King Features Syndicate is setting the stage for Moomin’s 80th anniversary next year with a number of new merchandising and retail partnerships in the US.
The Moomin brand is enjoying a successful introduction to the US market, having received the 2024 Licensing Excellence Award for Best Licensed Brand (Publishing, Stationery, Social Expression category) during Licensing Expo in May.
Last holiday season saw Barnes & Noble introduce a pilot programme at 20 of its retail locations in key markets, which proved to be such a hit with fans that it is now expanding to over 250 stores nationwide this year.
American audiences can now access over a dozen of Tove Jansson’s children’s books from the Moomin series alongside her most popular adult novels. Later this year, new Moomin picture books and board books will be released in the US, including Moomin-inspired works for preschoolers, an authorised biography of Tove by Boel Westin, and a craft book featuring knitting patterns for Moomin socks, with more titles slated for 2025.
In addition, publisher Drawn & Quarterly will be reissuing the collected Moomin comic strips created by Tove and her brother Lars Jansson in a new format, having already sold more than 500k copies of the Moomin comics to date.
The CP programme also continues to grow – existing partners include Aurora World, Goodie Two Sleeves, Nordic Buddies, Pintrill and Tree Free Greetings, while new products are due from Good Smile Company (vinyl toys), Hamee US (mobile phone accessories) and Pie International (stationery kits). Specialty beverage from Clöud Café will launch a Moomin-inspired specialty beverage in time for the 2024 holiday season, while dearcloud will debut in the beauty space in January 2025.
The momentum readies the stage for Moomin’s 80th anniversary in 2025, which will be marked by a global campaign inspired by the slogan ‘The door is always open’, celebrating inclusiveness, kindness, family and community.
The celebrations will kick off with a new Tove Jansson exhibition opening at the Helsinki Art Museum in Finland this October, which will then tour abroad beginning summer 2025. New artwork and style guides will be unveiled featuring the hero image of the Moominhouse, which represents security and a sense of belonging, while a special anniversary edition of The Moomins and the Great Flood will feature an essay encompassing the Moomins’ origins and the theme of refugees and ‘home’.
There will also be new content – including stories relating to the anniversary’s key themes as well as gems from the archives – an extension of Moomin’s existing partnership with the International Red Cross and a global competition inviting fans to create their own version of the Moominhouse.
“Tove Jansson created an incredible world that champions friendship, kindness, equality, and adventure, which has made Moomin one of the most beloved children’s properties around the globe,” commented Christina Nix-Lynch, senior director of licensing at King Features. “We are thrilled to welcome American fans into this world through the books and so many unique product offerings and look forward to bringing them even more Moomin-inspired collaborations as we celebrate its 80-year legacy in 2025.”
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