Sony Pictures Entertainment’s consumer products division is establishing a Shanghai-based licensing office with Sabrina Gu leading direct deals in the territory as Director Consumer Products China. Gu continues to dual-report to Joseph Liao, CMO Beijing, and Jamie Stevens, EVP Worldwide Consumer Products.
Disney Chairman & CEO Robert Iger resigns from the White House business advisory council after President Trump announced that he is withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate accord. Iger was the only entertainment executive in the council.
Smith Holland, Crayola’s President & CEO, joins the Toy Association’s board of directors.
And the Award Goes to…
DHX Media’s Michael Donovan (Executive Chairman) and Steven DeNure (President & COO), were individually honoured for their contributions to the film industry. Donovan was inducted into the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame, while DeNurewas awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Youth Media Alliance (YMA).
Congrats to the 2017 LIMA Award Winners, celebrated this last week. Warner Bros. won big this year, grabbing three honors for its key brands at the 2017 LIMA International Licensing Awards. Hot Topic was another big winner, snagging Retailer of the Year for the second year in a row. They, as were the rest of the 20 winners, were chosen from a record 461 submissions this year. Here’s the full list.
Licensing Program
- Art/Design: V&A’s Victoria and Albert Museum
- Celebrity/Fashion: Open Hearts by Jane Seymour from Jane Seymour Designs/Licensing Matters
- Character/Toy Brand: DC Super Hero Girls from Warner Bros. Consumer Products
- Corporate Brand: Girl Scouts of the USA from Girl Scouts of the USA/The Wildflower Group
- Digital: Five Nights at Freddy’s from Scottgames/Striker Entertainment
- Film/TV/Entertainment–Animated: PAW Patrol from Spin Master
- Film/TV/Entertainment–Live-Action: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story from Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media
- Food & Beverage/Restaurant: Corona from Constellation Brands/The Joester Loria Group
- Sports: NFLPA
- Licensed Promotion: Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice & Turkish Airlines from Warner Bros. Consumer Products/Lisans A.S.
- Location-Based or Experiential Initiative: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal Studios Hollywood from Warner Bros. Consumer Products
- Retailer: Hot Topic for its Suicide Squad licensing program
Licensed Products
- Apparel/Footwear/Accessories: Coach for its Mickey & Minnie Mouse/Disney Coach Collection
- Appliances/Automotive/Electronics/Hardware/Housewares/Paint: Select Brands for its Disney/Pixar – Pixar Collection Slow Cooker
- Digital: NextGames – AMC’s The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land Mobile Game
- Food/Beverage (Tie): Finsbury Foods for its Shopkins Cupcake Queen Cake; and The J.M. Smucker Co. for its Pillsbury Girl Scout Cookie Inspired Baking Mixes
- Health & Beauty Aids: Clinique for its Crayola Limited Edition Chubby Stick Lip Balm
- Home Décor: Jay Franco & Sons for its Star Wars Back-to-College & Adult Bedding
- Publishing/Social Expression/Back-to-School: Scholastic Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes from Scholastic
- Toys/Games/Novelties/Role-Play: Mattel for its DC Super Hero Girls Action Figures