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Nestle, Starbucks close global licensing deal: Here what it means

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Nestle, Starbucks close global licensing deal: Here what it means

Nestlé has closed the deal granting it access to perpetual global rights to market Starbucks good and products around the globe.

As per the association, the two companies will work closely together on the existing Starbucks range of roast and ground coffee, whole beans, instant and portioned coffee.

According to a company release, Nestlé will use the resources of both companies to enhance Starbucks’ product offering worldwide.

“This partnership demonstrates our growth agenda in action, giving Nestlé an unparalleled position in the coffee business with a full suite of innovative brands,” said Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider.

The alliance will also capitalize on the experience and capabilities of both companies to work on innovation with the goal of enhancing its product offerings for coffee lovers globally.

For Nestlé, the deal also strengthens its coffee portfolio in the North American premium roast and ground and portioned coffee business.

It also unlocks global expansion in grocery and foodservice for the Starbucks brand, utilizing the global reach of Nestlé.

“This global coffee alliance with Nestlé is a significant strategic milestone for the growth of Starbucks,” said Kevin Johnson, president, and CEO of Starbucks.

“Bringing together the world’s leading coffee retailer, the world’s largest food and beverage company, and the world’s largest and fast-growing installed base of at-home and single-serve coffee machines help us amplify the Starbucks brand around the world while delivering long-term value creation for our shareholders,” Kevin further added.

Some 500 Starbucks employees in the United States and Europe will join the Nestlé family, with the majority based in Seattle and London.

The international expansion of the business will be led from Nestlé’s global headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.

Eros Now launches ‘Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi’ official movie based game

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Eros Now launches ‘Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi’ official movie based game

Eros Now released official ‘Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi’ game based on the Diana Penty-Sonakshi Sinha starrer movie.

The objective of this game is to run as long as possible by avoiding all kinds of obstacles that are coming on the way.

The game is available for download on Google Play.

According to the official synopsis that is given on the site — Happy is running on the streets avoiding obstacles by sliding, single jump and double jump. As a player, you have to avoid obstacles and collect coins.

Check out the official teaser of the game here:

Here are the game features:

Controls – Swipe up to jump and wipe down to slide. For double jump swipe, twice.

Different Powerups –

Magnet: Attracts all the nearby coins. Upgrade will increase the duration of the magnet, stay a long time on the screen.

2X Powerup: When this powerup is on, it’s double the collected coins while running till it ends. Upgrade will increase the duration.

Shield Mode: When this is on it keeps alive the player even if he hits the obstacles. Upgrade to this powerup increase the duration.

Chopper Mode: When the player collects this powerup he will fly in the air along with the chopper for a certain distance and also attracts all the nearby coins. Upgrade of this powerup will increase the duration.

Comedy film ‘Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi’ directed by Mudassar Aziz, is a sequel to Diana Penty and Ali Fazal’s 2016 film Happy Bhag Jayegi. The comedy feature stars Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Shergill, Diana Penty, Ali Fazal, Jassie Gill, Piyush Mishra and Aparhakti Khurrana. The film is produced by Aanand L Rai and hit theatres on August 24.

#LCExcl – Athleisure can be called as ‘defining fashion trend of 2018’: Roshan Baid, MD of Alcis Sports

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#LCExcl – Athleisure can be called as ‘defining fashion trend of 2018’: Roshan Baid, MD of Alcis Sports

With India’s appetite and love for sports, the licensing space has changed dynamically over the years. This year, Russia hosted the largest global football event — FIFA World Cup 2018. Despite India not featuring in the World Cup, there had been a surge in the sale of sports merchandises in India.

In the offline space, Alcis Sports that won the rights for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia-licenced apparel merchandise in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, had seen a spike in sales of football merchandise.

Licensing Corner caught up with Roshan Baid, Managing Director of Alcis Sports to understand the scenario of sports licensing in India.

How is Alcis Sports contributing towards merchandising and licensing business in India?

Alcis Sports has been at the forefront by bagging the rights to the prestigious Under 17 FIFA World Cup which was held for the first time in India. We have also been the licensed merchandise apparel partners for FIFA 2018 Russia World Cup where we created fan wear for over 12 world cup teams by creating over 400 skus in tees, polos, tracksuits, lowers and shorts.

Give a brief about the present scenario of sports licensing in India.

Sports licensing is fast catching up as the rapid growth of TV households in India over the years has led to the tremendous amount of sports content which gets generated in India now.  For instance, Star Sports has 4 dedicated channels for sports!  In addition, the mushrooming of a plethora of sports leagues in India from IPL, ISL to Pro Kabaddi League have all contributed to the interest and consumption of sports by Indians.  As a consequence, Indian fans are developing a keen sense of loyalty with their respective teams and favourite sports persons which leads to growing demand for sports licensing merchandise.

As we all know that Alcis Sports had inked a tie-up with FIFA World Cup to exclusively manufacture and distribute merchandise in India for the 2018 World Cup held in Russia. How does the major global event add revenues in the licensing sector?

Football is the fastest growing and most popular sport among young Indians today.  FIFA WC espoused huge interest levels and the figures released by Sony Networks who broadcasted the FIFA WC in India is a testament to this fact in terms of viewership.  This created a huge opportunity for online retailers like Flipkart and offline retailers like Lifestyle to invest in football-related merchandise leading to high sales in the Indian market.

With the rising brand consciousness among consumers and higher penetration of modern retail and e-commerce, licensing industry sees an opportunity for growth in India. Do you agree with this?

Absolutely!  E-commerce allows for penetration to tier 3-4 cities also where traditional brick and mortar stores are hard to reach.  Liking for sports is not restricted to metros but fans exist across India in every city fueled by the reach that TV and Internet are providing.  This is directly linked to licensing merchandise sales as consumers have an affinity for their favorite teams and sportspersons.

Do you think the athleisure segment in India is still lagging behind other western countries? If yes, any major reasons?

Athleisure is the new on-trend clothing that has grasped the attention of today’s millennials and can very well be called as the defining fashion trend of 2018. Growing on the back of increasing health and fitness awareness, the industry is estimated to be USD 6-7 billion in India. According to some estimates, the fashion industry in men is growing at a rate of 8-10%, while women and kids are growing at 11-15% annually; athleisure wear is the fastest growing category in apparel, growing at a rate of 20-25%.

With regards to merchandises, please tell us about the company’s sales and revenues. How is it faring?

We are growing manifold each year. In 2016-2017 we did INR 4 crores of business, in 2017-18 it was INR 24 crore and this year we are targeting INR 60 crore. So, it has been an exciting journey so far.

With new techniques cropping up, has the conventional brand licensing practices changed in a big way in India?

Today the rise of E-commerce has made more and more licensed products available to a greater set of consumers.  Similarly, the rise of internet TV and smartphones is fueling the rise in sports content and interest which in turn leads to higher brand affinity and license sales as a consequence.

Tell us about the company’s future initiatives…

We are aggressively getting into other allied product articles e.g. backpack, socks, caps and even shoes.  We are moving into our own retail chain. We intend to open another 30 exclusive stores in the next year. Our distribution network is also growing and we plan to reach 1200 touch points from 700 by the end of this financial year.

‘Deer Little Forest’ heads to theme parks across Asia, Bangkok park to open in June 2019

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‘Deer Little Forest’ heads to theme parks across Asia, Bangkok park to open in June 2019

Koko Rose Media announced a deal that will see its arts and lifestyle property ‘Deer Little Forest’ developing five indoor activity theme parks across Thailand, Japan, Malay, Asia and Singapore. Currently, under construction, the first park is scheduled to open in Bangkok in June 2019.

The agreement was brokered by Tokyo-based Honmoku File, headed by Nobutaka Nagai, the former agent for Disney’s park attractions in Japan, DisneySea and Disneyland Japan.

The deal is Deer Little Forest’s first in Asia and is a testament to the strength of the brand’s magnetic and universally appealing designs.

Nobutaka Nagai, President of Honmoku File said, “It is a real breakthrough for Deer Little Forest to be chosen to brand a theme park since typically these projects go to much more established and commercial properties who financially sponsor the parks. In this case, Deer Little Forest has been selected because of its potential to bring a fresh sense of fun and fantasy to the work experience theme park, thanks to the elegant and intelligent qualities of the brand.”

Aimed at children and their families, the indoor activity parks feature a range of educational, entertainment and sports activities. The facilities will also include a selection of cafes and shops, as well as hang-out areas for parents and carers to enjoy while children immerse themselves in play and learning experiences – including opportunities to act out and experience different grown-up professions.

Lisa Hryniewicz, Managing Director of Koko Rose Media said, “Not only will the park provide a solid platform from which to launch the property – but the fun, the family-oriented educational environment provides the exact right value for the brand. And with Honmoku’s combined experience in theme-park licensing and high-end properties, we know that Deer Little Forest is set to shine!”

‘Deer Little Forest’ will be the official mascot of the parks providing the visual branding throughout the park as well as its own line of merchandise in all the stores.

Artist and creator Jo Rose has already started creating a full range of animal bakers, pilots, doctors, shopkeepers, construction workers and chefs, that will host the various sections of the park. The characters will also appear in a range of books relating to the activities in the theme park.

The first park which will be called a localized version of ‘Deer Little Forest’ is scheduled to open in Bangkok in June 2019, followed by four parks which are planned in Japan, Northern Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore between 2020 and 2022, with plans to expand into China thereafter.

Rovio keen to expand its presence in India with ‘Angry Birds’

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Rovio keen to expand its presence in India with ‘Angry Birds’

Rovio Entertainment is keen on expanding its presence in India with new licensing and partners.

According to a report in Livemint, the company behind the iconic Angry Birds mobile game franchise hopes that the popularity of the characters will help it be successful in the Indian market.

“India is already one of our top markets in licensing and it also does very well in content,” said Rovio’s head of brand licensing Simo Hamalainen on the sidelines of India Licensing Expo.

Simo, was in Mumbai to launch the Angry Birds India style guide and a new merchandising line with localized designs at the ongoing.

According to Simo, the company is putting in more effort into localization and licensing deals.

Amidst tough competitions in the gaming market, Rovio has managed to build Angry Birds into a sustainable brand.

Besides entertainment and content, the company has now forayed into various categories such as animated web and TV series, consumer products, books, amusement parks and a full-length feature film; which henceforth has helped in expanding from the core gaming audience to a much wider segment.

The major reason for the brand’s consistent growth remains strong partnerships in retail and content licensing.

Rovio has more than 300 active licensing deals globally that brought in over €49 million in revenue last year. Besides, the company has partnered with top-notch brands such as PepsiCo, Parle, National Football League and Iron Maiden for a wider reach of audience.

According to Nikhil Guha, creative director at advertising agency Publicis, the theme, sound effects and the cute and gullible characters helped the brand in becoming popular.

Other plans include a long-form animation series for television, 10 new games, as well as an expansion of their recent ventures into live shows and theme parks.

 “This is the strongest content roadmap we’ve had yet. Our strategy is that we look long term. We populate that roadmap with content that our fans are looking for. It’s a truly 360-degree approach,” Hamalainen was quoted as saying from Livemint.

Rovio has been actively seeking new brands to acquire and expand the brand portfolio.

Moreover, Angry Birds featuring colourful birds and green pigs as their enemies continued to enjoy runaway success.

With the advent of the 10th Anniversary of Angry Birds, Rovio prepares to kick off its next phase of growth with the release of a second Angry Birds film in September 2019.

Released in December 2009, the game has racked up over 4.2 billion downloads.

Viacom18 to develop preschool series ‘Wissper’ licensing program in India

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Viacom18 to develop preschool series ‘Wissper’ licensing program in India

The German media companies — Studio 100 Media and m4e have signed a deal with Viacom18 Media that sees the animated preschool series Wissper debuting in India along with a consumer products roll-out.

India’s leading Hindi entertainment channel has secured all rights for TV, digital and home entertainment as well as for licensing and merchandising for its subcontinent including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The show will be premiere on Nick Jr. India this autumn.

Viacom18 Consumer Products is developing a licensing program for Wissper in India, with Simba Toys launching merchandise in fall 2018.

“Our partnership with Viacom18 will be introducing Wissper to kids and families in India, which is a key territory within our international broadcasting and licensing strategy. We have chosen Viacom18 as a local expert for guiding Wissper and us into this extremely interesting market. We are very excited about the commercial perspectives this huge market has to offer,” said Peter Kleinschmidt, the international commercial director at Studio 100 Media/m4e.

Aimed at preschool children, Wissper follows the adventures of a little girl by the same name who has a very special talent – she can communicate with animals, which allows her to understand their problems and help solve them.

Saugato Bhowmik, the business head for VOOT Kids, INS, and consumer products, said, “Viacom18 Consumer Products has always introduced and brought to life for kids in India characters that are globally loved and valued. We have created a wide array of product experiences around kids’ favorite characters that allow them to engage with their much-loved toons outside of the television screens.”

Wissper is produced by m4e AG and London-based animation studio Cuckoo, in coproduction with Telegael (Ireland), Discreet Art Productions (India), and the German BASTEI Media GmbH.

In February 2017, the Studio 100 Group acquired the majority interest in m4e AG.

Bioworld Merchandising acquires Vandor to expand portfolio

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Bioworld Merchandising acquires Vandor to expand portfolio

Bioworld Merchandising, the industry leader in delivering officially licensed apparel and accessories for top entertainment brands announced the acquisition of Vandor.

“We were impressed by Vandor’s reputation for creating unique/differentiated high-quality products, and we’re excited about our growth in the housewares and home business,” said Raj Malik, Bioworld’s CEO.

The acquisition comes on the heels of Bioworld’s recent acquisition of Global Design Concepts (GDC) and launch of One61 Studio, its new technology division created to propel officially licensed products and apparel into the future.

“This strategic acquisition is consistent with our mission to continue to expand our business into new licenses, channels of distribution, and international markets while continuing to bring an unparalleled consumer experience across all our product categories.  I am confident in our teams’ shared passion for providing consumers with products that truly embody the brands they love and look forward to the success this union will bring,” Raj further added.

Vandor is a leading design and distribution company that creates licensed home products including drinkware, sculpted collectibles, kitchenware, and home décor.

“We have heard nothing but positive feedback from our mutual customers and licensors about Vandor joining the Bioworld family,” said Vandor CEO, Sarah DeVoll.

The acquisition will increase Bioworld’s global distribution and overall share of the licensing industry.

Vandor’s unique design capabilities and manufacturing presence in Asia will continue to build upon Bioworld’s strength and leadership within the industry.

Headquartered in the US, Bioworld has additional offices in Europe, China, India, and Canada.

Vandor creates licensed sculpted collectibles ranging from drinkware to tabletop, kitchen, home décor etc.

ASOS Design, Fox create ‘The Simpsons’ 90s-style clothing line

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ASOS Design, Fox create ‘The Simpsons’ 90s-style clothing line

ASOS Design and Fox and The Simpsons join hands to create a summer collection of apparel. The exclusive clothing line launched this week.

According to a report in the Global License, the ASOS collection is inspired by 90’s party culture featuring more than 30 pieces of streetwear influenced styles, each with a nod to the iconic cast of the hit animated series.

ASOS has a history of iconic collaborations with some of the world’s biggest IP and names.

Bart, Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, Patty and Selma, even the Kwik-E-Mart features among the designs. The range encompasses everything from hoop earrings shaped such as Bart Simpson’s head to printed T-shirts sweatshirts dungarees, swimwear, socks, and bum bags.

Prices start from just £8 for a pair of socks and range up to £60 for a denim jacket. The majority of the range is around the £20 to £30 mark.

The new release will be available on the site in the first week of September.

The Simpsons hold the record as the longest-running primetime scripted show in television history.

Waoh! Insight Editions releases new collectible ‘Captain Marvel’ notebooks

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Waoh! Insight Editions releases new collectible ‘Captain Marvel’ notebooks

Fans of Captain Marvel can rejoice! Before the superheroine movie hit the theatres somewhere in 2019, fans are slowly being introduced the overall look of the movie in the form of merchandise.

Disney’s licensing partner ‘Insight Editions’ released new collectible Captain Marvel notebooks with red and blue covers. One of the two notebooks features Brie Larson who plays Caron Danvers aka Captain Marvel in the movie. The other book with blue cover shows off the logo and emblem that viewers witnessed at the end of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ movie.

Check it out here:


Captain Marvel will be a major change for Marvel Studios as it will dive into the past, taking place in the ’90s and adapting the beloved comic book storyline of the Kree-Skrull War.

According to reports, the colour scheme of the books matches with the artwork shown at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017 when Larson was announced as the lead in the film.

Infinity War ended on a huge tease for Captain Marvel and she is expected to play a major role in the defeat of Thanos and launch of the MCU Phase 4.

Marvel has yet to officially release any looks at the solo movie so far, but some of the film’s first pieces of merchandise have now arrived.

According to media reports, Captain Marvel premieres March 8, 2019.

Captain Marvel notebooks are now available to pre-order on Amazon through publisher Insight Editions.

HBO announces new ‘Game of Thrones’ video game for phones, PC

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HBO announces new ‘Game of Thrones’ video game for phones, PC

HBO has announced a new Game of Thrones game for smartphones and PC, developed by Nerial, the award-winning studio behind the Reigns series.

The game extends beyond the HBO series and explores possible futures for key characters as seen through the fiery visions of Red Priestess, Melisandre.

Players can choose to rule as Cersei Lannister, Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, Sansa Stark, and more while changing between each king and queen to face challenges and mysteries unique to their story.

Check out the trailer here:

Melisandre’s flames have proven hard to decipher and less than reliable, so players may encounter stories they do not expect. Peer into the flames and you may see Cersei rebuild the Great Sept of Baelor or discover what could happen to the Seven Kingdoms if Sansa Stark married Jaime Lannister.

Westeros obsessives can experiment with what might have resulted if key events from the annals of the Seven Kingdoms had happened differently – and how their decisions could shape the future. Decisions are taken by swiping left or right (kind of Tinder, right?)

The game will be released in October for £2.99 (USD 3.99), on iPhones, Android, and PC via Steam.

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