Medialink secures deal with messaging app, Rakuten Viber

Asian licensing agent to turn Filipino brand’s stickers into merchandise.

Leading messaging app, Rakuten Viber has teamed with Medialink in a deal which will see the Hong Kong-based licensing agency build a merchandising programme across the Philippines around its popular sticker characters.

Violet, LegCat, Freddie, Lola and the rest of the Viber gang have been an integral part of the messaging app users’ daily conversations, encouraging them to communicate and express themselves in a more genuine and playful manner.

Over two billion stickers are sent globally on Viber each month, while a survey conducted by the company showed that over 90% of Filipino respondents were familiar with the app’s sticker characters.

On top of this, more than 85% said they were interested in owning Viber character branded products.

“Medialink brings solid expertise, knowledge and great passion to help us take our massively successful sticker characters into the real world in the Philippines – a market with an 85% interest in owning Viber-branded products,” commented Matan Kaufman, product marketing director at Viber. “Just knowing that Viber fans will soon get to extend their love for Violet, LegCat and other characters in more tangible quality ways is truly exciting and a great step into deepening our relationship with our audience of over one billion users globally.”

Noletta Chiu, executive director at Medialink, added: “We know that this venture will be a success because Viber’s sticker characters are already so ingrained in the everyday chats of Filipinos.

“It’s only natural that consumers will embrace them even more fully through official merchandise. It’s an exciting venture for Rakuten Viber and Medialink is incredibly honoured to be part of it.”

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.

MORE NEWS
Bluey
 
Maurizio Distefano Licensing, Italian agent for the BBC Studios’ property Bluey, has announced a busy start to 2025 for the popular animated hit as the Bluey licensing programme continues to grow and production gets under way on the first-ever Bluey feature film for cinemas....
Hello Kitty
 
Sanrio has announced the launch of dedicated Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube channels in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Fans can now enjoy their favourite episodes and special content in their preferred language, making Sanrio’s popular characters more accessible to audiences across India and beyond....
Taiwan
 
This year, Taiwan is making its first-ever appearance at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/K), presenting a selection of established and emerging IPs to the European market....
BolognaLicAwards_2025
 
The winners of the Bologna Licensing Awards have been crowned during the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids....
DocM_Bratz
 
Dr. Martens x Bratz celebrates Y2K aesthetic Featuring nostalgia-rich details, the first footwear and accessories collaboration between Dr. Martens and MGA Entertainment’s Bratz is inspired by the iconic dolls’ passion for fashion and unapologetic self-expression. ...
MouseMansion
 
Manita Schaapman, co-founder and creative director of The Mouse Mansion Company, will take to the stage at this year’s Licensing Conference to share the story of how a handmade universe turned into a global success....
Get the latest news sent to your inbox
Subscribe to our daily newsletter

The list doesn't exist! Make sure you have imported the list on the 'Manage List Forms' page.