term and thoughtful approach to our licensing strategy which includes an expansive view of the entire Enterprise of Things ecosystem.”

“As part of this strategy, we will work with a wide range of manufacturers to integrate BlackBerry Secure software into both BlackBerry-branded and co-branded devices,” he added.

The company described this development as the next stage of its brand licensing strategy following an agreement with TCL for smartphones last September.

As a part of this arrangement, TCL has already developed three new smartphones with BlackBerry branding namely DTEK60 and KEYone and the BlackBerry KeyOne that is expected to launch in May.

Now, what BlackBerry Ltd. does is to simply provide the end-to-end security and software for smartphones made by its partners. If its plan is successful, it’ll also provide that software for plenty of additional “Enterprise of Things” devices. However, the company hasn’t provided any information on devices that may actually be in development.

 

Three well-known series named awardees of Bologna Licensing Award 2017

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Three well-known series named awardees of Bologna Licensing Award 2017

Peppa Pig, Barbie, the Smurfs and the Rollinz are among some others that were named winners of the Bologna Licensing Award 2017, the prize for the best projects to develop licensed products during the period 2015-2016 in Italy.

These awards will be assigned for the first time during the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair (BLTF), the fair for the sector of licensing and the development of products based on established brands and intellectual property already in its tenth edition and organized by BolognaFiere and due to take place from 3 to 5 April at the Bologna Exhibition Centre at the same time as the Children’s Book Fair.

The winners of the Bologna Licensing Award 2017 have been selected by a jury of five experts namely  Francesca Ash, founder and co-editor of the magazine of the group Total Licensing Ltd; Ivan Colecchia, Europe General Manager of  Kidz Global; Daniela Di Maio, consultant in the sector of Kids Entertainment; Armando Garosci, journalist at the monthly publication Largo Consumo; Roberta Nebbia, representative of the LIMA Office in Italy and director of the consultancy firm Licensing Italia.

The aim of the awards is to provide increased visibility and institutional recognition to the licensing industry in Italy, valorising the entire production chain for the sector. All of the products awarded will be on display at the BLTF in pavilion 31.

There are four categories for the Bologna Licensing Award 2017 namely Preschool, Kids, Teens and Adults.

The jury has added a special prize and two special mentions. For the pre-school category, the prize went to the brand Peppa Pig, managed in Italy by ETS Studios with reference to a promotional project developed with Costa Crociere.

The jury explained that this selection was due to  the extension of the project, the involvement of children and families and the type of experiential licensing with a theatrical element that existed beyond the small screen.

For the Kids category, the prize was awarded to Grani & Partners for the creation and patenting of action figures that were a huge hit in 2016, the collectable Rollinz, a brand loyalty project developed by Esselunga, acknowledged for its ‘extraordinary capacity to design currently collectable products and its unique technology, having created an unprecedented social and  market phenomenon’.

For the Teens category, the award was lapped up by the Barbie brand, managed in Italy by Victoria Licensing & Marketing on behalf of Mattel with reference to the project for Tezenis, for the “completeness of the extension of the brand into a teen market segment, with an integration between retail social and product development and for its ability to extend an iconic brand to an adult area, making it highly aspirational in a category of great appeal for the target”.

And finally for the Adults category, the prize was awarded to the brand The Smurfs, managed in Italy by The Licensing Company CAA – Global Brands Group, with reference to the project Forma Italia –Egan, for its “capacity to interpret intellectual property such as The Smurfs through a refined adult stylistic treatment and with a particularly high quality of product capable of interpreting the mood of the consumer”.

 

The Special Prize was given to the brand Despicable Me – Franchise Minions, managed in Italy between 2015-2016 by CPLG Italy, for “the total transversal nature of the target, from the very youngest to the oldest and for particularly coherent choices of all the licensee partners, also from an international point of view, which developed products rich in innovation and technology”. The Special Mentions for Retail went to the brand Trolls, managed in Italy by Planet Junior Italy, for its “vast plan of retail agreements and for its capacity to cover, in a targeted manner, all categories of distribution, designing also high impact and dedicated explosive projects in every selected retail outlet”. The Special Mention for Intellectual Property revelation of the year 2015-2016 was awarded to the brand PawPatrol, managed in Italy by Viacom International Media Networks Italia, for “the complete treatment of intellectual property on a multi-platform level and the full penetration in all of the categories”.

Federation Kids & Family gets in a raft of sales deals for its teen drama series Find Me in Paris

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Federation Kids & Family gets in a raft of sales deals for its teen drama series Find Me in Paris

Federation Kids & Family has got into a lot of major sales agreements for its premium teen drama series Find Me in  Paris (formerly Paris Opera).

Produced by sister concern Cottonwood Media, ZDF and ZDF Enterprises, the series will be shown by ABC Australia, Disney (France, Italy),  France Télévisions and VRT Belgium for commissioning broadcaster ZDF in bringing the live-action series to some of the most important television markets across the globe.

“We are genuinely thrilled with these partnerships, we could not ask for better platforms to reach our intended premium viewership,” said David Michel, President of Cottonwood Media and Head of Federation Kids & Family.

“We are also very pleased that the originality of the show’s concept has received such enthusiastic interest – Find Me in Paris has clearly filled a much needed niche in a fun and creative area of the industry,” he added.

Find Me in  Paris centers on Lena Grisky, a young dancer (and princess) poised to become the next young star of the ballet world in 1905.

When her boyfriend Henri gives her an old family necklace, it changes everything. How could he know that it was going to send Lena hurling into the twenty first century?!

While a frantic Henri does everything he can to find a way to bring her home, Lena does her best to fit into her new world and even finds herself enjoying it, loving the fashion, the music, and all the new styles of dance. She makes new friends, including her handsome dance partner Max, who also runs an underground hip hop dance crew.

Lena has no idea what Henri’s going through to bring her home. And he’s not the only one after her, a trio of rogue misfits called the Time Collectors are hot on her trail and after her timepiece.

When Henri arrives to take her home and Max asks her to stay, Lena has to make a decision that will alter the course of her life. What life will she choose?

The 11 million-euros series is being produced on location in the iconic streets of Paris as well as in the world-famous Garnier Opera House.

In a unique partnership, the cast will work with the Opera’s own choreographers ensuring an authentic and unparalleled standard to the focal dance aspect of the show.

With its international characters (dancers and time collectors are from Canada, India, Germany, France, the UK and US), established showrunners Jill Girling & Lori Matter Welch (Creator of Nickelodeon series Ride) and a singularly original concept, Find Me in  Paris is poised to deliver some of the most exciting premium content for teen audiences everywhere

Sanrio enters into a partnership with Jumini

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Sanrio enters into a partnership with Jumini

Sanrio has entered into a new partnership with traditional wooden toy maker Jumini to develop a heritage line based on the popular Mr Men brand. Sanrio is a Japanese company that designs, licenses and produces products focusing on the kawaii (cute) segment of Japanese popular culture.

The new deal comes as Sanrio details its plans to increase efforts and strengthen the Mr Men and Little Miss brand in both the pre-school and toy markets.

Targeting babies till the pre-school times, the range will kick off with an assortment of block and shaped puzzles, train sets, shape sorters and more, each featuring the shapes and colours of the Mr Men and Little Miss characters.

“Over the past year, we have really grown in the baby category with the launch of board books and further success in apparel,” Sabrina Segalov, licensing manager at Sanrio said.

“With a toy partner on board, we are strengthening the brand in this area and are now very keen to secure a deal on premium plush, also targeting baby and pre-school. A colourful collection of all 90 characters would be the dream,” she added.

The Jumini partnership follows a recent deal with Bebe Style who has joined the Sanrio portfolio to develop a range of wooden furniture for children’s rooms and nurseries. The collection will launch at the end of the year.

 

Paramount Pictures involves several licensees for its new movie Ghost in the Shell

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Paramount Pictures involves several licensees for its new movie Ghost in the Shell

Paramount Pictures has joined hands with a number of licensees to support its new movie Ghost in the Shell that  released last Friday, March 31.

Partners who have been selected for the programme are: Weta Workshop for limited edition scale figures and collectibles; ThreeZero for collectible figures; McFarlane Toys for articulated figures; Funko for Pop! vinyl figures; CMON for a board game; Ripple Junction for apparel and accessories; Cotton Division for apparel and novelties; Sorry, I’m Not for a limited edition capsule collection; TeeTurtle for co-branded on-demand apparel and accessories; Ghoulish for masks, costumes and makeup applications; NerdBlock for a mystery subscription box; Mondo for limited edition posters and enamel pins; Pyramid for posters, wall art, pins and keychains; Gendai for novelties and accessories; Mtime for novelties and collectibles; and Insight Editions for publishing.

“This global programme encompasses the latest VR, targeted retail promotion and a compelling roster of licensees in key categories that support the film,” says LeeAnne Stables, president, worldwide marketing partnerships and licensing, Paramount Pictures.

“We are reaching an enthusiastic existing fan base and delivering a broad line of products with appeal to new audiences excited about the film.”

Moreover, the film will come to life through a series of retail partnerships. Hot Topic will showcase the film’s products, custom signage and a fan art contest.

Meanwhile, Hudson Jeans’ online store will feature a fashion collection inspired by the film. Tilly’s in-store TVs will be taken-over by the film’s trailer and customers will have a chance to win a trip to Tokyo. Books-A-Million and F.Y.E. will also highlight the merchandising program via their social channels and in-store signage.

Additionally, Paramount and Here Be Dragons have joined forces to bring Ghost in the Shell to Oculus. The new VR experience will allow users to step into Major’s shoes by getting involved with scenes from the film. The VR experience is now available on the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR, powered by Oculus.

 

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