Wham-O has been on a licensing tear this year after signing with agency Anjar Co. & Becker Associates, and has now announced another deal to translate classic action toys like Frisbee and Hula Hoop into board games. Winning Moves Games USA is a Massachusetts-based maker of both new and classic board games, card games and puzzles including Pass the Pigs, No Stress Chess, and many more family favorites. “Winning Moves Games USA is proud to announce it has signed a licensing agreement with Anjar and Wham-O to bring back the classic versions of Frisbee, Super Ball, Hacky Sack, Trac Ball and many other classic Wham-O toys,” said Philip Orbanes Jr., President of Winning Moves. “For more than 25 years Winning Moves Games USA has built a positive reputation as a… . . . read more
Fine Art Meets Fine Fragrance At Van Gogh Museum
Floral Street, the independent, clean and sustainable, award-winning brand, is the first fragrance partner of the internationally renowned Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. In a four-year deal brokered by Licensing Link Europe, across fragrance and scented home products, it will celebrate the works of Vincent van Gogh, and excite audiences globally in appreciation of fine art and fine fragrance. This first-of-its-kind collaboration will explore how his passion for the natural world has inspired sustainable scent creations. “I’m honoured that Floral Street has been chosen as the first fragrance brand to partner with the Van Gogh Museum,” said Michelle Feeney, the founder of Floral Street.” Drawing inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s timeless masterpieces, we discovered a shared love of nature and finding beauty in the everyday. Through this collaboration, we are able to… . . . read more
UFC Taps Startup Fabacus For Fan Reward Program
In a dream come true for a tech startup, the licensing data firm Fabacus has been tagged by UFC to launch a global consumer rewards program for fans purchasing UFC licensed products. UFC is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 155 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to approximately 900 million TV households across more than 175 countries. In a deal brokered by IMG, the Fabacus platform—which connects global brand owners with their consumers—will supply the technology to enable fans worldwide to redeem an array of exclusive UFC experiences, rewards, and VIP content. Fabacus will also provide the ability for UFC to potentially… . . . read more
St. Andrews Links Tees Off With The Point.1888
The world’s most famous golf course, St. Andrews Links, has signed up with The Point.1888 as its brand extension partners. The news comes just weeks after the brand licensing specialist added Williams Racing to its growing roster of sports brands. Hannah Stevens, Head of Retail and Sports continues to grow this important division within the business, which also counts Team GB and the British and Irish Lions as clients. St. Andrews, located on the east coast of Scotland, is known as the Home of Golf because the sport was first played on the fairways of what is known as the Old Course. That course is indeed old, as the first balls were shanked into the rough in the early 15th century. For those who are counting, that’s before golf balls had… . . . read more
EA Tees Off On New Partnership With PGA
Electronic Arts Inc., the leading producer of sports-based video games, has entered into a sweeping partnership with the PGA of America, allowing it to portray all four of the major championships in professional golf. As well, EA’s new EA Sports PGA Tour will include members of the Team of 20 PGA Club Professionals, and will feature in-game golf tutorials inspired by real-life PGA golf coaches. The new game, debuting in Spring 2022, will be the exclusive home of all four of golf’s major championships: The Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open Championship and The Open Championship. Golf fans can also compete at the biggest PGA TOUR events, as they strive to build a legendary career. EA SPORTS is partnering with the PGA of America to allow players to virtually experience… . . . read more
Hasbro ‘Passes Go’ With Lifesized Monopoly Attraction
Hasbro and Partner Gamepath Say Immersive Monopoly Game Coming to London This Summer Hasbro is pulling out all the stops on its latest foray into the entertainment industry, partnering with Gamepath to create an immersive, life-sized version of Monopoly scheduled to debut in London on Aug. 14. Gamepath is a division of the UK-based Selladoor Worldwide production company, responsible for producing high-end theater productions in London and around the world. “We are thrilled to be working with our best-in-class partners at Gamepath,” said Matt Proulx, vice president, Location Based Experiences at Hasbro. “Given its track record creating world class live performances, we believe that combining their skills along with our beloved Monopoly brand will create an exceptional, one-of-a-kind experience that truly brings the Monopoly game to life in a way… . . . read more
Funko Releases Six New Disney Games
Funko is once again teaming up with Disney to release six new board games for families, including Disney Mickey and the Beanstalk, Disney Pixar Toy Story Talent Show, Disney Mad Tea Party, Disney You Can Fly, and Disney Hidden Mickeys. Players can fly with Dumbo or Buzz Lightyear, climb a beanstalk with Mickey Mouse, and even take the It’s a Small World cruise from Disney Parks, all from the family’s dining room table. The marquee Disney it’s a small world interactive game will allow nostalgic parents to share the magic of the famous cruise with Disney Parks’s newest and youngest fans. The game is designed to follow the playful route through the Disney Parks attraction on a 3D game board, with stunning illustrated scenes from the classic attraction. All of the games are… . . . read more
ZAG Invests In Interactive Storytelling Tech Firm Epopia
Who says letter writing is dead? Not ZAG, which announced on April 21 that it has acquired a stake in Epopia, a French tech company that developed a “unique epistolary letter format that encourages children to read and write through interactive storytelling.” To put it more simply, Epopia has created a software solution that allows for personalization of content, based on the responses they get to story prompts sent to them by mail. That’s right. Not email, but actual, old-fashioned, pick it up with your hands snail mail that is hand delivered by a postal worker to your mail box. The new deal is an extension of the existing agreement between the two companies, with Epopia holding the global licensing rights in the category for Miraculous™- Tales of Ladybug & Cat… . . . read more
NERDS Sponsors Rube Goldberg Machine Contest … For Nerds
RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN 2021 VIRTUAL CHALLENGE There’s something endlessly fascinating about Rube Goldberg machines, those insane chain-reaction contraptions that accomplish simple tasks in hilariously over-complicated ways, using everyday objects. While not an official Olympic sport, the Rube Goldberg Machine Challenge is like an Olympic sport for smart people. For this year’s Challenge, the competitors had to create a complex machine with the sole purpose of pouring some NERD candies out of a box. From the field of 140 talented competitors the judges chose winners for different age groups and a Family Category. The winning submission in that division can be seen in the video below, and shows how a chef adds NERDS to a crepe pancake. The machine takes over two minutes to pour the Nerds,… . . . read more
Museum of Discovery & Science Goes Mesozoic With Dino Dana
Fort Lauderdale’s famous Museum of Discovery and Science is ushering in some Stegosaurus-sized fun for kids in a partnership based on Dino Dana The Movie. Kids will discover the wonders of the Mesozoic era, as Dino Dana and her friends roar into the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS). Guests can visit the new Dino Dana exhibit, see the coolest dino augmented reality (AR) experience and catch Dino Dana The Movie on its ‘GIANT’ screen as part of the MODS Discovery Pass. The film will be released on May 22 with official red carpet premieres at MODS on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6. “Fascination with prehistoric life never goes extinct, and MODS is excited to partner with Sinking Ship Entertainment and Safari Ltd. for the official U.S. launch… . . . read more