The Brand New Licensing Agency Inks Deal With Sanrio Property Mr. Men and Little Miss The new Boutique Licensing Agency—aka BLA!—was formed as an EMEA-focused licensing agency whose aim is to transform the partnership experience in the licensing industry, and their approach seems to be working. Only a few months after formally entering the market, BLA! hit the ground running with its first representation: Mr. Men and Little Miss, the famous British brand owned by the Japanese multinational corporation Sanrio Co., Ltd. BLA! says it is a new agency inspired by a customer-centric approach and new thinking, but it is building on a base of experience and expertise across multiple categories and regions. Heading a list of founders that reads like a who’s who of major names from successful global… . . . read more
Hello Kitty Scores Partnership With Bandai UK’s Tamagotchi
It’s been a busy and successful week for Sanrio’s Hello Kitty property, as the company followed up on its partnership with Mattel’s Barbie, announcing a collaboration with the popular Tamagotchi ‘virtual pet’ game. Tamagotchi was introduced to the world as a virtual pet, housed in a tiny digital device, first released in Japan in 1996 and internationally in 1997. The little egg-shaped device became hugely popular through the late 1990s and 2000s, and by 2017 Bandai had sold 82 million units. A little known fact is that co-creator and inventor Aki Maita won the 1997 Nobel Prize for Economics for the creation of Tamagotchi. Tamagotchi gameplay centres on the natural, human desire to care for others, and particularly children. Marketed initially to teenaged girls, Tamagotchi are a small alien species that… . . . read more
Cuteness Overload: Barbie Partners with Hello Kitty
US toy giant Mattel has partnered with Sanrio to create a branding dynamo, combining the iconic Barbie line with the globally popular Hello Kitty brand for the first time. The two companies say they will collaborate on the development of a colourful and contemporary product line aimed at kids and adults that will span accessories, apparel, health and beauty, and footwear. The lines are due for release in early 2021 with an initial focus on soft lines, but will expand with new offerings throughout the year. “We’re excited to bring the world of Hello Kitty to life through this consumer products partnership with Barbie,” said Lisa Weger, Mattel’s regional head of consumer products for EMEA. “The collection will enable fans of all ages to experience Hello Kitty and Barbie through… . . . read more
Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise Based on $100MM+ Entertainment/Character Properties
This chart was published Nov. 2019 in conjunction with an in-depth analysis of entertainment/character properties with at least $100 million in sales in the U.S./Canada for 2018…
Planned Feature Films with Licensing Potential
TLL’s ongoing feature highlights 132 upcoming movie properties with potential for licensing. Last updated May 13, 2019…
What’s the [Toy] Story? Same as Last Year, Just Better!
Straight from the floor of New York Toy Fair, TLL brings you the latest and greatest in toy trends. They just happen to be the same as last year’s—Only more nuanced, thoughtful, and developed…
Retail & Experiential: Theme Parks, Amazon Go & More
The top news this week from Cartoon Network, Amazon, Walmart, Microsfot, Animaccord, CBS, Sanrio, Smithsonian, Nordstrom, and more…
Who’s News—3/5/2018
The latest hires, promotions, and departures.
Featuring: Activision Blizzard, Mattel, eOne, Rovio, Sanrio, JCPenner, WWE, DHX Media, L’Oréal, and more…
Who’s News—2/19/2018
The latest hires, promotions, and departures.
Featuring: Sanrio, WWE, Warner Bros., LIMA, Sony Pictures, NASCAR, and more…
M&A & Partnerships
It’s not all Disney—the top business move this week.
Featuring: Warner Bros., Toei Animation, Target, Endemol Shine, FAO Schwarz, Sanrio, and more…