Agency to bring the iconic brand from URL to IRL
By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The legendary life simulation game The Sims has chosen Brandgenuity to guide its first foray into the very real world of licensing.
Brandgenuity has been selected to build a global licensing program for the iconic franchise, targeted to its uniquely engaged Gen Z and Millennial global fanbase.
Brandgenuity is a leading global independent brand licensing agency that extends top brands into products, services and experiences that delight consumers, raise brand awareness, and generate revenue. The agency’s clients include BMW, Church & Dwight, Sazerac (Fireball, Southern Comfort, Buffalo Trace), Mr. Kate, Kao (Jergens, John Frieda), Dr. Scholl’s, White Castle, Kahlua, Mike’s Hot Honey, the NFLPA and others.
The Sims has been a timeless yet progressive cultural mainstay and creative outlet for 23 years, shaped by its fans and their inspired gameplay and sparking their creativity and discovery.
Julia Victor, Head of Brand for The Sims, says the game serves a very unique, highly interactive audience, and players express themselves within the game in an authentic and meaningful way that is unique to their personalities. Victor says Brandgenuity was engaged to guide the studio in choosing the right products and experiences to elevate the brand, and continually improve players’ interaction with the world of The Sims.
“Simmers have eagerly asked for more—product, content, experiences, and with licensing, we’re excited to deliver to the fans, who are the heart of the brand,” Victor said. “We chose Brandgenuity for their strategic approach, and their passion to help us continue growing The Sims into a global, culture-defining brand for creativity and to continue expanding engagement and touchpoints for our players.”
The Sims has been an enduring hit since it was released, and remains one of the best-selling video games of all time, with more than half a billion downloads.
The Sims 4, the latest iteration of the life simulation game, now reaches more than 70 million players around the world. The Sims is continuing to grow, with the next generation of play in development with Project Rene. That’s the tag for the next generation of the game and its creative platform, currently in development at EA Games. The studio says it will completely reimagine The Sims.
The name Project Rene was chosen to be reminiscent of words like renaissance and rebirth to represent the team’s renewed commitment for The Sims’ future. Project Rene will fundamentally evolve how Sims think and behave, how players create and customize their worlds, and innovate in entirely new ways.
With Project Rene, players will have the choice to play solo or collaborate with others, and will have the ability to play their game across supported devices.
Brandgenuity says it will help expand The Sims brand universe and bring the brand to vibrant life through lifestyle categories, including apparel, accessories, collaborations, collectibles and games, publishing and more, expanding the brand’s presence online and in brick-and-mortar channels.
“The Sims is like no other interactive brand—creative, inclusive and mischievous,” said Jay Asher, Partner, Brandgenuity. “We’re so excited to bring The Sims from URL to IRL, to delight fans with the products they’ve been asking for and to deliver new ways for them to engage with and share the brand.”
For more information about the licensing program, contact info@brandgenuity.com or visit Brandgenuity at Licensing Expo, booth J140.
TV Series Licensing: Brandgenuity to Rep Too Hot to Handle in US and Canada