Licensing agent appointed in Japan and new product ranges across Europe, Australia, North America and Asia Banijay Brands announced this week a litter of new licensing deals for its digital content sensation, Simon’s Cat, and says Japanese agency ZenWorks has been appointed to represent the brand’s interests in that cat-crazy country, home of the cat cafe. The licensing program for Simon’s Cat is continuing to expand with new licensees appointed for fashion, crafting, phone accessories, puzzles and accessories, said Banijay, in announcing deals with Fashion UK, Wulydermy, Ecell, Pinfinity, and Dr. Woof. “Simon’s Cat is such a lovable brand that resonates with fans all around the world,” said Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing at Banijay. “The extensive licensing programme, that continues to expand, is testament to its enduring popularity.”… . . . read more
Warner Launches Space Jam Licensing Onslaught
More than 200 licensing partners launching ‘Looney’ collections around the world Warner Bros. Consumer Products is rolling out the largest collection of Looney Tunes merchandise in decades ahead of debut of Space Jam: A New Legacy. The mixed animation and live action flick stars basketball star LeBron James playing alongside proven hoop ball talents Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Looney Tunes squad. Starring basketball champion and global icon LeBron James alongside Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny and the Looney Tunes Squad, the live action/animated adventure is a manic mash-up of two worlds that reveals just how far some parents will go to connect with their kids. The movie it due to launch in cinemas in North America and the UK on July 16, and will… . . . 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
The Raccoons Classic Series Looking For Licensees Through The Point.1888
The classic 1985 animated TV series The Raccoons is back, and is working with The Point.1888 to seek new licensing opportunities. The series follows the life of three raccoons named Bert, Melissa and Ralph, along with their friend Cedric the Aardvark and his father Cyril, whose constant pursuit of fame and fortune cause endless conflicts in their forest community. “The Raccoons have had the honour of having a strong and environmentally-conscious fan following in the UK since Bert Raccoon first moved to the Evergreen Forest,” said Kevin Gillis, president of Run With Us Productions. “As we recognize the growing critical importance of understanding our fragile global eco-system, we look forward to working with The Point 1888 in connecting with and supporting our many loyal and invaluable fans.” To support the series’… . . . read more
Gucci and Crunchyroll Collaborate on Bananya Collection
In collaboration with Crunchyroll, the global anime streaming brand, Gucci is launching a selection of special items featuring characters from Bananya, an original Japanese anime series about the lives of tiny playful cats who live in bananas. “Anime is a pop culture mainstay and our new collection with Gucci celebrating the eternally adorable Bananya is just another example of the power of this medium to transcend categories,” said John Leonhardt, head of consumer products, Crunchyroll. “We are thrilled to be working with Gucci to bring this playful collection to fans around the world.” The special items include seven women’s wear items—four G Loved base short-sleeve cotton T-shirts and three felted cotton sweatshirts that are adorned with the playful Bananya characters. The sunlight sweatshirt and short-sleeve T-shirt display the Bananya Bunch,… . . . read more
Travel + Leisure Group Launches Brand Licensing Business
The iconic Travel + Leisure magazine—a must read for travel junkies everywhere—is launching a new brand licensing business creating premium consumer products that leverage the globally known brand. The new venture will be operated by the Travel + Leisure Group, a newly established business line under Travel + Leisure Co., formerly known as Wyndham Destinations. “Travel + Leisure is one of the most iconic names in travel, and as the new stewards of the brand, our goal at Travel + Leisure Group is to thoughtfully develop this brand beyond inspiration and into curated products and services that travelers can feel, touch and experience firsthand,” said Noah Brodsky, president of Travel + Leisure Group and chief brand officer for Travel + Leisure Co. “As we look towards the evolution of this storied… . . . read more
King Features Launches Cuphead Licensing Blitz
Six-Time Platinum Video Game Grows Its International Presence With New Products Including Apparel, Accessories, Novelties, Publishing and More King Features Syndicate this week announced a robust international expansion, including new agents and licensing deals for the global gaming sensation Cuphead. Ahead of the 2021 debut of The Cuphead Show! with Netflix Animation, the brand is expanding its domestic and international presence with new products across product categories including apparel, accessories, novelties, publishing and more. Canadian development studio MDHR’s award-winning video game has been unstoppable since its 2017 release, racking up six platinum sales records, and is continuing the momentum with new licensing partners across a wide range of product categories. Fans of Cuphead and Mugman in Asia will see their favorite characters come to life with new accessories, apparel, houseware, novelties,… . . . read more
Artist Maureen Claffy Signs With 2020Brands
2020Brands announced this week it will be representing popular Chicago-born artist Maureen Claffy, who produces large scale, mixed-media modern art that speaks to the soul. “Her work pairs reverence for what spiritually connects us—family, love—with a commitment to rich color and vivid form,” said Kristin Edstrom of 2020 Brands. “Blending watercolor, fluid acrylic, colored pencils and ink. Claffy has created a signature aesthetic capable of expressing deep emotion, celebrating beauty, and engendering human connection.” Maureen Claffy is renowned for paintings that burst with bright, colorful brush strokes, prolifically creating a portfolio that includes large canvas paintings, collage, watercolor on paper, and sketch drawings. Her work hangs in the homes of private collectors across the world, was featured on digital billboards nationwide in July 2020, and can be found at The… . . . read more
Care Bears Get Busy With Licensing Deals
The venerable Care Bears and brand owner Cloudco Entertainment have dived deep into the licensing pool and come up with a wide slate of deals in the apparel sector. Cloudco says it has signed a number of new partnership agreements in the apparel category. They include Bentex for kids apparel and swimwear; Centric for kids and adult sleepwear and hosiery; Freeze for adult apparel; Komar for kids sleepwear; Mad Engine for kids and adult apparel; Handcraft for packaged underwear; and Highpoint for hosiery. In the accessories category, Cloudco signed new deals with Concept 1 and H.E.R. In footwear, ACI will be developing Care Bears-inspired footwear for kids. “We’re thankful to all of our partners who have supported us in spreading sharing and caring across the globe, at a time when it’s… . . . read more
Nike Repeats As Top Apparel Brand In Tough Year
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief US shoemaker Nike has done it again, claiming the title of the world’s most valuable apparel brand for the seventh year in a row, but the bad news is that virtually all apparel brands faced a major decline in sales and revenue. That’s according to the annual Brand Finance Apparel 50 report for 2021, which looks at the industry over the past year. And what a year it was. According to Brand Finance’s data, the total value of the top 50 most valuable brands crashed by an almost unheard of eight per cent in a single year, thanks to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, decreasing from US$ 301.9 billion in 2020 to US$276.4 billion by Jan. 1, 2021. Also, while Nike still took the crown for… . . . read more