The My Little Pony franchise is ending its popular The Friendship is Magic series, but don't expect to see the brand riding off into the sunset any time soon. Hasbro has big plans for the franchise after acquiring Entertainment One in 2019, including a wide range of new consumer products, the release of a CGI film, a cross platform mashup with The Transformers, and a new … [Read more...] about My Little Pony Riding High With Hasbro
Toys and Games
Teddy Fresh Launches Cute Collab With Care Bears
LA-based luxury streetwear brand Teddy Fresh has announced the online release of their Teddy Fresh x Care Bears collection on January 21, elevating the Teddy Fresh brand with a collection that showcases its most creatively aspirational work to date. Drawing inspiration from the original 1980’s Care Bears animated series, the collection aims to evoke the nostalgia, creativity … [Read more...] about Teddy Fresh Launches Cute Collab With Care Bears
Super 7 Teams With Toho For Godzilla Figures
In time for the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong film this year, San Francisco-based Super 7 is teaming up with the Toho Company to introduce Godzilla to its world of ReAction figures and other products. Founded in 2001, Super7 is a premier pop-culture design house and producer of toys, apparel and collectibles. Led by designer Brian Flynn, Super has harnessed the graphics, … [Read more...] about Super 7 Teams With Toho For Godzilla Figures
Hot Wheels Partnership With NASA is Out of This World
Hot Wheels has been partnered with NASA for more than 30 years, and this week came out with its first new, space-themed mini collection over two decades. The mini carmaker is helping NASA kick off another historic year of space exploration firsts with the release of the new Mars Perseverance Rover die-cast vehicle. The product is a detailed 1:64 scale replica model inspired by … [Read more...] about Hot Wheels Partnership With NASA is Out of This World
Barbie Named Top Global Toy Brand For 2020
Mattel, Inc. enjoyed a wildly successful year in 2020, producing many of the top selling toy brands globally, and riding a large increase in toy spending during the pandemic to one of their best revenue years of all time. As well, the definitive retail industry research company The NPD Group has now named Mattel's Barbie brand as the 2020 top global toy property of the year, … [Read more...] about Barbie Named Top Global Toy Brand For 2020
US Toy Industry Enjoys Boom Times in 2020
One industry that proved itself immune to the COVID-19 virus is the toy sector, which saw a staggering 16 per cent increase in revenue in 2020. According to a report by The NPD Group, US toy sales generated $25.1 billion in 2020, an increase of $3.5 billion. One interesting data point is that the number of unit sales for the year were flat while the average selling price … [Read more...] about US Toy Industry Enjoys Boom Times in 2020
Lego and Universal Music Group Launch Music Video Maker
In yet another example of how the world of music licensing has evolved over the past two years, LEGO and Universal Music Group (UMG) announced on Jan. 26 the launch of LEGO VIDIYO, "a playful and innovative music video maker experience designed to celebrate and expand children’s creativity and passion for music." The companies say in a joint statement that LEGO VIDIYO is a … [Read more...] about Lego and Universal Music Group Launch Music Video Maker
Funko Opens Virtual, COVID-Safe Showroom
It's been a difficult year for B2B marketing teams when virtually every trade show and conference in the world has been canceled due to COVID-19, but Funko has found a way by launching its own "digital showroom." Funko Europe, the pop culture product company, this week opened the doors to its first-ever virtual showroom, featuring more than 400 products for 2021. Normally the … [Read more...] about Funko Opens Virtual, COVID-Safe Showroom
Licensing Monster “Mobile Suit Gundam” Airing on Crunchyroll
The anime network Crunchyroll began airing "Mobile Suit Gundam," the original series within the iconic Gundam franchise, as one of its library of more than 1,000 Gundam titles, opening up more opportunities for licensees. The Crunchyroll consumer products team currently manages the international merchandise rights for five Gundam titles with North American licensees … [Read more...] about Licensing Monster “Mobile Suit Gundam” Airing on Crunchyroll
Poetic Brands Creating Licensed Apparel and Face Masks for Na! Na! Na! Surprise
Following the enormous success of LOL Surprise and LOL Surprise OMG dolls from MGA Entertainment, Poetic Brands has snapped up a licensing deal with the toy giant for its latest collectible doll range, Na! Na! Na! Surprise. The specialist apparel licensee is working on a range of children’s apparel, outerwear and swimwear, nightwear and essentials based on the new property … [Read more...] about Poetic Brands Creating Licensed Apparel and Face Masks for Na! Na! Na! Surprise