Licensor renews toy deals with Golden Bear and 8th Wonder, plus adds HTI and Fiddes Payne for preschool brand.
BBC Studios has renewed licensing deals with Hey Duggee toy partners Golden Bear and 8th Wonder.
The new deals will see the launch of new Hey Duggee children’s toys in the UK in 2021.
In addition, BBC Studios has also shared a raft of new partners for the preschool property. HTI is on board for a range of bubbles, outdoor, electronic musical instruments and characters cases; Fiddes Payne will create home baking; and Kinnerton will launch the first Hey Duggee confectionery product this Easter.
“It’s a real joy to start 2021 by renewing licensing agreements with two hugely valued partners and adding further great new deals to our Duggee portfolio,” said Julie Kekwick, senior licensing manager at BBC Studios. “I’m excited for parents and kids to experience and enjoy the incredible selection of new Hey Duggee products on offer this year.”
Hey Duggee enjoyed a successful 2020 and became the most-watched kids’ show of the year on BBC iPlayer, with over 192 million requests. Meanwhile, Golden Bear saw sales of its Hey Duggee product grow 97% year-on-year with products such as Adventure Bus, Singing Sticky Stick Stick, and figurine packs proving popular.
2021 will see the launch of an extensive new range of Hey Duggee toys from Golden Bear. Hero skus will include bathroom play products Toothbrush & Handwashing Time with Duggee (pictured) and Duggee’s Light Show River Boat; toys aimed at aiding the expression of emotions, mindfulness, and focus, like My Best Friend Duggee Soft Toy and Duggee Hug Squirrel Club Soft Toy; and toys designed to inspire creativity, such as the Interactive Club House and the Spin & Groove DJ Duggee.
“We’re delighted to continue our long-term partnership with BBC Studios and drive forward into 2021 with a stellar range of new products to excite both children and parents,” said Barry Hughes, md at Golden Bear. “The new lines deliver a strong and appealing choice to consumers and they translate the learning benefits and quirky and humorous nature of this amazing show.”
Meanwhile, from February, 8th Wonder will launch further Hey Duggee educational toys at retail, such as the Hey Duggee Word Match and Spell. The licensee will also launch products in new categories like games, arts and crafts and outdoor.
Louise Tyrer, sales director at 8th Wonder, commented: “2021 will see our range expand further to circa 25 lines and we are pleased to introduce some new, higher price points and categories. This will strengthen the overall brand position and help our growth ambition.”
Want to read more news like this? Simply sign up to our daily digest by clicking here. You can also follow @LicensingSource on Twitter and @licensing_source on Instagram.
