Including The LEGO Group to create construction sets inspired by Trolls World Tour.
The Source rounds up more news from the licensing industry across the globe from the week.
Universal Brand Development has teamed with The LEGO Group on DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls franchise. Inspired by characters and scenes from the upcoming film, Trolls World Tour, LEGO Trolls construction sets will be available worldwide next year.
Brand Licensing Europe has been shortlisted for a prestigious AEO (Association of Event Organisers) Excellence Award. The show – which celebrates its 21st anniversary this year – is a finalist in the Best Trade Show (over 8,000 sq.m) category. The winners will be announced on June 14 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane.
Hot Topic has launched a new merchandise collection inspired by the world, imagery and characters of the video game series, Life is Strange. The deal was brokered by CPLG on behalf of Square Enix. The range includes apparel, drinkware and novelties.
DHX Media is to debut a new children’s subscription-based video on demand service called Kids Room. Launching in the summer, Kids Room will be an ad-free service featuring kid-friendly shows drawn exclusively from DHX Media’s library of kids and family content. It will be available on Comcast’s Xfinity X1.
Myne Cards has partnered with To Home From London to feature on its contactless protection cards. This marks the first licensing deal for the Camden-based brand which creates souvenirs using its own watercolour-signature artworks. The two companies met at Spring Fair, where they were stand next door neighbours.
The Point.1888 has signed an exclusive deal with design brand, Katie Alice. The first licensing deal has already been secured, with candle supplier and distributor, Candlelight, due to develop a range of candles and diffusers. Katie is known for her unique designs which she creates by selecting prints from a specialist in vintage artwork and then developing these into something new. She has already enjoyed success with a ceramics range – Vintage Indigo – in Waitrose.
Emily Coxhead – the creator of The Happy News – is continuing to raise the profile of the brand. With a growing social media following of 270,000+, Emily also topped the BBC News homepage in April after the release of a two-minute film created by the BBC about The Happy News. Emily has also been selected by John Lewis as an inspiring ambassador to collaborate on a high profile project at the Oxford Street store, and has also started working with teenage magazine, Shout, on a regular column. The brand is now established on the high street with a successful greeting cards range, as well as gift and stationery ranges from Widdop & Co and Blueprint. John Lewis continues to be a major partner for the brand, as is Boots. This year will see extensions to both these ranges with a host of new products. Also launching this spring is a range of confectionery from Créme D’Or, plus gift wrap from Penny Kennedy.
IPR Licensing has extended its representation of British heritage brand, Spear & Jackson, to include the US for the first time. IPR will be looking to expand the brand across the garden, home and leisure sectors, drawing on its brand assets and British heritage story spanning almost 260 years. Spear & Jackson exports its core tools to over 100 countries.
European kids entertainment studio, TeamTO has appointed Surge Licensing as the exclusive licensing and merchandising agent for the Mighty Mike brand in the US and Canada. The appointment coincides with the 2019 international roll out of the kids series. The show premiered on Family Channel in Canada in March and will air on Boomerang (streaming across EMEA, Asia Pacific and LatAm) as of this month, with further announcements to follow.
2019 marks the 30th anniversary of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Creative Licensing has a raft of new merchandise to celebrate. Partners including Cubicall (which will be recreating the phone booth from the film); Bioworld (apparel); Incendium (collectable figures, silk screen sprints, lithographs); and Warcradle Studios (board game) are all on board.
Sesame Workshop and Nelvana have given the greenlight to season two of Esme & Roy, which will air on HBO in the US and Treehouse in Canada.
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