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
Boat Rocker Lassos New Licensees For Dino Ranch
Boat Rocker Studios announced this week the signing of six new licensees in the US and Canada for its top-rated preschool show Dino Ranch. The galloping success of the series, set in what Boat Rocker jokingly refers to as a “pre-Westoric” family dinosaur ranch, has sparked intense interest across multiple consumer categories, allowing Boat Rocker to corral multiple deals in key areas, including apparel, home décor, timepieces and costume characters. The company says it is also working on more licensing deals it expects to announce in the near future. “There has been a phenomenal response to Dino Ranch on Disney Junior where it has been the number one preschool US cable show since its launch,” said Kate Schlomann, EVP Brand Management and Content Marketing at Boat Rocker Studios. “It’s not… . . . 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
Update: Jerry Garcia’s Rainforest Benefit Sandals Sell Out in Hours
“Somebody has to do something, and it’s incredibly pathetic that it has to be us.” –Jerry Garcia, Rainforest Benefit Concert Press Conference, September 1988 A collection of limited edition sandals offered by shoemaker KEEN Inc. and the estate of the late musician Jerry Garcia sold out just hours after being offered on Earth Day. KEEN says the limited-edition, individually numbered Newport Garcia LTD sandals, dropped at 12:01 AM on Earth Day and sold out by noon the same day. KEEN, a long-time defender of public lands, created the limited edition, individually numbered collection, using Garcia’s unique artwork to raise awareness and funds to Protect the Tongass National Forest. KEEN will donate one per cent of proceeds from this style, and the overall Garcia collection, to The Wilderness Society’s ‘Protect The Tongass’… . . . read more
Adidas Snags Deal With Number One NFL Draft Pick
Adidas’ bet on NFL prospect Trevor Lawrence appears to be paying off so far, as the collegiate star from Clemson was the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday. Adidas announced last Wednesday—the day before the NFL draft —that it had signed the top 2021 draft prospect to a multiyear partnership. “I’ve always been a fan of Adidas and I’m excited to join the team as I take the next step in my career,” said Lawrence, who also pulled an Adidas bandana over his forehead. “Adidas’ brand attitude of ‘Impossible Is Nothing’ is a message that really resonates with me both on and off the field. We are building for the future and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead with this partnership.” In three… . . . read more
Brentwood Repping Stride Rite In New Partnership
One of the world’s most venerable child’s footwear companies will be represented by Brentwood Licensing LLC, as Stride Rite looks to expand its licensing profile. Brentwood announced the deal April 29 that will see it launching a new campaign on behalf of Stride Rite, a shoe brand that is more than a century in the making, and specializing in products for infants, toddlers and older kids. Brentwood will primarily be looking for domestic licensing deals in the United States that “leverage the lifestyle and brand integrity of Stride Rite to complement the already established products at retail.” Founded in 1919, Stride Rite is a leader in the children’s footwear industry. With a rich 100-year history, Stride Rite delivers quality products with advanced and cutting-edge technologies. Stride Rite is distributed throughout… . . . read more
Canada’s Native Shoes Signs Deal With a Crayola Crayon
The purpose-led footwear brand Native Shoes has announced a limited-edition collaboration with Crayola, celebrating the brands’ shared creativity. Drawing inspiration from Crayola bold and iconic colors, the spring range spans 11 of Native Shoes’ best-loved styles for adults and kids, brought to life in two distinct design families. Designed for colorful creatives, the classic Jefferson, Jefferson Child, Spencer LX and Charley sandals have been reimagined with a bright, abstract scribble print, mimicking the laydown of classic Crayola markers. An additional quirky four-scribble print sees the Jefferson Child emblazoned with different color scribbles on each side—tailor-made for tiny trendsetters. For the bolder-is-better brigade, the Jefferson, Jefferson Child, Charley and Miles have also been reinvented in a vivid ombre block print. Available in nostalgic shades of Sunny Side Up Yellow and Navy… . . . read more
Nike Loses Kobe Bryant License As Talks Fail
The estate of basketball legend Kobe Bryant declined to renew its deal with Nike this month as talks between the parties fell apart, according to an exclusive report from Complex that was later confirmed by Nike. Unless something changes, that could end the long-established relationship between Bryant and Nike. Potentially, Bryant’s estate could also partner with an outside footwear firm on a new range. In fact, Bryant originally signed a deal with competing shoe company Adidas at the beginning of his NBA career in 1996, and signed on to Nike seven years later. Bryan became one of Nike’s most important brand ambassadors, appearing in several ad campaigns and jointly releasing 11 sets of basketball sneakers with his branding. Even though Bryant retired in 2016, Nike continued to release co-branded products, and also released… . . . read more
Keen Shoes and Jerry Garcia Take On Climate Change, In Style
Shoemaker KEEN and the Jerry Garcia Family have expanded the company’s branded collection of sandals and sneakers, featuring Jerry Garcia’s artwork, in a campaign to save the Tongass temperate rainforest. The Tongass is considered the largest remaining temperate rain forest in the world, and KEEN is now auctioning off the #420 individually numbered collector’s limited-edition Newport Junglescape Sandal via Bidding For Good, with 100% of the proceeds to benefit The Wilderness Society’s ‘Protect the Tongass’ campaign. The auction will close April 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT. “Jerry Garcia was devoted to the exploration and performance of music and was not known for taking public positions on issues,” says Erik Burbank, Vice President of The KEEN Effect. “But, in September 1988, he and the Grateful Dead felt compelled to step up… . . . read more
Under Armour Slashed Sponsorships in 2020
The sporting gear company Under Armour has been shedding sponsorship deals over the past year, and now we know how deep the cuts have gone. Under Armour Inc. released its annual report in late February, which shows the company slashing its sponsorship spending by an astounding 47 per cent in a single year. The cuts reduce Under Armour’s spending on sponsorships from $679.1 million in 2019 down to $361.6 million in 2020. Under Armour’s CFO David Bergman explained the move on the company’s fourth quarter earnings call, saying it’s all about getting more bang for the marketing buck. “That allows us to have a bigger war chest, to be nimble on a marketing front going forward and making sure we’re deploying that marketing in the areas of highest return,” Bergman… . . . read more