A former top executive with Twentieth Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney and LEGO has been tapped to lead the licensing activities of Peanuts Worldwide.
Tim Erickson is taking on the role of Executive Vice President of Brand at Peanuts, and will oversee the team who manage the brand’s global licensing business.
The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 41% owned by WildBrain Ltd., 39% owned by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz, who first introduced the world to Peanuts in 1950, when the comic strip debuted in seven newspapers.
The Peanuts team says Erickson will be tasked with “sustaining a strategy true to the great heritage of the Peanuts brand – opening new licensing, partnership and retail opportunities, supporting brand marketing, and leveraging new content launches – all to expand the global presence of the Peanuts brand and build momentum towards its 75th anniversary in 2025.”
Erickson says he’s eager to work on the opportunity with the Peanuts brand, born from one of the world’s longest running and best loved comic strips.
“As a lifelong Peanuts fan, I’m elated to join Peanuts Worldwide,” said Erickson. “I’ve long admired Charles Schulz’s storytelling, both personally and professionally, so I look forward to engaging with the team and our partners to continue telling meaningful Peanuts stories through content, products and experiences that will engage fans for generations to come.
“I’m so excited about the opportunity to connect the Peanuts content pipeline with fan engagement around the world.”
Erickson will be based in New York and will report directly to Eric Ellenbogen, the CEO of Wildbrain, which is also the majority owner of Peanuts Worldwide.
“I’m delighted that Tim has joined the team at this important moment for the Peanuts brand,” said Ellenbogen. “The response to our original series The Snoopy Show and Snoopy in Space on Apple TV+ and to our ‘Take Care With Peanuts’ initiative has been nothing short of fantastic.
“With lots more new content rolling out worldwide in the coming years in partnership with Apple TV+, the Peanuts gang has never been more popular,” Ellenbogen added. “Working in tandem with our Peanuts content team, Tim will bring a breadth of experience at the intersection of family entertainment and consumer products that makes him the ideal person to lead the evergreen Peanuts licensing business.”
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