Kids’ entertainment studio Wildbrain and its licensing arm have signed a wave of licensing deals for both the new and classic Strawberry Shortcake brand.
Strawberry Shortcake was created in 1973 with the release of a simple Valentine’s Day greeting card, but the character proved to have enduring popularity. Over the ensuing decades, Strawberry Shortcake has grown and evolved with new content, toys and experiences for each new generation of kids.
Since its inception, the Strawberry Shortcake brand has generated an astounding $4 billion in retail sales, and the wave of new licensing deals show that appeal has not waned.
Newly signed promotional partners for WildBrain’s new Strawberry Shortcake include I’m the Chef Too! (culinary educational) and Bahama Buck’s (ice cream).
These add to the list of previously announced licensees, including Moose Toys (Master Toy) and Penguin Random House (publishing), plus promotional partners Naturipe (strawberries and blueberries), Sunkist Growers (oranges, lemons and limes), Envy Apples (apples), Zolli Candy (dentist-approved lollipops), Dippin’ Dots (ice cream), Snip-Its (kids’ hair salons) and Challenge Butter (butter).
Classic Strawberry Shortcake is also enjoying a surge in interest from licensees with multiple new deals signed, highlighting the evergreen appeal of the brand amongst girls and their mothers.
The vintage brand is partnering with boutique specialty retailers in North America for unique capsule collections, as well as ranges that feature classic artwork from the original brand.
Dolls Kill and Unique Vintage are planning Strawberry Shortcake apparel with the Dolls Kill capsule collection including apparel, outerwear, swimwear, loungewear, intimates, accessories, footwear and home for ladies and junior in the US (stores) and worldwide (online), while Unique Vintage will launch apparel, accessories and home ranges, available worldwide.
Additionally, designer Samii Ryan will be releasing a Strawberry Shortcake apparel and accessories collaboration for early 2022; PacSun will be launching ladies and junior holiday collections by The Forecast Agency in the US and Canada, following the success of its summer line launch, which will feature apparel, underwear, socks, tote bags and headwear; and Glamlite is set to launch a cosmetics line in Spring 2022.
“Strawberry Shortcake has always had enduring popularity, and the relaunch has seen excitement around this property really ramp up,” said Jasen Wright, VP of North America at WildBrain CPLG. “We’ve seen strong interest from licensees in WildBrain’s new version of the brand, and that halo is fueling a simultaneous renaissance around the classic brand from the 1980s, all of which is testament to the strength of Strawberry Shortcake’s appeal across generations.”
As well, the company says the new Strawberry Shortcake series, Berry in the Big City (80 x 4’), plus four brand-new CG-animated seasonal specials (4 x 44’), produced by WildBrain’s Vancouver animation studio, will be available on Netflix worldwide, with the series launching Spring 2022 and specials to follow in 2023.
Other streaming and linear television partners across the globe are expected to be announced in the coming months.
“Strawberry Shortcake’s evergreen status as a cherished brand continues to attract major partners across the entertainment and licensing industry,” said Michael Riley, Chief Brands Officer at WildBrain. “We look forward to building on these strong foundations as we continue to rollout the new Strawberry Shortcake for fans to enjoy on and off screen.”
The specials are part of the global rollout of WildBrain’s new Strawberry Shortcake brand across animated content, gaming, music, toys, food, apparel, events and other licensing partnerships. Berry in the Big City made its digital-first debut this September on WildBrain’s premium kids’ and family AVOD network, WildBrain Spark. A new Roblox game, Bake with Strawberry Shortcake, is also launching this fall.
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