Plans for a new animated series based on classic property also confirmed.
Moomin products saw a record 24% increase in global sales in 2015, according to Moomin Characters and its licensing agent, Bulls Licensing.
The brand now has over 600 licensees around the world. Around 25 of these were represented on the Moomin stand at international consumer goods fair, Ambiente (held in Frankfurt from February 12-16).
Showing for the first time in Europe Kana Yatabe, from Japanese licensee, Marushin (producing towels, cushions, rugs and bags) told Licensing Source.Net: “Moomins are very popular in Japan, and particularly with young adult women.”
She continued: “Next year we are going to have a ‘Mooninland’ theme park.”
Highlighting the importance of the Asian market, Gustav Melin, global licensing director at Bulls Licensing stated that, “Moomin is one of the three largest brands in Japan,” and was recently nominated as one of China’s “most influential international brands.”
Sales in Korea are now soaring (up by over 500% last year).
Strong growth continues in the Nordic market, and last year, Moomin Characters and Bulls Licensing celebrated the 70th anniversary of the first Moomin book, by artist, illustrator and author, Tove Jansson in Finland.
The first licensed Moomin products were produced in the early 1950s and Tove personally painted the first Moomin mugs from Arabia, Finland. Today, Moomin’s annual retail sales total almost EUR 600 million.
“The brand’s intrinsic values – such as thoughtfulness, friendship, adventurousness, and confidence – are not just universal, but are also in demand,” said Roleff Kråkström, managing director of Moomin Characters.
Launches included Moomin LED lights from Elite Solutions, that can last for 27 years, and vintage Moomin artwork printed on wood and wooden postcards from Come to Finland, as well as new porcelain mugs from Arabia and enamel from Muurla (distributed in the UK by White Brands Agency).
Pictured are (left to right): Bulls Licensing’s Pia Lindén, Come to Finland’s Solveig Bruning, Marushin’s Kan Yatabe, and Bulls Licensing’s Jeanette Eckland with new Moomin products on the Moomin stand at Ambiente.
Meanwhile, Moomin Characters and Bulls Licensing also revealed a tie up with Filmlance International to develop a new Moomin animated series.
The team at Filmlance will work closely with Sophia Jansson, the niece of original creator Tove Jansson, to bring the children’s classic to a global audience.
Sophia commented: “At Moomin Characters we are tremendously happy that we have been presented with this opportunity to work with Filmlance, Endemol Shine Group and such a fantastic creative team.
“I am very confident that in their hands the Moomins will become something new and wonderful, created with great respect for Tove’s original stories and characters.”
