Total Licensing Spring 2018

Spring 2018

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Global The Renaissance of Kids’ Animation....................... 16 The World of Children’s Cartoons......................... 17 Children’s Publishing and Licensing......................... 26 Market Research - the Gender Difference........116 Pop-Up Stores - Emerging Models in Licensing.132

Europe Monster Entertainment............................................... 8 France Boys’ Entertainment Trends.............................. 18 The Market at a Glance..................................... 20 Nickelodeon Viacom Update............................ 24 Profile: Little Brother Books..................................... 31 The Tiger Who Came to Tea!................................... 32 Profile: Redan Publishing.......................................... 33 Italy Bologna Licensing Trade Fair...........................103 Girls’ Entertainment Brands...........................104 Pitti Bimbo and Licensing - a review.............106 Italian Licensing Industry Survey....................107 Mondo TV - Robot Trains and Heidi.............108 Rainbow - The Dream Factory.......................110 News from the Italian Market........................112 Nickelodeon Viacom Italy................................114

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Asia

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Licensing in Japan Market Roundtable..............................................119 Licensing Japan - a Preview................................120 Japan Market Update...........................................123 The World of TV Tokyo......................................126 Tiffcom and Japanese Content..........................128

Total Licensing Australia Starts on page 35 (TLA 1) March 2018

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Comment........................................................................ 6 Global News.................................................................. 8 Legally Speaking.........................................................130 The LIMA Column....................................................131 What’s On..................................................................134

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Australia News..........................................................TLA 6 Merchantwise Moose Toys.........................................................TLA 12 Shaun the Sheep..............................................TLA 14 Molang................................................................TLA 14 Uglydolls.............................................................TLA 14 Twentieth Century Fox....................................TLA 15 Sony Pictures.....................................................TLA 17 Lionsgate............................................................TLA 18 Digital and Gaming.........................................TLA 18 King Features Syndicate.................................TLA 20 May Gibbs..........................................................TLA 20 Enid Blyton.........................................................TLA 21 Howard Robinson’s Selfies..................................TLA 22 The Latest Nickelodeon.......................................TLA 24 Universal Brand Update......................................TLA 28 Haven heads into 2018......................................TLA 34 Music and Technology from Grassby................TLA 36 What do Kids Like? Australia versus the UK..................................TLA 38 The World of Breyer Horses...............................TLA 40 Disney Unveils Plans.............................................TLA 43 Theme Parks and the Gold Coast.....................TLA 44 Research from Kidz Global.................................TLA 47 Australian Toy, Hobby & Licensing Fair It’s Showtime!....................................................TLA 49 Show Floor Plan................................................TLA 50 Exhibitor lists.....................................................TLA 52 What’s on Show this year..............................TLA 54

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Co-Publisher Francesca Ash francesca@totallicensing.com

Co-Publisher Jerry Wooldridge jerry@totallicensing.com

Editorial Director Rebecca Ash becky@totallicensing.com

Business Development Manager Jo Cassidy joanna@totallicensing.com

Japanese Agent Roger Berman, ZenWorks rmb@zenworks.jp

TOTAL LICENSING LTD 4 Wadhurst Business Park Faircrouch Lane, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6PT UK Tel: +44 (0) 1892 782220 Fax: +44 (0) 1892 782226 www.totallicensing.com enquiries@totallicensing.com

© 2018 Total Licensing Ltd All illustrations are reproduced by permission of their owners. No part of this magazine may be copied or quoted without permission from the Publishers first. Total Licensing Ltd does not warrant or assume any legal liability for the accuracy or legality of contents, images or advertisements submitted to the magazine. Opinions of the contributing writers are their own and do not reflect the opinion of Total Licensing Ltd. Printed in England

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In these days of hard-pressed retail, I guess merchandisers will capitalise on any opportunity to sell product. But, just occasionally, this crosses the line. America’s reality TV show President is selling mugs and other items that bear the official seal of the President of the United States through his Trump Tower gift shop. He has also placed the Presidential seal on his golf course and has ordered golf course markers with the official seal of the President. Interestingly, all of this may well be illegal. Federal law prevents anyone from using the seal for anything other than official government business. Even with the broadest stretch of the imagination, Trump’s gift shop and golf courses don’t qualify. Certainly the wording on federal statue 18 USC 713 is “Whoever knowingly displays any printed or other likeness of the great seal of the United States, or of the seals of the President or the Vice President of the United States, or the seal of the United States Senate, or the seal of the United States House of Representatives, or the seal of the United States Congress, or any facsimile thereof, in, or in connection with, any advertisement, poster, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, public meeting, play, motion picture, telecast, or other production, or on any building, monument, or stationery, for the purpose of conveying, or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey, a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States or by any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.” Clear cut you would imagine. Until you realise that enforcement of the federal statue is left up to the White House counsel’s office! Trump, it seems, cares little for details. His rhetoric which saw him vow not to eat Oreo cookies anymore after Nabisco moved some US factory jobs to Mexico was well publicised. However, very little of Trump’s own product lines have been manufactured in the US. His shirts were made in China, Bangladesh, Honduras and Vietnam. Suits were made in Indonesia and Mexico, and eyeglasses made in China. His tabletop collection was created and manufactured in Slovenia. A lot of the amenities in his hotels are

non-US made. Pens come from China or Taiwan and toiletries from China. Across the Atlantic, and retailers are hoping for a boost by two Royal events this year - the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the birth of a third child for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Interestingly, with a few exceptions, the royal crest can be downloaded from the Queen’s website and used on products without a license. A ‘by Royal appointment’ whereby a company has official Royal patronage is, understandably, sought after. But there is nothing in law to stop somebody creating a Royal souvenir. Of course, this freedom inspires some to go beyond the line. Back in 1998, the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund sued The Franklin Mint claiming that the glut of Diana related merchandise diluted the value of her name. The lawsuit led to a 13 year legal battle which damaged the Franklin Mint who saw their sales plummet from $620 million in 1998 to $40 million in 2004. It also cost the memorial fund millions both in legal and settlement fees. Ahead of the upcoming Royal wedding, Royalists will be hoping to pick up official commemorative merchandise which has been produced for every Royal wedding, birth, Jubilee and other key events since Queen Victoria’s wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. The official ranges are proudly stamped ‘Made in Britain’ and the income from the official ranges contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. Income from the charity is used to maintain the various palaces as well as restoration work. The Royal Collection’s retail income last year was a little over £19 million, up from £15 million the year before. Away from matters of state and many of you will be attending one or more of the European trade shows this season - the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, MIP.TV, Kazachok and Cartoons on the Bay. Total Licensing will be present at these important events. Hopefully we will see many of our readers there. Francesca Ash Co-Publisher Jerry Wooldridge Co-Publisher

With Thanks to this Issue’s Contributing Writers: Cristina Angelucci Gregory Battersby Martin Brochstein John Collins

Jed Ferdinand Philippe Guieaudeau Julie Jones Bettina Koeckler

Roberta Nebbia Nick Richardson Utku Tansel Jonathan Watson

NEWS

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M4E GROW PROGRAMS M4E report that the Arthur and the Minimoys series, which comprises 26 x 26 minute episodes, is now ready for delivery. The series, that targets children aged five to nine, has already been sold to 22 countries to date and key broadcasters include Gulli and Tiji in France, Disney Channel Germany, Radio Canada, RTBF Belgium and Dadi Media in China. An Arthur in the Minimoys Kingdom themed area of 10,000 square metres has opened in Europa Park in Germany. In terms of licensing, Hachette is the master publisher in France with ranges of books, novels, activity books, stickers and colouring books. Further licensees include Prime for lucky charms for sale in France, Switzerland and Spain and Editions Soleil for comic books for France and French speaking territories. In addition, Panini have signed for sticker sheets, collections and trading cards for France and Benelux and Publics have signed for schoolbags, round

pencil case, pen holders and sports bags. Arthur and the Minimoys began with a series of 4 novels translated in 35 languages, and has sold more than three million copies worldwide. It is the first French animation film ranked among most successful children’s films ever in France. and the Arthur and the Minimoys trilogy has earned 143 million Euros. A further success story for M4E is Tip the Mouse. Season two comprising 26 x 7 minute episodes is now ready for

delivery, making a total of 78 episodes aimed at the preschool market. Key broadcasters are SuperRTL in Germany, Rai YoYo in Italy, France 5 in France, Tiny Pop in the UK, TVP abc in Poland and Disney Channel in Latin America. Simba Dickie is the master toy licensee. The series is based on the original character from the best-selling children’s book series by Andrea Dami, of which 11 million copies were sold worldwide, translated into 32 languages.

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TOTAL LICENSING

HIT SERIES THE DAY HENRY MET..? TAKES FIRST LICENSING STEPS Monster Entertainment has signed an Agency Agreement with Team Entertainment to build The Day Henry Met…? as a consumer products brand in Italy. Team Entertainment expects to announce the first batch of Italian licensing deals soon. Following a recent deal with RAI YoYo in Italy to broadcast series one and two of The Day Henry Met.., the show has ranked 5th among the most viewed programs on free children channels in the 13:00 to 18:00 time slot, with a 13.32% share of viewers aged 4-7. The Day Henry Met… performed similarly to Albero Azzurro and Peppa Pig, and has also received a morning timeslot on RAI YoYo. The deal with Team Entertainment follows a recent publishing deal for the United Kingdom and Ireland, with further publishing deals currently in discussion. The O’Brien Press will publish a series of picture books based on the show’s format, in Ireland and the UK later in 2018. The Day Henry Met… is also being featured in Busy Time Magazine every four weeks in the UK – two full pages – with a readership of 32,000. These are the first steps taken for Monster Entertainment’s planned rollout of licensing activities internationally. “ The O’Brien Press, with its long history of producing quality illustrated editions, is a perfect match for The Day Henry Met…” said O’Brien Press. “This publishing deal comes hot on the heels of Nickelodeon International acquiring the international broadcast

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rights to seasons 3 and 4 of hit preschool series. The Day Henry Met … has become a huge worldwide success since its first series was completed in 2015, with a third series available in March and a fourth series about to go into production, which will be finished by May of 2019. The series as a whole, 104 x 5mins, was acquired by Nick JR and shown in 178 countries worldwide. The Day Henry Met … was also picked up by ABC Australia, Canal + France,

RTÉ Ireland, TVO,TFO and Knowledge in Canada, RUV Iceland and most recently by RAI Italy, LTV Latvia and TVP Poland for Free TV as well as many other broadcasters and SVOD channels. The Day Henry Met … has had such positive ratings that Nickelodeon International, less than a year after picking up seasons 1 and 2, has renewed the rights for these seasons as well as committing to seasons 3 and 4. The Day Henry Met … is ranked as the top-rated pre-school series in Australia on Nick Junior with Nick Jr. UK ranking it as the number 8 show on the kid’s channel. The Day Henry Met has proved to be very popular with a total of 242.6k children aged 4 to 9 watching the show in Belgium and has been growing in performance since starting on Nickelodeon Netherlands and on Canal Plus in France with 40% share of viewers aged 4-14 on Eesti Rahvusringhaaling in Estonia. In total, The Day Henry Met …has reached a total of 869K viewers across the three regions of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. Team Entertainment is a brand management agency which operates and handles brands in the arts and lifestyle areas and has been appointed to be the exclusive Agent for Italy on this beautiful project. Among the existing brands which Team manages are Calimero Classic and CGI, Spike Team, Coconut Dragon, Grisù and Belle & Sebastien.

NEWS

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DISNEY CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF MICKEY MOUSE Disney recently announced the launch of a world-wide celebration honoring 90 years of Mickey Mouse. Since his big-screen debut in Steamboat Willie on 18th November 1928, Mickey has been the global ambassador for The Walt Disney Company. From the Mickey Mouse Club to today’s Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, Mickey’s personality continues to delight fans around the world. The cross-company festivities will continue through 2018 and beyond and will include an exclusive fashion show, a new television special, a celebration at Disney parks and resorts and much more. The party kicked off in early March with The Happiest Show on Earth— a runway fashion event featuring a Mickey-inspired collection designed by couture brand Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon. The show will also serve as Opening Ceremony’s Spring 2018 runway show and close out fashion week celebrations around the world. Select items from the Mickey collaboration were immediately available for sale at Opening Ceremony stores, while the remaining ready-to-wear looks will hit stores in November. The story of Minnie Mouse, who shares this milestone anniversary with Mickey and recently received her official star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, will also be celebrated at the fashion show. The celebration continues throughout 2018 and beyond. This autumn, ABC will air a star-studded celebration of

Mickey in honor of his birthday. Season 2 of Mickey and the Roadster Racers will launch in Autumn 2018 on Disney Junior and new Mickey shorts will air from Spring this year on Disney Channel. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts around the world will celebrate Mickey’s 90th on 18th November, marking the day with commemorative merchandise, photo locations and more. Beginning in late 2018 and into 2019 the World’s Biggest Mouse Party, saluting Mickey and Minnie, will take place at Disney Parks worldwide. Disney Stores will continue to celebrate milestone moments for Mickey

pins inspired by Mickey’s most memorable movie roles. Disney Publishing Worldwide will introduce more than 30 titles globally as part of Mickey’s 90th, including books, arts & crafts and comics. In addition, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will be celebrating Mickey’s 90th throughout 2018. From April 2018 Mickey fans across EMEA will be able to participate in an exciting project. To celebrate the beloved mouse, fans will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of a mash-up video showing how Mickey Mouse continues to inspire creativity and originality. These contributions will be ignited by social media influ-

Mouse with the Mickey Mouse Memories Collection (launched Jan. 2018), a monthly, limited-release series of 12 collectible plush, mugs and cloisonné

encers, who will kick-start Mickeyinspired challenges to encourage fans to see, create and share their own content.

EMOJI TEAMS UP WITH NESTLE emoji has teamed up with Freskas® Nestlé for the third time. The new edition of Freskas emoji will surprise teenagers in Mexico with a bag of 35 grams that will include a trendy woven bracelet in 8 different designs plus offering 5 different designs of collectible stickers included in the packaging. This promotion will be available for the Mexican market starting April 1st, 2018. “We are very proud

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to team up with Nestlé again who have developed a unique product: sponged caramel balls covered with chocolate milk and a tasty colorful filling which you discover just when you you bite it. Freskas by Nestlé has been in the market for more than 45 years and is a leading local brand “so Marco Hüsges, CEO of the emoji company. In Mexico products will be available at retail stores such as: WalMart, Chedraui, Soriana, La Comer, Oxxo, Seven Eleven, Extra, Sam´s, Costco and mom & pop stores.

NEWS

TOTAL LICENSING

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG FILM SEGA Holdings have announced that SEGA of America, Inc., has reached a final agreement with Paramount Pictures to co-produce a Sonic the Hedgehog feature film, set for theatrical release beginning in the United States on November 15, 2019, then rolling out internationally to markets around the world. This move represents an important next-step in the expansion of the Sonic the Hedgehog IP, bringing the character to new audiences globally. As part of the IP strategy for Sonic the Hedgehog, SEGA Group has been working to expand this character beyond the video game market to

become an entertainment franchise. Recently, Sonic has appeared as an animated character on television, consumer products, console and mobile games, and more.

“I am very honored that our companies, SEGA and Marza, have this incredible opportunity to partner with Paramount Pictures for this production, which will bring Sonic to the big screen for the first time. Since he was first introduced to the world 26 years ago, Sonic has continued to grow in popularity as part of our core strategy to focus on video games. In addition to video games, this provides SEGA with a fantastic opportunity to share Sonic with everyone and we can’t wait to reveal more to eager audiences in the future,” said SEGA Holdings Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Haruki Satomi. “Paramount will work closely with SEGA of America to bring Sonic to the big screen,” said Jim Gianopulos, Chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures. “We are incredibly excited to work with SEGA to bring this iconic property and character to audiences around the world. We look forward to our partnership on this great venture.”

ROBOCAR POLI After successfully launching 2 Robocar Poli Themed Restaurants in Taiwan, the third ribbon cutting ceremony was held October in Macau. The two-story restaurant is located in a residential area of Macau. The first floor has a dining place to serve food and beverages and a shop to sell Robocar Poli goods. The second floor has party rooms to host birthday parties and an indoor playground. Robocar Poli rescue team is also gearing up to meet children in Canada. Starting from 6th January 2018, Robocar Poli TV series has been on the Treehouse channel. Master toy lines were exclusively distributed at Toys’R’us from November 2017. After its launch in Canada, Robocar Poli’s popularity has been increased rapidly. During a Christmas promotion on Robocar Poli’s Canadian Facebook page, more than 500 fans participated even before TV launched. January also saw Robocar Poli and McDonald’s host a ‘Happy Meal with

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Robocar Poli’ promotion for their fans in Hong Kong and Macau. Robocar Poli Safety Story Books was based on 6 special episodes of Traffic Safety with Poli animation. These books include DIY paper work pages and stickers to learn traffic safety tips in an easier way. In total, 6 volumes were available and customers could get 2 volumes every 3 weeks. As this promotion became viral among customers, Robocar Poli Safety Story Books were out of stock in some branches. Finally, Robocar Poli and Sine Cast cooperated for Meet & Greet events in mega-sized shopping malls in Turkey during January. Robocar Poli Meet & Greet events were held in Trump Allsveris Merkezi, Istanbul and Podium AVM, Ankara. Meet & Greet session included Warm up with Songs, Stage Events, and photo opportunities with characters. More than 9,000 children participated during the event.

EX DISNEY EXEC LAUNCHES GROUP Jonathan Symington, former VP and GM of Global Entertainment Licensing at Disney Consumer Products has launched The Lantic Group a boutique business consultancy specialized in building brands through product launches, licensing strategies, and international expansion. Based in LA with a network in the UK, France, Sweden and China, thegroup offers global solutions by converging the tech, entertainment, and consumer products sectors. With over 25 years’ experience in consumer products marketing, media entertainment and brand licensing in Europe, Asia and the Americas, The Lantic Group provides specific category expertise in FMCG, technology, consumer electronics, toys, fashion, publishing, movie and tv studio content promotion. Prior to creating The Lantic Group, Symington spent over 15 years in key positions at Disney Consumer Products and Disney Publishing Worldwide, in Paris, Beijing, New York and Los Angeles. During his tenure at Disney he oversaw the global operations for book retail, book licensing, global licensing, live action studio licensing, and global entertainment licensing. Commenting, Jonathan Symington said, “​With the launch of The Lantic Group we are excited to help our clients grow their brands through licensing, product launches or international expansion. As the rate of innovation and disruption accelerates in the retail and consumer products space, we are here to enable brands to meet their growth challenges.”

NEWS

TOTAL LICENSING

GLOBAL LAUNCH FOR RAINBOW RANGERS Genius Brands International is preparing for the global debut of its all-new preschool series with the appointment of two international brand agents. Centa IP will handle content distribution and licensing for Rainbow Rangers throughout Australia and New Zealand, and Alicom will represent the brand’s licensing business in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland. “Our licensing and merchandising program in the U.S. for Rainbow Rangers is developing with an all-star line-up of partners, and we anticipate Alicom and Centa IP to join forces with licensing and retail partners in their respective territories that fully share our vision for this special brand,” comments Lloyd Mintz, SVP, Global Licensing, Genius Brands. “With the powerhouse of creative talent behind the creation of Rainbow Rangers, and the inventiveness that Genius Brands has clearly demonstrated in the development of the brand, we knew we had to be a part of it,” said Gail Mitchell, VP, Centa IP Asia-Pacific. “We look forward to partnering with best-in-class licensees and retailers throughout Australia and New Zealand to introduce young fans to the magical, colorful world of the Rangers.”

PUBLISHER FOR SUPER GEEK HEROES IN INDIA To support the launch of the Super Geek Heroes TV series in India, Primary Plus Media Ltd has also been announced as a new licensing partner for activity based magazines throughout the territory. Super Geek Heroes activity pages and stories will appear in fortnightly issue of the Little Primary Plus Magazine produced for pre-Nursery and Nursery aged children with activities to help teach the alphabet and numbers Activities including stories, puzzles and number games will also appear in the fortnightly Primary Plus Turtle title which is produced for Prep/ UKG & 1 children. The magazines are distributed in over 2,000 schools in India and they currently have in excess of one million subscribers.

HASBRO TAKE ON POWER RANGERS

“Rainbow Rangers is one of the most highly anticipated preschool properties we have come across in a long while, and we are so excited to share in the tremendous opportunity to create new branded product lines for retail that reflect the Rainbow Rangers universe of adventure, friendship and empowerment,” added Roland Lindholm, CEO & Co-Founder, Alicom. Currently in production on season one (52 x 11’ episodes), the CGI-animated series, Rainbow Rangers, follows the rescue-based adventures of seven 9-yearold girls who are Earth’s first responders – protecting people, animals, resources, and the natural beauty of our world. The series is slated to premiere in fall 2018 on the #1 rated kids’ network, Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. Genius Brands is also preparing for the U.S. launch of the retail program to follow the series premiere, which will begin rolling out in the U.S. in late spring 2019, continuing through back-to-school and holiday, and then into the international markets. The program is led by global master toy partner Mattel, Inc., and global master publisher Imprint, a part of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Additional key licensees include Global Brand Group’s American Marketing Enterprises for sleepwear, GBG Socks dba Planet Sox for socks and legwear, Dynacraft for bikes, trikes, scooters and wagons, Kiddieland for foot-to-floor ride-on toys, Kittrich/ Inkology for floor décor, stationary and school supplies, Kid Galaxy for bubble toys, Bentex for master apparel, Handcraft MFG for packaged underwear, Jay Franco Mfg. for bedding and bath, Global Design Concepts for bags, backpacks, H.E.R. Accessories for hair and jewelry accessories, and Taste Beauty for health and beauty products.

Hasbro has been named the global master toy licensee for Saban’s Power Rangers ending Bandai’s 25 year agreement. Under the terms of the agreement and in collaboration with Saban Brands, Hasbro will design, produce, and bring to market a wide variety of toys, games, and role-play items inspired by the franchise. Hasbro will hold the worldwide rights, excluding Japan and certain other Asian markets, effective as of April 1, 2019. The arrangement provides Saban Brands and Hasbro with the opportunity to initiate Hasbro’s purchase of the Power Rangers property. The range of products will be available in spring 2019.

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ALPHA GROUP Leading the way in toys and licensing

Mark Slater-Hyndman

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Established in 1993, Alpha Group Co. Ltd has grown into China’s largest and most successful animation, entertainment and toy group. With 3000+ employees and sales in over 60 countries, Alpha Group leads the way when it comes to design, manufacturing and marketing of toys and baby products. Boasting to be the first IPO of any animation and toy company in China, Alpha Group set out a strategy in 1993 as a toy business. The plan saw them developing to animation & toys in 2003 and in 2009 began IP Development through to 2013 and have since established themselves as a total family entertainment business with a 360’ strategy. The company benefits from a vertically integrated business mode with in house animation creation, toy manufacturing and operating with a truly global distribution network. The company is unique in that it is not only the owner and creator of many recognised animation brands, it also develops the innovative, quality toy collections, such as Super Wings, which has seen global toy sales of $165 million! Alpha Group ranks #1 for the number of intellectual properties

owned among all of China’s toy industry and has well established partnerships with national brands and global retailers. The company even owns its own TV station in China called Jia Jia TV which reaches over half a billion people daily! One of the key pillars of its growth strategy is international expansion through the establishment of Alpha subsidiaries in key markets. The group has subsidiaries in the UK, France, Nordics and the US. France handles the EMEA media, TV and licensing office and the US acts as the global hub for design and marketing. The animation giant also acquired over 80 companies located mostly in across Asia in 2016. The company works to the philosophy ‘bring joy, wisdom and dreams to the world,’ and works closely with leading national broadcasters and children’s channels, plus various influential print and news media outlets. In January 2017, as part of a strong and ambitious international expansion, Alpha Animation & Toys UK launched with just two employees. It has since grown to nine members of staff by January 2018, with new offices located in Gatwick. The UK subsidiary, started and headed by Mark Slater-Hyndman,

has seen hugely successful launches at retail across its key AW17 ranges. Super Wings, Drone Force, Sky Rover and Wave Racers with products featuring on national TV shows such as The Apprentice, along with Top Toy for Christmas guides across national print media have set a platform for the UK to build and expand. This year has seen the portfolio strengthening with launches of Miximals and Screechers Wild, announcements for SS 2019 with the link ups with global brand partners , Nickelodeon with Spongebob Squarepants and DHX with Massive Monster Mayhem serve notice that Alpha has a very promising future. Since securing dual broadcasting across Cartoonito and Tiny Pop for series one and two of its award winning preschool animation Super Wings. Alpha have also announced a licensing programme will be launching in AW18 encompassing key categories including apparel, ride-ons, publishing and stationery. A Super Wings film is also in discussions, with series arriving late 2018 and Series four already greenlit. There is also talks of a Super Wings stadium tour in 2020! Alpha Animation and Toys continues to bring new products, strong content, licensing partnerships, creative brand initiatives and integrated marketing campaigns throughout this year and beyond!

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Do you know that there’s a magazine specifically for the brand licensing sector around the world? Want to know more? www.totallicensing.com Editorial: Becky Ash - becky@totallicensing.com • Francesca Ash - francesca@totallicensing.com Advertising: Jerry Wooldridge - jerry@totallicensing.com • Joanna Cassidy - joanna@totallicensing.com

TOTAL LICENSING by Bettina Koeckler The Deal Factory bettina@dealfactory.org

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THE RENAISSANCE OF KIDS ANIMATION Some years back, when the Kidscreen Summit was still hosted in NYC, the atmosphere was filled with anxiety of producers discussing the future of an industry in dismay. The regulations of advertising unhealthy food and beverages to children, created in the EU in 2010, restricted broadcasters in their previously relatively relaxed advertising policy to children. –This drastically reduced revenue streams which as a result led to a complete restructuring of the TV landscape. Many kids’ content blocks were canceled whilst there was a concentration of children’s broadcasters around the globe, leaving only a dedicated few that made it their mission to offer quality entertainment for children. Consequently, air time became very limited and everybody was competing for the same slots in which to place their animated product whilst TV fees were on a downward spiral. And then the world changed. People wanted an open dialogue. From sharing sentiments and photos on Facebook it only took one year and by 2005, consumers were able to create their own videos and share them on YouTube for everybody to see. With the deeper engagement, more and more people used social media platforms to display their own stories and enjoy control over their own content consumption. The nonlinear media was born. From there it was a natural evolution to the OTT services, which presented a valid addition, if not alternative, to

the traditional world of linear television. With the launch of numerous tablets since the introduction of the iPad in 2010, devices became more affordable and consumers could access entertainment wherever and whenever they desired. Following the success of original productions like ‘House of Cards’, in late 2013 streaming services began to invest in original kids’ content. And by the time Kidscreen Summit moved to Miami in 2015, the sun was shining on kids’ animation again and not only because it moved from snowy New York! Over the past years, user generated content channels have exploded on YouTube, leading more sophisticated content producers to add YouTube to their platform mix, most recently several Turner networks. Unlike YouTube, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon are working on subscription models without advertising. They do not share any numbers or ratings, which makes it challenging to both identify and quantify audiences. Nevertheless, OTT services are a major force with healthy budgets for original content. The numbers available only show the total investment in all content, and they are significant: Netflix’ investment in 2018 will increase to $7-8bn from $6bn in 2017. Amazon’s spend has grown to $4.5bn while Hulu has a budget of $2.5bn. Facebook launched Watch last year with a $1bn spend for 2018 and Apple is producing original content and plan to increase their investment to $4.2bn by 2022. Not surprisingly, the Walt Disney

Bettina Koeckler Company will take control of their own content and launch their branded streaming portal in Fall 2019. So it’s a great time to be a producer with so many new platforms. But the conundrum seems to be how to successfully monetize the ancillary rights with so many unknowns in the mix. At this stage, making a proper case to licensees, promotion partners and retailers is difficult given the lack of consumer data. However, with projections of subscribers totaling 430 million across YouTube, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu platforms by 2020, we can imagine new opportunities on the horizon. Millennials’ shopping preferences and social media behavior has already caused the fashion industry to make changes, even to their production cycles, in order to accommodate innovations such as ‘see now buy now’ options during the fashion shows. With Amazon’s rapid expansion and the growth of successful niche etailers across a wide range of categories, ecommerce is expected to reach $2,489tn in 2018. Licensed product sales are already ahead of the trend with 21% being generated online where the overall share in 2016 was only 7.4%. I wonder, what innovations and experiments will we see over the coming years as the Consumer Products industry responds to the new ways of media consumption and purchasing behavior?

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MIPTV and Global Animation With MIPTV upon us, here are some highlights of top animation and licensing. MIPTV takes place 9-12 April 2018 in Cannes, France, and is one of the biggest weeks in TV of 2018 Zak Storm, the latest series from the creators of Miraculous Ladybug, achieved excellent ratings on its Spanish premiere and secured its first licensing agreements in a programme managed by Planeta Junior. The series launched on Clan, the pubcaster TVE children’s channel, in October 2017, and has achieved above the channel’s average ratings, becoming their second most watched action series in January. Initial licensing agreements include deals with companies like Airval, Artesanías, Cerdá, Cife, Claudio, Reig, Educa Borrás, Panini and many more. Bandai holds the worldwide master toy license. When it comes to licensed toys, Funko is a frontrunner, and the company’s brand-new range of Rick & Morty Pint Size Heroes hitting shelves. These mini figures come in the form of individual blind bags, and with a large number of characters to collect such as Rick, Morty, Birdperson, Snowball, and Mr Meeseeks, it’s hard not to find a reason to love these little figures. These instantly recognisable collectables are distinctively stylised and packed with character. As well as the expected main characters,

there are a host of weird and wonderful, much-loved side characters and variants on offer. From Scary Terry, to Pickle Rick, Warrior Summer, Lawyer Morty, and even the cheery assassin Krombopulos Michael, choose from a multitude of characters from all across the universe. Mythfits, from Technicolor, and created by Obie Scott Wade, are the offspring of famous mythological creatures and beloved animals. Alison Warner, VP, IP Sales, Acquisitions and Co-Production, Technicolor Creative Development commented: “What makes Mythfits stand out is the clear

focus of the concept… real + myth”. Each new character that’s introduced never ceases to put a smile on my face.” The target audience is four to seven years. The Jim Henson Company will attend MIPTV 2018 with a new season of the award-winning original series Dot., based on the popular children’s book by Randi Zuckerberg and produced by Industrial Brothers in association with The Jim Henson Company and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Targeted to upper-aged pre-school children, Trulli Tales from Gaumont, is an adventure comedy series set in the wondrous kingdom of Trulliland. Commissioning broadcasters are Disney Junior EMEA, RAI, Radio Canada and Globosat. The series launched in December 2017 on Disney Junior EMEA and in February 2018 on Disney Junior in Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. The series is co-produced with Groupe PVP Inc., Congedo Culturarte and Fandango.

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ENTERTAINMENT TRENDS FRENCH BOYS AGED 7 to 9

Philippe Guinaudeau Kidz Global philippe.guinaudeau @kidzglobal.com +33 (0) 6 7786 6720

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Knowing your market is vital to growing your business. Without a clear perception of your customer, how do you know what they’re interested in or whether they will care about your brand? This is especially important to consider when you are licensing products, as one wrong move can be a costly mistake. Trends change on a regular basis, and even more so with young children who can be easily swayed by the latest TV commercial. Kidz Global, the global market research company specialized in interviewing toddlers, children and teenagers – along with their parents – across 42 countries to identify their likes, dislikes, preferences and passions. Every year they see their results changing - but are also equipped with data that helps them predict the next ‘big thing’. In France, the seven to nineyear-old market makes up their ‘children’ segment and is full of energetic minds who can’t wait to share what TV shows they have been watching and which brands have made it into the prestigious number one spot on their Christmas list. With more than 850 brands tested with each wave, the results are pretty detailed. When it came to the boys, Lego is the hottest brand for popularity amongst the French boys. This was followed by Minions, Despicable Me, Pokemon and Nintendo Wii. Less popular were brands such as Shrek, The Secret Life of Pets, Iron Man, Captain America,Angry Birds, Asterix and Batman. For the most popular brands, each showed a year-on-year rise compared with the past wave, meaning none were on the decline. In some of the questions, the boys were asked questions without being prompted.This was known as ‘unaided awareness’ and led to the boys men-

tioning Lego the most – 20% of respondents mentioned it out of the top 30 most mentioned brands. It’s clear this construction-inspired toy has captured their minds and imaginations, despite it having been in circulation for decades and sometimes requiring patience and dexterity. Following Lego came Star Wars, Disney, Pokemon, Spider-Man, Playmobil and Marvel. At the bottom of the list with just 2% was Coca-Cola, and at 3% was Spongebob Squarepants, Mickey Mouse, Superman, Gulli, Netflix, Ben 10, Raving Rabbids, Adidas, NERF, and Nintendo. In aided awareness, 98% of the boys aged seven to nine were able to recognise Minions, Mickey Mouse and Lego. Other brands they could easily recall included Raving Rabbids, Ice Age, Cars the Movie, Mario Bros, Spider-Man, Pokemon, The Smurfs and Playmobil. As with children in many other countries, it seems television, films and car-

toons are the most influential source of brand awareness. 22 of the 30 brands – more than 50% - had been introduced this way, while 4 came from toy manufacturers, 3 from video game companies, and 1 from a comics company. When it came to likeability and brand attitudes, the top five were Despicable Me, Minions, Lego, Nintendo Wii and Superman. At the bottom of the list were The Incredible Hulk, Monopoly, Mickey Mouse, Tom & Jerry and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The popularity of Lego overall does also translate into purchases, with a whopping 95% owning Lego. That’s just 3% of those who were aware of Lego that didn’t also own the product. Given the many developmental skills Lego can offer, plus its historical legacy and the fact children can create imaginative stories with it, it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many of the children owned at least one of their

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Brand Matrix among French Boys 7-9, October 2017 Brand Matrix (Brand Popularity vs Merchandise Appeal) 30

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products. Many parents will support their children playing with Lego, and, in some cases, will enjoy building the models together as a shared activity. As a lot of parents will recall playing with Lego themselves when younger, they are passing on a lot of their own memories of the toy, which can increase brand loyalty.

40%

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11 Marvel 12 Toy Story 13 Batman 14 Angry Birds 15 Despicable Me 16 Raving Rabbids 17 Mario Bros 18 Transformers 19 Sony Playstation 20 Nintendo Wii Top of the children’s wish list for the next three months was… you guessed it… Lego! This was followed by Playmobil and Minions. However, there was also some potential untapped demand noticed within the list of wellknown brands, particularly with the likes of Nintendo Switch, How To Train Your Dragon, Lego Ninjago, Superman and Sony Playstation. The boys were most interested in buying products within the toys and games category, followed by PC software and console-based video games, then followed by clothing. Their favourite retail outlet was Carrefour, followed by online retailers, Leclerc, newsagents and Auchan. There is no doubt that these trends will continue to move and shift as time

60%

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21 Superman 22 Star Wars 23 Cars the Movie 24 Pokemon 25 Avengers 26 Lego Ninjago 27 Nerf 28 Minions 29 Playmobil 30 Lego goes on; however, Lego has remained popular for many years and continues to innovate new products. It seems highly unlikely that any brands will be able to make any monumental impact on the brand, although many seek to bring out cheaper replica products to imitate Lego’s success and tap into their avid and loyal fan base. Trends are constantly changing and at Kidz Global, research is conducted on a regular basis globally to keep abreast of these. With such research available, it is possible to start predicting where the market is headed to, and this is something Kidz Global offers businesses as part of their consultancy process. This can help buyers identify which licenses to opt for before the wider

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FRANCE

Market at a glance

One of the most famous French characters is, without doubt, Asterix. Born in 1959 thanks to Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny, Asterix the little Gaul is now a major licensed character, continuously appealing to new fans of all ages and from all around the world. In the publishing sector, the result is an off-the-wall phenomenon with more than 370 million copies sold internationally. It makes it the highest selling comic book series ever! Published simultaneously in 25 languages in October, the 37th album had an impressive first print-run of 5 million copies. And once again in the end of 2017, Asterix was the best-selling book in France and in Germany. Not only a huge publishing success, Asterix is a cross-media character: the nine animated movies and four live action movies released over the decades have brought more than 100 million people into movie theatres. And the Parc Asterix near Paris is the second most-visited theme park in France with two million visitors per year. In 2018, the adventure continues. After the success of the animated movie Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods, Asterix will be back in movie theatres in December 2018 with a new CGI movie: Asterix and the Secret of the Magic Potion. For the first time it is based on an original screenplay. Meanwhile, Parc Asterix keeps growing : a new hotel will open in 2018 and another one in 2019, transforming the Parc into an international resort. As a result, a growing number of new major partners and licensees will develop Asterix products and promos in the coming months. These include new exclusive chocolate boxes with Leonidas, exclusive products with some licensees based on a key visual from the movie, a gas station leader will also launch a huge promo campaign throughout summer and a FMCG supermarket leader will be linked with the release of the new animated movie.

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2017 was a very positive year for Biplano Licensing as some of the licenses they represent enjoyed major success including Masha and the Bear, Hello Kitty and Sony among others. Moreover, Biplano has signed agreements with two strong and reputed licensing agents in order to enlarge the offer to licensors. Biplano has reached an agreement with Maurizio Distefano in Italy and Sagoo in France in order to be formally and officially, commercial partners in those territories. In France, Masha and the Bear is enjoying great success. The show has been broadcast since 2015 with very good results. Masha and the Bear is in the top 4 of the best TV shows on Zouzous from France TV with a strong broadcasting plan in prime time. Masha and the Bear has a strong and comprehensive licensing program with major licensees in almost all product categories. Some of those licensees are international companies including Simba-Smoby as master toy, Hachette with more than 30 titles launched in 2017 and Ferrero with a sell-out promotion via their main brand, Kinder. Masha and the Bear also launched a Live Show in Paris that is enjoying success and in 2018, the show will do a tour around France. Another property that will have a significant impact in France over the coming years will be Angry Birds. In 2016, the launch of the first movie offered the opportunity to the French market to develop a complete licens-

ing program with strong retail plans. In 2018, Biplano will work on a long term licensing program to capitalise on the launch of the second movie in 2019

and a new TV series in 2020. Finally Biplano has agreed to incorporate two new properties into their portfolio in France - Lilybuds from Zodiak and Zafari from Ink.These two TV series will join Masha and the Bear and Miffy’s Adventures at on France TV. Paris-based Cyber ​​Group Studios has announced that Thierry Braille, formerly Vice-President and Managing Director for Disney Interactive (Europe, Middle East and Africa) has joined Cyber Group Studios’ team to run its new interactive division. Under the supervision of Dominique Bourse, Chief Operating Officer of the company, Thierry Braille will develop a full IP approach to Cyber Group Studios’ own or third-party brands developed as TV series, such as Gigantosaurus, Sadie Sparks, Zorro The Chronicles, ZOU or Taffy. The new interactive division will also aim at developing games and interactive experiences on digital platforms (IOS, android) as well as on traditional console platforms (Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Switch) and PC. A number of game concepts and opportunities have already been identified in the first two months of Thierry’s tenure and discussions are under way with major industry players. “I am very excited to work on worldwide known properties handled by Cyber Group Studios and bring my experience to contribute to building new digital ones” explained Thierry. Dominique Bourse added, “We are very pleased to work again with Thierry, a former colleague at Disney Interactive, whose experience will be instrumental is building our interactive gaming division, which I have spent the last year establishing”. France tv Distribution report that Find Me in Paris is a new live series for 8-12 year olds which will launch on Disney Channel by spring 2018 before airing on France 4 in 2019. Find Me in Paris tells the story of Lena,

TOTAL LICENSING Finally, Charley Goes to School achieved iconic status with a 20.6% market share for 4-10 year olds in January 2018.

a young dancer studying at the Paris Opera ballet school. Numerous products developed following the extensive style guide of this high-end production will be available in 2019. Little Brown Bear the learning buddy returns to France 5 in 2018 in an extended format (52 x 7’) with adventure-loaded stories. The updated new characters have led to a novel style guide focusing on the new series’ 3D design. Following the success of Grizzy and the Lemmings – 24.4% peak of audience share for 4-10 year olds season 2 (78 x 7’) is scheduled for 2018. The animated series follows Grizzy and a family of lemmings. France tv distribution’s also handle a number of perennial properties. PJ Masks continues to be a major hit on Zouzous - with 29% of audience share for 4-10 year olds. Season 2 is currently airing on France 5 along with a rerun of Season 1 on France 4. PJ Masks boasts over 30 licensees and enjoyed fantastic results during the Christmas period. There are a number of upcoming retail promotions in stores for 2018. With great ratings and high visibility on France 5, Peppa Pig enjoys 32% of market share for 4-10 year olds, and over 5.5 million digital views. Following major sales over the Christmas period and a notable exhibit at the Paris Aquarium, Peppa is set for another success-filled year in 2018 with a dedicated promotion in CGR movie theaters and new product ranges. With 13 million books sold each year, Mr Men and Little Miss have new projects. The partnership with Société Générale bank will continue in 2018 and a Buffalo Grill promotion is scheduled for April.

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Home Made Licensing in Paris currently represent two key brands for licensing. The Shadoks is an animated television series created by French cartoonist Jacques Rouxel. It was first broadcast back in 1968 and crossed the Channel in 1973 when it was broadcast in the UK on Thames television. The Shadoks has become a significant cultural, literary and philosophical phenomenon in France and Home Made Licensing are capitalising on its unique properties. 100drine is a design-based brand based on 100drine’s famous Metal Boxes. 100drine also creates bric-abrac of other products including bags, purses, crockery, coffee cups and mugs, napkins, table sets, wash bags, framed posters, recipe books, notebooks and more. Millimages report that thanks to its exposure on Piwi+ and TF1 with record monthly ratings of 1.5 million viewers and 4.65 million contacts, Molang continues to attract new licensees. Tomy has been the European master toy licensee since 2016 and has already developed a collection of plush and figures available at Carrefour, Leclerc, Cora, JouéClub, Maxi Toys, Fnac and Picwic and starting from December at Toys’r’us. The main objective of Tomy France is to make Molang the next major girls kawaï phenomenon as it transcend cartoons with friendship, solidarity and happiness values. The cuteness in the characters’ design are relevant to a wide audience and have already won over a large fan community in France and throughout the world. For 2018, Tomy’s catalogue includes over 21 plush skus and 14 figurines and will be added to by new versions by the end of the year. French publisher Flammarion has already produced 12 books since November 2016 via its Père Castor collection. The small books, flapbooks and albums are available at Carrefour, Auchan, Fnac,

Cultura and many other independent bookstores across France. In addition, The Fleurus Presse has produced two special editions of its Abricot magazine totally dedicated to Molang in February and November 2017 with stories, games, an alphabet and sticker. Sun City, a leader in licensed apparel in France is currently developing a collection of daywear and nightwear for kids together with accessories, swimwear and underwear for Fall 2018. A leader in European footwear products, Chauss-Europ, will offer shoes and

slippers in France and Benelux from September 2018. Over and above these, French home textile manufacturer CTI will also launch a collection of, bed linen, pillow cases, towels and more for France and Benelux. Finally, a partnership was established with Paris Aéroports, from February 2017 to December 2018: Several tablets with the Molang game application and series episodes were made available in CDG and Orly airports in areas specifically dedicated to young fans. Nelvana France are representing a number of third-party properties including Super-Wings from Alpha and Beyblade from Sunrights. Super-Wings comprises two seasons of 52 episodes x 11 minutes with seasons three and four in production. The property is broadcast on TF1 in their TFOU block and, in terms of licensing, Super-Wings has more than 250 licensees worldwide. In France these include toys and games from Canal Toys, Pic & Roll, Clementoni, Play by Play, Famosa, Tap Ball and D’Arpeje. Apparel and accessories have been

TOTAL LICENSING signed by Sun City, Easy Licences, Sahinler, Chauss-Europ and ATM whilst confectionery has been licensed to Dekora and Bonbon Buddies. Publishing is available from Hemma and Panini and DVD’s from Citel. Beyblade with one season of 51 x 26 minutes, and two seasons in the pipeline is broadcast on Gulli and Canal J. It is in the Top Ten of the most viewed programs on Replay. Season two will begin airing on Canal J from April and Gulli from September. Hasbro is the master toy licensees. More than 23.5 million Euros of sales for Beyblade products took place before Christmas last year and the property was the leading action figure for the year. There are currently ten licensees including Livres Du Dragon D’Or for publishing, Panini for magazines and activity books, Kaze for manga, Citel for DVDs, Sun City for apparel, D’Arpeje for outdoor products, ATM for back to school, Ravensburger for puzzles, Leomil for shoes and CTI for bed linen. Finally, Nelvana are licensing the Mysticons. Aimed at girls aged 6 to 11, the first series comprises 40 x 22 minute episodes and will begin broadcasting on Gulli from Spring this year. Playmates is the master toy licensee with Topps signed for trading cards. Giochi Preziosi handle French toy distribution with products scheduled to launch in September. Sophie la girafe has announced the launch of its Sophie la girafe webseries in the USA.The first episodes launched in February on the web platform Hulu, for the first time in English. The initial offering includes ten training episodes and five nursery rhymes. The webseries has been available in France since October 2017 and in Russia since February and has enjoyed significant success with almost a million views. With more than 30 million products sold per year and 300 active contracts, TF1 Licences is a key player in the heart of a media and entertainment ecosystem positioned as “The number one content marketplace” in France.

This has allowed TF1 Licences, combined with the Group’s media expertise to develop their activity across entertainment businesses like: games, shows, music and cinema. With over than 25 years of experience, it has been growing and building up value of major brands in 3 key sectors: kids, lifestyle and sports. Some of their most iconic brands are Haribo, The Smurfs, Barbapapa, The Voice, Dancing with the stars, All Blacks… In 2018, TF1 Licences will keep developing its catalogue. Mastering the art of kids animation, the French properties co-produced by the number one TV channel in France TF1, will be central in the portfolio. Kids will be enthused to discover Marblegen, co-produced by TF1 and Monello. Targeting the 6-9 years old, Marblegen will also be distributed through video (with TF1 Video), comics, manga, novels and activity books (Le Lombard, Kana, Pocket Jeunesse and Les Livres du Dragon d’Or). French master toy partner: Lansay will also launch products including marbles, marble throwing accessories and gadgets, training fields, etc. TF1 Licences also represents the already famous Miraculous, Ladybug, a

French-American-Japanese project, first launched in Korea in 2015 and since bought by over 120 countries! With over 30 million views for the official video clip, Miraculous has enjoyed a highly successful season 2 on TF1. Guess, 2 has an apparel range, Musee Grevin has statues and 30 partners are developing products including Ferrero, Bandai, Hachette, TV Mania, Zara, Festina, Nice, Panini and IMC. For grown-ups and their children, Monchhichi is back. Created in 1974 by Sekiguchi, and featured in four animated series (including Japan, USA and France), the famous little character

will appear in 3D in a new TV series - a TF1 coproduction with Technicolor Animation. Monchhichi Tribe will launch figurines, vehicles and playsets with Silverlit, activity books with Les Livres du Dragon d’Or, story books with Pocket Jeunesse, decoration and tableware with Cijep, puzzles with Ravensburger, DVD with TF1 Vidéo, baby cosmetics with Kosméo , apparel with MLP. Xilam report that 2018 is going to be hugely exciting. Their brands are at a key point in their evolution and they have a range of product launched in key categories. Oggy and the Cockroaches in particular is going to have a significant presence at retail this year. Master toy licensee, Lansay, recently launched its Oggy and the Cockroaches toy line in France including plush, 3D figurines, plush key rings and card games. Lansay is also in the process of developing three additional Oggy products for Christmas 2018, including an electronic plush, an electronic bug catcher with sounds and an Oggy action game. Xilam is further boosting the Oggy and the Cockroaches brand into gaming following the recent appointment of Nazara Technologies Ltd, a global mobile game company. Nazara will launch a raft of new captivating mobile games for younger audiences that underscore the hilarious, entertaining brand values of Oggy and the Cockroaches. The first game is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2018 in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East. Additionally, this year Oggy and the Cockroaches celebrates twenty years with a swathe of initiatives and partnerships to celebrate this milestone in France as well as internationally.

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Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products Sees Strong Results in France Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products has enjoyed an exciting year of new developments in France, with a range of exciting distribution deals, and by continually reinventing itself by leveraging beloved properties and exploring new opportunities. PAW Patrol continued to perform strongly in the French market with an increase of 12% from 2016 to 2017, saw 3 items place in the top 50 total toy market (Vehicle + Figure, PAW Patroller and HQ), and was the #2 Licensed Character in Illustrated Books with 2 million books sold since launch. In addition, the popular show was the top series on TF1, with ratings of more than 400K viewers per episode and was the top DVD for kids, outside of Movies. 2018 will witness the launch of new PAW Patrol products including a consumer electronic range with Lexibook, car seats with Team Tex and ice cream flavors with Incom.

SpongeBob Square Pants maintained its strong position both in the fashion and promotion businesses, evidenced by a renewed partnership with Undiz for regular collections throughout the year, and a new promo with Burger King from January to March. International collaborations include a deal with Vans announced on February 19th, a new Master Toy AlphaToys deal for 2019, and a licensee agreement with Freegun to launch adults and kids’

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underwear lines in Spring 2018. Evergreen property the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reaffirmed its presence in the promo business with two special partners: Burger King in September 2017 and Ferrero for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018, featuring millions of Kinder Surprise eggs. TMNT will also be included in the Freegun underwear agreement and will be featured in the launch of adult comics with Hi Comics, Bragelonne’s new label. 2018 will also witness some exciting innovative launches for NVCP in France, like the launch of Shimmer and Shine consumer products with Mattel Fisher Price this spring and The Loud House, which was the top series on Gulli since launching in September. After enjoying up to 500k viewers per episode, the successful show will launch a publishing program with Hacette in April, including novelization (La Bibliothèque Rose) and comics, with apparel and DVDs to follow. This innovative spirit continues to be a key driver of NVCP in France, as demonstrated by the creation of the first cobranded Nickelodeon streaming platform with Burger King in January, granting access to the best episodes from the strongest series of Nickelodeon and Nickelodeon Teen channels (Avatar, Sam & Cat, SBSP, Loud House and the Thundermans). And the Brand looks forward to the launch of the 1st Nickelodeon Slime product, this summer with Sambro. Finally, NVCP in France continues to drive a 360-degree strategy for the brand, complimenting Nickelodeon pay TV channels and FTA partner channels with strong digital exposure and licensee campaigns, as well as the Nickelodeon Tour, the biggest kid focused on-the-ground event for pay TV, with 100 days of activities from Febru-

ary through November in ski resorts, Klepierre malls and Sunelia Summer resorts. Highlights include animations and costume characters’ show featuring PAW Patrol, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob Square Pants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Loud House, Shimmer & Shine, Rusty Rivets. About Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP): Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) oversees all merchandising and retail operations for Viacom Inc, one of the world’s leading multimedia entertainment companies and home to such powerhouse brands as Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central. With a diverse portfolio spanning animation, preschool, student and youthoriented licenses, NVCP is committed to providing key partner development and innovative marketing solutions, ensuring the highest quality product offering across some of the world’s most powerful TV and entertainment properties, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

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Shining the Spotlight on Publishing and Licensing

Licensing plays a major part in the publishing industry. And publishing is a key license for many properties. It has always been this way, with many of the key properties popular at the moment and for years in the past having their roots in publishing. The growth of World Book Day and licensed characters is ample evidence of this. As school children all over the country braved the snow to dress up as their favourite book characters for World Book Day in the UK, the Roald Dahl Story Company supported this landmark literary event more strongly than ever before. Retailers nationwide including George, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Argos and Morrisons sold a record number of Smiffy’s Roald Dahl dress up costumes. Social media was flooded with pictures of children dressed up as their favourite Roald Dahl characters in costumes, bought or DIY’d at home. George and M&S also complimented the cross category offering with 5 new Roald Dahl nightwear SKU’s across The BFG, Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. February has seen new publishing hit the shelves; including a brand-new edition of James and the Giant Peach complete with fuzzy-as-peach-flesh stickers and James’s Giant

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Bug Book. Stephanie Griggs – Licensing Director for the Roald Dahl Story Company said: “World Book Day is such an impactful and important event in terms of sharing the love of stories, characters and reading. With Kirsten Grant as Director, World Book Day has become so energetic and inventive and grown in stature and impact accordingly. For a brand like Roald Dahl, it’s important to support such important grassroots work as

strongly as we can, to play our part in encouraging parents to read more to their kids and in general to contribute to this epic celebration of stories and storytelling in schools, bookshops and homes throughout the UK.” On the back of World Book day, Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been voted most-loved children’s book ever, adding to its existing status as the most read children’s book in the UK. A study of 2,000 parents by ChannelMum.com – the UK’s fastest-growing parenting community and website – found that the classic story of a caterpillar that turns into a beautiful butterfly was the top children’s book that parents love to read to their kids. Great news for Rocket Licensing who continue to grow the caterpillar’s appeal with developmental toys, plush, games, bedding, puzzles, craft and activity sets, greeting cards and much more. It has also inspired a successful licensing campaign. In the UK, where Rocket Licensing manages The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The World of Eric Carle brands on behalf of global agent the Joester Loria Group, the range of Hungry Caterpillar licensed product, distribution and sales in the UK has grown significantly since Rocket took on the brand in 2012 and is still growing.

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The campaign has already seen the world’s favourite caterpillar inspire lines of developmental toys, plush, games, bedding, puzzles, craft and activity sets, greeting cards, juice and much more. There’s even an award-winning app! My Very Hungry Caterpillar app from StoryToys combines elements of the book with fun play features in a wide range of interactive activities. And 2018 will see even more activity with a licensing and retail line-up that including games, gardening kits, colouring packs, dot-to-dot books, melamine, children’s baking kits, Christmas cards, greeting cards, advent calendars, socks and new babywear ranges for spring/ summer and autumn/winter 2018. Magic Light Pictures has been bringing the much-loved books of author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Sheffler (including The Gruffalo, Stick Man, Room on the Broom, The Highway Rat) and Roald Dahl (Revolting Rhymes) to screen. Three of the films – The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Revolting Rhymes – earned Magic Light Oscar nominations for Best Animated Short Film. Continuing their Donaldson/Sheffler relationship Magic Light is currently in production with their latest special,

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an adaptation of Zog. The endearing story about the keenest and most accident prone dragon in school, which is set to premiere on BBC One this Christmas. The anticipated new Peter Rabbit movie hits the world around Easter time, and Penguin has been busy signings licensing deals around both the new and classic versions of Beatrix Potter’s most famous bunny. The new Little Joule collection is fun and colourful, showcasing playful hand-drawn illustrations of Peter and his friends. Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddle-Duck and Squirrel Nutkin all make an appearance in a range that includes a jersey denim jacket, wellies, tops, raincoats and bags. The clothing range is under license from Penguin

Ventures, part of Penguin Random House UK, and Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. Somerbond is launching adult nightwear, and Rainbow Designs will launch a plush and toy range Jumbo is set to release puzzles, RH Smith & Son are signed for dress-up. Somerbond will be launching a range of adult nightwear, meanwhile RH Smith & Son Ltd has been confirmed for dress up products. “The response to the Peter Rabbit movie from licensees has been fabulous,” said Susan Bolsover, licensing and consumer products director at Penguin Venture. “We’re thrilled to have such a high calibre of partners on-board who have really embraced this new adventure for Peter Rabbit.” -The World of Dinosaur Roar, the new preschool property owned by kids’ media company Nurture Rights, created by Peter Curtis and produced in association with the Natural History Museum in London, is celebrating World Book Day in the best way possible – by appearing in new territories and new languages. The first titles in the Macmillan Children’s Books published series of The World of Dinosaur Roar books are now available in France, where they are published by Larousse, and Norway, where they are published by Gyldendal. Editorial Bruño will publish versions in Catalan and Castillian for the Spanish market, while Salani will

TOTAL LICENSING bring Dinosaur Roar and friends to the Italian market and Sinisukk is producing Estonian versions. The books are also published in Australia, New Zealand and Canada where they are published by Pan Macmillan. Mondo TV has announced an agreement with independent publisher Kennedy Publishing to feature Robot Trains in its pre-school publication 321Go! The arrival of Robot Trains in the magazine coincides with the imminent launch of the new children’s 3D CGI animated action-adventure show on Cartoonito UK. 321Go!, a pre-school children’s magazine devoted to stories, puzzles, crafts and more, will feature Robot Trains in six issues, beginning with issue 6, which went on sale on the 28th of February 2018, shortly before the prime time launch of Robot Trains in the UK in March. Each issue will contain at least one activity page devoted to the speedy and brave inhabitants of Train World. Enid Blyton’s first book was published 96 years ago! Hundreds of millions of copies have been sold and 2017 marked the 75th anniversary of one of her best-known series – The Famous Five, which has also inspired a range of tongue-in-cheek books for adults, such as Five On Brexit Island and Five Give Up the Booze, which have regularly topped the bestseller charts. The author’s other titles include The Magic Faraway Tree, The Twins at St Clare’s, Malory Towers and The Secret Seven. Enid Blyton regularly features in the top-ten list of the UK’s best-selling authors, and also has huge international appeal. She is the fourth most translated author in history - after Agatha Christie, Jules Verne and William

Shakespeare. Bulldog has leveraged the author’s huge cross-generational popularity to build a strong licensing programme across a wide variety of sectors, which includes a recently signed apparel

deal with Poetic Brands. In addition, a range of greetings cards from Danilo, based on the adult covers, is pulling in big sales, and puzzles from Gibsons are proving popular. Smiffy’s has released World Book Day 2018 fancy dress featuring characters from The Famous Five, Malory Towers and The Twins at St Clare’s, whilst Lagoon will soon launch a card games range. Also, Widdop and Co. Ltd is on board for a range of products, including ceramics, glassware, kitchen accessories, camping kits, cushions, gardening items and baking items. Bulldog Licensing has also signed a new deal to represent one of the biggest brands in childrens’ publishing – That’s not my…. Published by Us-

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borne,That’s not my… is the best-selling series of touchy-feely board books aimed at babies and pre-schoolers by author Fiona Watt. The series has sold over 5 million books in the UK, and over 20 million worldwide. There are over 50 That’s not my… titles including That’s not my puppy, That’s not my fairy and That’s not my teddy, as well as a number of seasonal favourites including That’s not my chick for Easter and That’s not my elf for Christmas. Each page features a different texture, such as soft fur or crinkly skin, which is designed to encourage sensory awareness and interactive play. That’s not my unicorn - published last year as the special 50th title – is the highest seller to date, and was the best-selling baby book of 2017. Dennicci is already on board for baby apparel, which launched in Mothercare just before Christmas, and Bulldog is currently in talks with several poten-

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tial partners across a range of categories. In the 40th anniversary year of Panini’s first UK domestic football sticker album (‘Football 78’), many of those who took part in the craze that dominated school playgrounds during the ‘80s remain a prime target market for the Italian company and those licensing the brand. Each time there is a World Cup year the collectables giant comes into its own, with hundreds upon hundreds of millions of packets of stickers due to be sold worldwide in the next few months now the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Panini sticker album has launched. Although Panini have never officially released definitive figures, the 2014 Brasil edition was the biggest-selling World Cup sticker album ever. Now the company introduces the ‘Panini Heritage Range’ – as part of the FIFA World Cup Collection.

Click Distribution and Bioworld International have both licensed the past Panini World Cup album covers to bring out items that are certain to be of interest to grown-ups who remember immersing themselves in the collections when they originally landed in the shops. Milton Keynes-based Click is bringing out mugs, keyrings and lithographs depicting each of the first 12 Panini World Cup albums (1970 to 2014). National Geographic Kids Books has announced Explorer Academy publishing this fall. Inspired by the real adventures of the National Geographic’s explorers, Explorer Academy features a group of diverse students who are invited to join an exclusive school for explorersin-training, complete with codebreaking classes and augmented reality field trips. The seven-book series follows 12-year-old Cruz Coronado, a surfer from Hawaii. The seven-book series by Trudi Trueit is filled with real-world science, code-breaking and a gripping narrative. “Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret book 1 of the series, goes on sale this fall and is slated to publish simultaneously in nine languages, with other translated editions to be added regularly. Beyond publishing, the series will serve as National Geographic’s first global franchise to include consumer products, family entertainment centers, family travel and education. National Geographic Kids Books is also launching a brand new children’s fiction imprint (called Under the Stars) for Explorer Academy and all future fiction titles. The imprint will feature fictional stories based on the research and adventures of National Geographic’s leading scientists, photographers, and journalists. Publishing one fictional book series per year, the imprint will focus on one or more core National Geographic subjects, including geography, history, space, STEM, exploration, and world cultures. Each book will work as a stand-alone publication, but will also be part of a transmedia experience, conceived and produced such that the characters and narrative arcs work on various platforms, from print to digital to screens of all sizes.

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Little Brother Books scores with L.O.L. Surprise Little Brother Books was very quick to react to the success of L.O.L. Surprise by releasing their L.O.L. Surprise 2018 Edition in October last year. It was an instant success, selling 150,000 copies in limited retailer distribution due to the lateness of the release. Building on this success, LBB has announced their latest L.O.L. release, # My Totally Awesome L.O.L. Surprise Art, Fun and Play Annual, which hit all major retailers from 1st March. L.O.L. Surprise is the hottest brand on the market right now, therefore LBB and MGA have pulled out all the stops to bring forward this release so that retailers can capitalise on the huge consumer demand for L.O.L. Surprise at present. LBB was proud to release the first official licensed L.O.L. product on the market globally last year (following similar success with Pokémon Go in 2016), demonstrating their unique ability to react to the latest hot crazes and market trends each year. Their speed to react and flexibility to create leading products means they can bring products to the market immediately and offer retailers and customers exactly what they are looking for. LBB are the UK’s only specialist Annuals and Promotions publisher offering retailers dedicated POS and retail packages to maximise seasonal impulse sales. In 2018 LBB is releasing an Activity & Sticker range aimed at the Easter and Summer school holidays, as well as a leading Christmas Annuals range, later this year. This year’s ranges will include many of the hottest brands on the market such as

CBeebies, Little Mix, Minecraft, L.O.L. Surprise, Shoot, WWE and more. Matthew Reynolds, MD at LBB, commented “We are delighted to be releasing our next L.O.L. Surprise title earlier than expected, so that our retailers can capitalise on the huge success of L.O.L at present. We know many retailers have found it difficult to get enough L.O.L. toy stock so our products have allowed them to keep offering their customers L.O.L. products. We are very proud to have had the first official L.O.L. Surprise licensed product in the world, on the market last year, showing LBB’s unique

ability to react to latest market trends. It is very important to us to give our retailers exactly what their customers want, so releasing the hottest brands and leading ranges is critical to this. We are excited to continue our rapid growth in 2018, with big plans for our existing and new retail partners.”

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TOTAL LICENSING A conversation with John Collins Commercial Brand and Licensing Development Director, HarperCollins

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Celebrating 50 Years of The Tiger Who Came for Tea Why do you think that after 50 years The Tiger Who Came for Tea is as popular as ever? The story of The Tiger Who Came to Tea is magical, universal and timeless. A child’s awe in 1968 at seeing Sophie open the door to a friendly Tiger is no different to the reaction children have now. The succession of unexpected and audacious moves by the Tiger as he works his way through the cupboards is just so funny and so captivating. And then he simply leaves, which means the story itself never really ends for anyone – that Tiger is still out there, being invited in for tea by generation after generation of young readers, who themselves grow up bringing the story to their own children. What have you got planned for the 50th Anniversary? It’s a truly golden year for The Tiger Who Came to Tea. The paperback book is being re-released this month with a special anniversary cover and a foreword from Judith. We also have a luxury pop-up book and a beautiful hardback gift edition launching later this year. Excitingly, the anniversary sees the first-ever brand extension publishing in the form of The Tiger Who Came to Tea Party Book, which contains everything you need to hold the perfect Tiger tea party. We’ve also got big plans in all other areas, with 50 unmissable Tiger tea parties, high-profile partnerships including an exhibition at National trust sites, retail activity, and a major PR campaign with the incredible Judith Kerr at the heart of the celebrations – particularly as she will also be celebrating her 95th birthday this year! Author Judith Kerr has clearly had an interesting and varied life - what inspired her to write The Tiger Who Came to Tea? Judith tells how she used to love taking her very young daughter, Tacy, to London Zoo and particularly liked looking at the “beautiful” tigers. Inspired by this, she made up what she says was “just a bedtime story” for Tacy. Reciting it time and again, Judith knew it by heart and refined it based on the reaction on her daughter’s face to the various parts. As a talented artist too, she was then able to translate the words into pictures, and remembers debating what the tiger might look like and whether or not he should have clothes. And so the tiger was born that we know and love to this day. How much are you appealing to new audiences, as well as their parents and grandparents? It’s vital to appeal to new young audiences as they will be the ones who carry the tale on to future generations. However, it’s the adult readers who will introduce the tiger to them

and so there are very clearly two audiences that we want to feel can participate in this year’s celebrations. Experiential activity, through tea parties and retail events and exhibitions, will be as important as engagement with the book itself. How much brand extension on the brand has there been in the past? The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a one-off story and so it is absolutely vital that it is protected. Brand extension is therefore not something that has been carried out to a significant degree. We have worked hard over the years to ensure that any extension has been the right thing to do, and has retained the story’s integrity, warmth and appeal. David Wood’s hugely successful stage show is possibly the highest profile extension so far, enhancing the story with quality and magic for live audiences. When I started the licensing programme for the brand in 2012, we were conscious to ensure that the chosen categories were appropriate to the title, and that the licensees were best-in-class. Aurora, Paul Lamond Games and VMC have all been a part of this licensing journey with us, as have supportive retailers including John Lewis and Waterstones. We now have other great partners like Woodmansterne creating even more beautiful and on-brand products – and we hope to announce stationery, lunchwares, apparel and homewares during this celebration year. What about global recognition - will this anniversary be celebrated around the world? Most definitely. The Tiger Who Came to Tea is British in heritage but global in themes – generosity, acceptance, fantasy, humour. It has been taken into the hearts of millions of children around the world, and we are building on that success both with our international offices and our translation publishers to roll-out the anniversary titles and celebration plans in key territories to invite consumers and retailers to the party! How important is this anniversary to HarperCollins? The Tiger Who Came to Tea has always been of enormous importance to HarperCollins since it first reached children’s bookshelves. However, the anniversary year provides us with new and exciting ways for children and families to celebrate the world’s favourite teatime companion. It will rekindle parents’ and grandparents’ own affection for the story, and bring the book into new little hands. It will also act as the springboard for the next 50 years of magic, demonstrating the extent of the story’s affection that will help bring new brand partners to the tea table. Could you share a quote from Judith Kerr? The last word should definitely be saved for Judith herself: “Tacy was rather critical of my other stories but used to say, ‘Talk the tiger!’. So, when she and her brother were both at school and I had more time, I thought I would make it into a picture book – and much to my amazement, here it still is 50 years later.”

TOTAL LICENSING Julie Jones, MD, Redan Publishing Ltd

The children’s magazine sector benefits from the wholesome reputation of publishing At a time when parents and children alike are being encouraged to cut down on screen time and concentrate on spending time together as a family, the children’s magazine sector is really benefitting from the wholesome reputation of print-based media. Certainly at Redan, the most recent ABC results were hugely encouraging with our Peppa magazines maintaining their top two positions in the Preschool sector and our multi-character titles Sparkle World, Fun To Learn Friends and Fun To Learn Favourites all posting year on year increases. These positive results are even more impressive when you factor in how over-crowded the primary girls and pre-school magazine markets are, with new launches being a regular occurrence along with the growth of the collectibles market. With so many new and exciting characters to choose from, it’s increasingly difficult to pick which ones are going

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to be the most successful in the magazine publishing sector. Having a raft of established, multicharacter titles, with great presence at retail gives us a great platform for trialling new characters, before progressing to stand alone launches and our Bag-O-Fun series means we can publish a one shot for a movie or untested character, quickly and with minimal risk. In order to publish a really flourishing stand-alone you need to identify the evergreen characters which is easier said than done! It’s a costly business launching new titles and publishers really need to have faith in the brand’s long term appeal in order to make that investment work. As the leading independent publisher of pre-school magazines in the UK we are constantly looking for ways to bolster the market and offer our customers more of what they want at great value for money. A key part of this is ensuring we have top quality content which is fun and engaging, that ticks all the boxes in terms of the latest educational guidelines and provides plenty of opportunities for parents and carers to read and create with their little ones. Recent studies have proved how beneficial regular reading can be to children’s literacy and our highly skilled editorial team goes to great lengths to ensure that our magazines encourage this practice, along with other key learning skills. In the next 12 months we are launching a new multi-character title and brand new stand-alone magazine as

well as publishing several one-shots under the Bag-O-Fun banner. This month’s launch, Fun To learn Friends Art, fills a gap in the market for a dedicated craft magazine, where children and parents can spend quality time together, creating and learning alongside their favourite characters. No other children’s magazines are dedicated to craft activities based around hugely popular characters like Peppa, Paw Patrol and PJ Masks. Once inside the magazine, we hope that Redan’s reputation for the highest quality editorial and great value for money will shine through for our readers. The Peter Rabbit Bag-O-Fun one-shot is also out this month, to tie in with the film release and we’re hoping this issue will replicate the huge success of our Paddington 2 one shot. We also have a seasonal one-shot planned with The Snowman and the Snowdog for Bag-O-Fun over the Christmas period. So we are looking forward to a busy and highly productive 2018!

March 2018 For licensing opportunities contact: Naomi Sheahan at Haven Naomi@havenglobal.com

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA March 2018 For licensing opportunities contact: Naomi Sheahan at Haven Naomi@havenglobal.com

March 2018 Co-Publisher Editor-in-Chief Francesca Ash francesca@totallicensing.com Co-Publisher Jerry Wooldridge jerry@totallicensing.com Editorial Director/ Editor Rebecca Ash becky@totallicensing.com Business Development Joanna Cassidy joanna@totallicensing.com Subscriptions and Circulation www.totallicensing.com/ subscribe.html

Total Licensing Australia is published as a special issue of Total Licensing magazine.

Total Licensing Ltd 4 Wadhurst Business Park Faircrouch Lane Wadhurst East Sussex TN5 6PT England Tel: +44 1892 782220 Fax: +44 1892 782226 www.totallicensing.com

Japan Agent Roger Berman, ZenWorks rmb@zenworks.jp

Printed in England © 2018 Total Licensing Ltd

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Australia News...............................................................TLA 6 Merchantwise Moose Toys.............................................................. TLA 12 Shaun the Sheep................................................... TLA 14 Molang..................................................................... TLA 14 Uglydolls.................................................................. TLA 14 Twentieth Century Fox......................................... TLA 15 Sony Pictures.......................................................... TLA 17 Lionsgate................................................................. TLA 18 Digital and Gaming.............................................. TLA 18 King Features Syndicate...................................... TLA 20 May Gibbs............................................................... TLA 20 Enid Blyton.............................................................. TLA 21 Howard Robinson’s Selfies....................................... TLA 22 The Latest Nickelodeon............................................ TLA 24

Universal Brand Update........................................... TLA 28 Haven heads into 2018........................................... TLA 34 Music and Technology from Grassby..................... TLA 36 What do Kids Like? Australia versus the UK....................................... TLA 38 The World of Breyer Horses.................................... TLA 40 Disney Unveils Plans.................................................. TLA 43 Theme Parks and the Gold Coast.......................... TLA 44 Research from Kidz Global...................................... TLA 47 Australian Toy, Hobby & Licensing Fair It’s Showtime!......................................................... TLA 49 Show Floor Plan..................................................... TLA 50 Exhibitor lists.......................................................... TLA 52 What’s on Show this year................................... TLA 54

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

BBC SET FOR A BIG YEAR 2018 is set to be an exciting year for BBC Worldwide ANZ in the licensing space with new properties and extensions to existing favourites. Ahead of the anticipated series 11 launch this year, Jodie Whittaker made her debut as the first female Doctor Who in the Christmas Special - Twice Upon a Time. The special attracted 500,000 (consolidated) viewers on ABC, and 150,000 fans attended the cinema screening. BBC Worldwide ANZ (BBCW ANZ) has signed a host of licensing deals with new and existing partners. Leading the charge at retail are Ikon Collectables with launch plans across S11 toys, new Pop Vinyl and figurines based on the Mr. Men/Doctor Who collaboration. Other best-in-class licensees include Impact Posters (stationery), NZ Mint (Legal Tender Coins), Loungefly (accessories) and Caprice (apparel) to name a few. Series Two of Go Jetters launched on

ABCKids in November 2017, with the Jetters learning about science and geography. This additional narrative brings opportunities through new vehicles, costumes and science-based product. So far in 2018, Go Jetters has been ABCKids’s sixth highest rating programme. In the live space, fans can meet the disco-grooving Ubercorn via new costume character partner, Showtime Attractions. 2017 was a big year for Duggee with The Hey Duggee Cinema Experience playing at 80 cinemas across Australia, two BAFTAs and an international Emmy added to the trophy cabinet, over 1 billion views across streaming platforms in China, the series expanding to cover 150 territories and a third series commissioned and expected to air at the end of 2018. In Australia, BBCW ANZ has renewed the toy, plush and tableware license with Jasnor Australia and signed up new partners Winning Moves for Junior Guess

AUSTRALIAN LICENSES FOR JUVE Italian football giant Juventus Football Club S.p.A is expanding its global presence with a range of new licensed product collections in Japan, China and Australia. The deals were brokered by IMG, Juventus’ licensing representative in Asian territories, Australia and New Zealand. Since appointing IMG in 2016, the Italian club’s licensee portfolio has grown to include new product categories in these markets including apparel, gadgets, car accessories and luggage. In addition to an exclusive branded luggage collection and apparel lines already in market in China, two new apparel collections will be available in Japan by the beginning of 2018. One will feature animated Juventus illustrations, while the other will consist of specially designed jackets, shirts, sweatshirts and polo shirts. The brand is also set to launch car accessories including seat covers, cushions and sun shades in Japan, as well as game cards, phone cases, keychains, wallets and mugs. Juventus products

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are available on e-commerce platforms, such as VIP.com, and in multibrand stores in select shopping malls. “We are delighted to be building our licensing programme in Asia and Australia and driving the Juventus brand into diverse new categories and products,” said Luca Montesion, Licensing Manager at Juventus FC. “We are looking forward to exploring further opportunities in these markets with the support of IMG.” “We have had a successful run of signings in our first year working with Juventus and continue to receive huge interest in the brand,” added Marcelo Cordeiro, Licensing Director, IMG. “The unveiling of Juventus’ new identity and logo presents many opportunities for future brand extension..”

Who & Top Trumps and Designworks Clothing Company for infant apparel. Now supported by Big W, Toys ‘R’ Us, Myer and Coles, there will be new product available throughout the year. Blue Planet II, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, premiered on Channel Nine in February. The show launched in the UK last year attracting an audience of 14.4 million. Over 140 images from the series have been cleared for licensee use, featuring an array of aquatic animals and an exclusive look into Earth’s hidden watery vistas. Top Gear returns this year to 9GO. With a strong history in licensed gift, apparel and car care, the new series offers an array of licensing opportunities. Brigid Roberts, Manager of Licensing and Sponsorship said: ‘It’s a big year for our brand portfolio and we look forward to working with our licensees and partners on new and exciting products.’

NUK MICKEY MOUSE RANGE Classic Disney characters, Mickey & Minnie Mouse are bringing joy to the whole family with the NUK range of bottles, cups, soothers and accessories. The orthodontic NUK Shape is approved by the Oral Dental Health Foundation and is clinically proven to support the problem-free switching between bottle and breastfeeding.The NUK Mickey Mouse range is available in vibrant red and charcoal designs and is BPA free.

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Blue Chip Brands report that Ironman has made an impact in the sports nutrition space with the launch of a range of food products through licensee Go Natural Pty Ltd. Go Natural released three varieties of Ironman protein bars in late 2017 and followed this up with the release of a collection of energy bars and energy gels in early 2018. Ironman protein powder and protein balls will also be released in the coming months creating a complete nutritional product range to be distributed through major supermarkets, health retailers and convenience

stores. Ironman has also extended its licensing partnership with Brands RMJ Pty Ltd beyond soda crystals to include anti chafe roll-on and balm, a magnesium mineral spray for muscle recovery and a range of personal care products for release in the second half of 2018. Blue Chip Brands is looking to build on the brand’s strong identity and reputation in complimentary categories such as vitamins, sports recovery accessories such as sports braces and tape as well as training accessories.

AFL TIE IN WITH ODDBODS Australia’s biggest sports organisation, the Australian Football League (AFL), has teamed up with Emmy nominated globally acclaimed, Oddbods for the launch of the AFL Beginner’s Guide to Footy. With the objective of bringing new fans into the sport, the partnership fully integrates the Oddbods brand across the AFL’s communication platforms using exclusive content, including three pieces of bespoke Oddbods animation that each highlight the unique rules and inclusive culture of the beloved sport in the Oddbods’ humorous way. There will be in-stadium screenings, in-school activations, digital channel integration, club and player collaborations, on-ground events and more starring the seven Oddbods characters. “The AFL and Oddbods are the perfect fit; both brands embrace individuality, fun and teamwork. Partnering with the AFL on this initiative allows us to interact with Oddbods fans in a whole new and meaningful way against the exciting backdrop of Australia’s national game.” comments Anabel Higgin, Marketing Director of One Animation, the studio behind the show. “Australian Football is a big part of this country’s family life, with adults and kids of all ages watching on TV, in stadium, or participating themselves in community programs and local leagues,” AFL Head of Programs and Market Development, Alistair Dobson said. “We fully expect the Oddbods partnership to bring plenty of fun to Australian Football, and are very much looking forward to it!”

JW CONSULTING AND EVOLUTION PROPERTIES Since 2017, JW Brand Consulting, headed by Jason Wang, has been acting as the Australian and New Zealand arm of Evolution USA, enabling its key properties Sunny Bunnies, Narcos, Hello Neighbor as well as Japanese hit anime titles One Punch Man and Death Note from VIZ Media. Sunny Bunnies is a non-dialogue CGI animation comedy for kids aged 3-6. Two series total of 52 x 3.5 minute episodes are already released, with a third season in production. The show is now broadcasted in more than 160 territories with partners such as Disney Junior in the US, Australia, NZ, EMEA and Japan,. Hello Neighbor is a new video game that utilises adaptive artificial intelligence as an opponent that learns from the player’s moves, making each subsequent attempt more challenging. The game has already garnered more than 600 million combined views on YouTube. Since its release in December 2017, the game has already sold more than 410k units in the first month including 24k+ Australian users. Funko leads the merchandise roll out with a collection of 6 Pop! Vinyls, and other global licensees such as Just Toys, Zag Toys and Scholastic to follow. JW Brand Consulting is also the licensing agent in Australia, NZ and Japan for Hamsta World. The brand is already making strides globally with major licensees. A feature collection of Hamsta merchandise will debut at Primark stores from July 2018.

Exhibitors

IRONMAN PROTEIN BARS

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Entertainment One continues to expand PJ Masks and Peppa Pig licensing in Australia PJ Masks continues to take Australian preschoolers by storm in 2018. Entertainment One (eOne) has grown its strong line up of partners for the PJ Masks Australian consumer products program, which already boasts over 25 licensees, across a variety of key categories, including toys and games, dress ups, publishing, apparel, back to school products, homewares and FMCG product.

Just Play’s successful PJ Masks master toy line, distributed to the Australian market by The Brand Exchange, is racing towards the top of the Infant and Preschool charts. Best-selling items to date include core vehicles, the PJ Masks Headquarters playset and dress-ups. ‘PJ Masks: Time to be a Hero’ – the brands’ first DVD title, released in November 2017 has well-exceeded any sales expectations, with The Entertainment Store advising that the PJ Masks character appearances are one of the top requested acts in their company portfolio! This April sees the premiere of the

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brand-new 2nd season on Disney Junior Australia, which introduces new characters, sets and vehicles and will ensure the brand continues its status as a preschool television ratings leader; not only on Disney Jr. but also on ABC KIDS. In further news, the 3rd season of PJ Masks has gone into production. Later this year will also see the premiere of the new Australian live stageshow: PJ Masks Live, which tours Australia following a phenomenal tour across North America. eOne continues its growth plans in 2018 with none-other than one of Australia’s favourite preschool brands – Peppa Pig. Now entering its 6th year of the Australian consumer products program, the brand has expanded into various new categories and refreshed many product lines in the retail market. The brand-new 7th season of Peppa Pig, which debuted on ABC KIDS from mid-2017, has again been a winner in the preschool ratings, with even more episodes & content continuing to rollout throughout 2018. Peppa Pig continues to refresh core products across various categories, as well as adding new product lines in the Australian market. New licensees include Nurturecare, with the intro-

duction in Peppa Pig nappy pants and wipes in late 2017, a new confectionery range with Park Avenue Foods and a new puzzles range with MJM Australia. Big Balloon continues to rollout classic toy lines incorporating refreshed figures and playsets, alongside Penguin’s new book titles which rollout across 2018, with both partners incorporating new content from Season 7. A new national live tour, Peppa Pig’s Surprise, will premiere this coming May 2018 and tour across all major Australian cities. Trish Padoin, General Manager at eOne Licensing Australia comments “PJ Masks has certainly captured the hearts of not only Aussie preschoolers, but parents too! The brand has gained strong momentum with leading TV ratings and also with live character appearances in great demand for little ones across the nation.“ Padoin continues, “Peppa Pig is now entering its 6th year of brand licensing in Australia, and still going from strength to strength, with new S7 content driving new and refreshed product in the retail market. We look forward to seeing these new product categories and ranges continuing to expand at retail across both brands.”

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

NATASHA’S WOOD Lawless Entertainment in the US is marketing Natasha’s Wood with the world! Natasha’s Wood is an adventure story, targeted to children ages 4-8, that takes us deep into an enchanted, Australian bush-land. In this bush-land, winged creatures, fairies, drumming-dragons, a tap-dancing Emu, a beat-boxing dude named Beetle-Butt, and other mythical beings join forces with a human girl, Natasha. Natasha doesn’t know it yet, but she’s a fairy and her violin’s bow is her magic wand. This unlikely mob of musical friends will always stage an adventurous musical concert to protect their charmed fairy-bower home. Natasha’s Wood creator, Fay Maddison, has published the first early reader picture book in the Natasha’s Wood series. With her magic wand – a paint brush – Fay has also designed a sparkling, Natasha’s Wood clothing line that captures the characters from her manu-

scripts for a tween series of novels. The manuscript is adapted from her feature film screenplay – Natasha’s Wood - Musical Wands and Magic Paint Brushes. Each picture book of the first titles in the series will include art created by children. Creator Fay Maddison grew up in the town of Darwin, Australia. The “outback” hometown was hot, humid, and alive with exotic birds and insects. Nestled against a backdrop of rainbow-colored cliffs, the town’s beaches were skirted by overgrown tropical bushes and majestic trees. The sea brought in treasures, flotsam, and jetsam from faraway lands. The magic of the land, the bush, and the beaches stirred this young girl’s imagination and her love of story was

born. Lawless Entertainment is currently seeking co-production partners for this project.

DUCATI APPAREL IN AUSTRALIA Van der Erve – through its subsidiary Beconnected (HK) have secured the apparel rights for the Ducati Brand into both the Australian and New Zealand markets. The brand will be launched with a capsule apparel collection to the retailer Jeans West instore in May. The collection includes winter long and short sleeve vintage tops. Discussions are currently taking place with selected retail partners for summer 2018. Ducati is the first brand into the market for Van der Erve. Plans to develop further license brands in addition to this are well developed.

NEW RANGE FROM PETER ALEXANDER Cartoon Network is celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Powerpuff Girls with the launch of a new range of sleepwear by Peter Alexander. Following the release of the Peter Alexander sleepwear range as part of the brand’s Wanna Play collection, and an exclusive unveiling in Sydney, the celebration continued with the global rollout of new episodes and products. Fourth sister Bliss, voiced locally by Australian-Chinese YouTube superstar ‘Wengie’, will also make a return throughout the year in new episodes. “We are so excited to be working with Peter Alexander to highlight the enduring legacy of the show and

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the girlpower it embodies,” said Robi Stanton, General Manager of Turner Australia, which operates Cartoon Network. “This colourful pop-culture collection shows both the incredible bond between sisters, and just like The Powerpuff Girls, the PJ’s are completely super-cute and super-fierce!”

Peter Alexander is the latest name on a long list that includes: designer Jeremy Scott and Moschino on a global fashion collaboration that was launched in 2016, along with Hot Topic, Spin Master, McDonalds, Ferrero, Cold Stone Creamery, IMG Worlds, Cartoon Network Amazone, Live Nation and Hachette The girls will also be a major part of the branding on the recently-announced Cartoon Network Wave, the first ever Cartoon Network-branded cruise liner which will be making its maiden voyage to Australia soon after it launches in late 2018.

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MERCHANTWISE TAKING BRANDS FURTHER The Merchantwise Group is a leading brand licensing, creative and digital marketing agency in Australia and New Zealand. For over 18 years, Merchantwise has supported many of the world’s best loved brands and properties across children’s entertainment, film and television, digital and gaming, music, icons and legends. Here is a round-up of the latest news and new entertainment properties in the next 12-18 months. WE

KIDS ENTERTAINMENT

MOOSE TOYS Shopkins - The No. 1 girls collectible brand For the third year running, Shopkins™ continues to be the #1 girls collectible brand in the world, generating more than $1 billion in global retail sales. In 2018, a variety of world class partners join the franchise, including Skechers

Pikmi Pops - off to a scent-sational start! Shopkins junior apparel now available in-store and online. 2018 will see Moose’s biggest investment and product development to date, with two new waves of Shopkins toys, new Shopkins Happy Places sets and over 30 new Shoppies dolls releasing. Moose continues to support the franchise with new entertainment, digital and mobile content streaming on YouTube and Netflix as well as a Wild Style movie to air in over 100 cinemas across Australia.

Cutie Cars - The Wheelie Cut Collectible – rolling out footwear in Australia in Feb 18; PEZ, which will launch with three Shopkins Pez dispensers in March 2018; and H&M with a range of

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strong sales in Australia and round the world. Each Cutie Car has its own personality with a die-cast body and a Mini Shopkin in the driver’s seat. Further collectibles have just been released in season 2, with season 3 planned for August 2018. The Cutie Cars licensing program will premiere in September, targeting a younger age demo of 3+ years.

When Shopkins go for a spin what do they ride in? Cutie Cars™, of course! The latest addition to the Shopkins franchise launched in 2017, achieving

Pikmi Pops™ are the big lollipops filled with cute mini-plushies and so many sweet surprises for you! Season 1 launched in Oct 17 with over 45 gorgeous scented plushies to collect. The first two weeks of Pikmi

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA Pops sales exceeded the first two weeks of Shopkins S1 sales on launch, with retailers struggling to maintain sufficient stock to keep up with demand. Online, fans are going crazy for Pikmi Pops.

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Uglydolls movie coming in 2017 The Uglydolls brand represents embracing all that makes us special and unique.

Season 2 launches in Australia and the USA in March, featuring all new Pikmi’s and loveable jumbo characters. Plans are underway to launch a targeted range of licensed products in late 2018, targeting children 6+ years.

Shaun The Sheep Coolest Hero on Turf

Shaun The Sheep is the award winning, stop-frame animated family show with adventure, friendship and silliness at its heart. Produced by Aardman, Shaun The Sheep is a global success story loved across 170 territories. The brand has over 180 licensing and merchandising partners worldwide.

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Molang Momentum Builds down-under

What started as a doodle in a love letter between creators David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim became a global plush toy craze, achieving $150M in specialty retail sales.

Born from a Korean emoji, Molang – which means ‘super soft’ in Korean – is a happy, curious rabbit who lives with his friend, Piu Piu, a sensitive and shy little chick. The quirky and lovable TV show - produced by French animation house, Millimages – airs in over 150 countries on Disney Junior and other channels and is consumed by millions on Youtube and other social media platforms.

In Australia, Shaun The Sheep broadcasts on both ABC Kids and ABC Me channels daily, regularly rating amongst the top 10 shows for kids with over 250,000 viewers per episode and millions streaming via ABC Kids iView and ABC Me apps.

Seasons 1 and 2, comprising of 104 episodes, will also launch on ABC TV in 2018. Season 3 now in production.

In 2017, Shaun celebrated 10 years on TV and was a highlight of the recent Wallace & Gromit and Friends exhibition at ACMI in Melbourne which ran for 6 months.

Molang’s momentum is building strongly in the world of consumer products. The brand already has over 30 licensees launching product in 2018.

Following the success of the first Shaun the Sheep Movie in 2015, a major sequel is planned for 2019.

In Australia, master toy partner Tomy released a range of super-soft plush at Myer in Oct 2017, with stock flying off the shelf. Collectible figures and play-sets will roll out from April 2018. Other product categories are also in development including apparel, bags and footwear.

Merchantwise is pleased to be working with Aardman to develop a range of licensing initiatives in Australia and NZ, including live entertainment and attractions. A new toy line will launch from Jan 2019.

FILM & TV

Now STX Entertainment and acclaimed director Robert Rodriguez are combining to bring the UGLYDOLLS to life in a major new animated film scheduled for May 2019, backed by an extensive global marketing campaign. Digital short form entertainment and TV series are also in development. With over 68 loveable characters and a distinctive design aesthetic, the brand lends itself well to licensing and merchandising. Over 25 licensees have already been appointed with a major new toy partnership to be announced shortly. Licensing and retail partnerships are now in active development for Australia and New Zealand.

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA Family Guy hits new milestones Family Guy continues to entertain its global fan base with razor-sharp humor, spot-on parodies, and orchestra-backed original music. Since its

The Simpsons 30th season coming soon The longest-running scripted show in TV history, The Simpsons continues to be one of world’s best loved and most watched entertainment franchises. Currently airing its 29th season, this pop culture phenomenon has won every conceivable award including 32 Emmys and 34 Annies. In Fall 2018,The Simpsons will enter its unprecedented 30th season. In Australia, The Simpsons is moving network to a home on Channel 7, while Fox Home Entertainment released season 18 for the first time in December 2017.

debut, the series has achieved cult status among fans, and its breakout star, a talking baby, has become one of the greatest TV characters of all time. Family Guy has racked up numerous awards, including an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, only the second animated series in television history to be honored with such a distinction. The series’ creator and lead voice actor, Seth MacFarlane (voice of “Brian Griffin,” “Peter Griffin” and “Stewie Griffin”), recently won the 2017 Emmy Award for Outstanding Character VoiceOver Performance. Family Guy is celebrating two incredible milestones. In January this year, Family Guy celebrated their 300th episode with the 20th anniversary celebration to follow in 2019.

Bob’s Burgers movie in the works

A wide array of licensed apparel, accessories, stationery and giftware are available at Australian and New Zealand retail. New local partnerships include The Simpsons Tic Tacs, launching in grocery and other channels beginning in June 2018.

Bob’s Burgers the movie has been announced for worldwide cinematic release in 2020. Winner of the 2017 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Animated Program, Bob’s Burgers has become one of the world’s best loved TV shows, recently returning to air for its beefed-up eighth season. Maintaining a close connection to the show’s loyal viewers, the season premiere featured animation inspired by fan-created artwork. The upcom-

ing season also will feature its annual holiday-themed episodes and all-new and returning guest voices, including Adam Driver, Fred Savage and Maria Bamford. Bob’s Burgers has been a breakout licensing success in the US and more recently here in Australia. Bob’s Burgers fans of all ages are loving tees now available at Jay Jays with other specialty channels and product categories to roll out from 2018.

Alita Brought to Life in December 2018

Visionary filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) create a ground breaking new heroine in Alita Battle Angel, an action-packed story of hope, love and empowerment. Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita (Rosa Salazar) is found in the scrapyard by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic to rebuild her. As the movie unfolds, Alita’s journey

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA becomes one of love, self-discovery and realizing that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, one person can make a difference. Alita Battle Angel is releasing in theatres nationwide on 21st December and will be supported by a licensing program including statues, high-end collectibles and publishing.

Starring Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg, Drac’s family and friends find adventure, high jinks and even romance on a luxury cruise ship.

Spies in Disguise to star Will Smith and Tom Holland Star pair Will Smith and Tom Holland and are teaming up for a new animated espionage buddy comedy, Spies in Disguise. Based on Lucas Martell’s animated original short Pigeon: Impossible, Spies in Disguise comes from Fox Animation, Chernin Entertainment and Blue Sky Studios.

Jumanji tramples the box office Sony Pictures’ comedy adventure Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle has delighted audiences and raked in over $850M in Global Box Office, including over $40M in Australia and NZ.

In Australia, the film is scheduled for release in July 2018, followed by the home entertainment release - just in time for Halloween 2018. The Hotel Transylvania TV series launched on the Disney Channel in 2017, achieving no. 1 ratings in its timeslot. The series is nominated for a Kidscreen award and a second season is in production. The new master toy range from Jazwares with be distributed by Banter Toys in Australia, launching in June 2018. Other local licensees include Scholastic, Caprice and Hunter Leisure.

Men In Black reboot in production

Will Smith is to star as the voice of Lance Stirling, an uber-spy at the top of his game, alongside Tom Holland as the voice of Walter, a socially awkward genius who designs Lance’s gadgets. The odd couple find they must learn to work as a team and rely on each other in new ways when Lance is inadvertently transformed into a pigeon. Spies in Disguise is slated to arrive in theatres on January 18, 2019.

The film’s all star comedy cast includes Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan. Sony Home Entertainment will release April 2018 and there’s more exciting news on the horizon for a sequel - stay tuned!

The Drac Pack is Back!

The Drac Pack is hitting the high seas in HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3, the next installment of the monster animated film franchise that has delivered over a billion in global box office, home entertainment and merchandise sales.

One of the most successful franchises is coming back to entertain audiences of all ages. MIB is a $1.6 billion global film franchise and is both recognizable and iconic worldwide. Sony Pictures will release MIB4 in June 2019. The new film is driven by a top team of writers, producers and directors, including visionary producers Steven Spielberg, Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald. New to the team is high-octane director F. Gary Gray.

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA The film will feature new recruits and agents, global and international locations, a whole new collection of weapons and vehicles and of course aliens!

against the corrupt English crown in a thrilling action-adventure. The film is packed with gritty battlefield exploits, mind-blowing fight sequences and a timeless romance.

Cult fan favourite John Wick is back for more Bestseller comes to life in Chaos Walking

In March 2019, Director Doug Liman will bring to the big screen CHAOS WALKING, based on the first book of the bestselling trilogy by award winning novelist Patrick Ness. The sci-fi adventure stars Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley as two unlikely teenage companions forced on a white-knuckle adventure into an unexplored planet – trying to escape and hide in an environment where all thought is heard, all movement seen – as they both discover the truth about the lives they left behind and the spectacular world they’ve learned to call home.

JOHN WICK is the cult film franchise starring Keanu Reeves as a retired but deadly hitman seeking vengeance. The first two films were successful both critically and commercially, grossing over $260 million globally. A third film is currently in development and is set to release in May 2019. A TV series based on the infamous hotel The Continental is currently in development.

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DIGITAL AND GAMING

Since its launch, emoji® has become a licensing sensation, teaming up with more than 500 partners from all over the world, including high-profile partners including Walmart, Zara, New Era, Nestle, Nikon, Cheetos, Lee, Donut King, Kellogg’s, Dominos Pizza, Krispy Kreme, Penguin Books, Specsavers, Fuji Photo, and more. There is no standing still for the brand. Emoji’s team of in house designers are constantly working on the creation of new icons, patterns and artwork for application across multiple categories. The emoji® brand is a vibrant life style brand that aims to bring joy to consumers while assuring a high quality in both design and production.

Space Invaders turns 40

Robin Hood reimagined In cinemas September 2018, ROBIN HOOD is the legend reimagined with gritty, modern superhero flare, directed by Otto Bathurst and co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. A war-hardened Crusader Hood (Taron Egerton) and a ish commander Little John Foxx) mount an audacious

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Robin Moor(Jamie revolt

Global lifestyle sensation Emojis are a universal language – over 6 billion are sent daily through messaging and social media platforms. Inspired by this phenomenon, the emoji company was founded in 2013, creating an iconic lifestyle brand with an unbeatable expressive power. Today, the emoji company is registered in all major territories around the globe in up to 25 classes for goods and services. In total, almost 10,000 high vectorized icons have been developed from scratch and filed for copyright protection.

In 2018 Space Invaders celebrates 40 years - the world famous classic arcade video game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado was first released in 1978. Hugely successful on release, Space Invaders transformed video games into a global industry.

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA Now a true pop culture brand icon, it is referenced in film and television and features as part of video game and cultural exhibitions. 2017 saw a successful Cotton On program with the brand, encompassing stationary in Typo and a range of women’s tees. A Cotton On Kids range is set to launch in early 2018. In celebration of the 40th Anniversary, the Perth Mint will release a limited 1oz silver lenticular coin in impressive miniature console packaging, sure to impress game fans and collectors alike.

In October 2017, the reluctant hero became one Tough Mudder, teaming up with the world’s best mud run to ‘get strong’ and be ‘strong to the finish.’ Popeye the Sailorman branding popped at flagship Australian Tough Mudder events in Melbourne and Sydney.

In late January 2018, street wear label Lazy Oaf partnered with Betty Boop in a streetwear collection for women and men, that consists of 15 pieces, inspired by the original 1930’s cartoons, vintage memorabilia and the very best artwork from an extensive Betty Boop archive.

More than 25,000 participants were met in the mud by Popeye the Sailorman via a three-month, health-focused integrated campaign across online, including a dedicated training microsite, obstacle course branding and social media platforms.

Gemma Shiel from Lazy Oaf was inspired by Betty as an icon, sexy, sassy empowering and essentially street smart.

Betty Boop to star on Project Runway

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ICONS & LEGENDS

Popeye is a Tough Mudder Since his first appearance back in 1929, Popeye the Sailorman has gone from muscular strength to strength and evolved into a symbol of masculinity, strength and independence.

Betty Boop will appear for the first time in colour on the runway, at this year’s Project Runway All-stars 2018 reality TV series, for a special Betty Boop fashion challenge in the show.

Snugglepot & Cuddlepie celebrate 100 years

Quintessentially Australian, the delightful tales and bush fantasy world of May Gibbs have been a source of fascination for generations of Australian children. In 2018, her most famous creations Snugglepot and Cuddlepie turn 100 years old.

Project Runway All-Stars is now airing on Lifetime in the US and will air Internationally in the next couple of months, including Australia.

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA The 2018 centenary promises to be the year of May Gibbs, encompassing major events and new product releases.

The new products releases will complement the existing range of product inclu ding classic wooden toys from Make Me Iconic and premium organic baby skincare from Bubba Organics. With a highly engaged and growing social community along with the May Gibbs brand website and recently launched May Gibbs Official Online Store, the brand continues to cement its place as an iconic Australian brand that stand the test of time.

Enid Blyton adored by fans young and old

Kicking off with an encore release of the sell-out May Gibbs x Kip&Co collection, during the centenary year fans will be treated to a commemorative edition release of The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie from HarperCollins Children’s Books, along with several new May Gibbs inspired story books from Scholastic Australia. Collectibles will include stamps and coins, with homewares and apparel collections keeping the many fans smiling.

The tongue-in-cheek products appeal to grown-up fans, including humorous gift cards from Danilo and puzzles from Gibsons. With titles such as ‘Five Take a Selfie’ and ‘Five Give Up the Booze’ the products have proven a smash hit. A collection of adult games and mini puzzles from Lagoon launches at Spring Fair in the UK, adding further opportunities to tap into the nostalgic audience of Enid Blyton fans.

96 years after her first book was published, the legendary Enid Blyton still sells two million books per year and remains Australia’s 3rd bestselling children’s author. Following the success of Hachette’s Enid Blyton for Grown-Ups book series, a range of stationery and gift products have launched in the UK.

In Feb 2018, News Ltd released its Classic Enid Blyton Collection across all its mastheads, with 15 great titles to collect for $3.00 each when you purchased with a newspaper. Further ranges of stationery, gift and food products will all hit retail shelves this year.

For more information or to discuss your licensing opportunities in Australia and New Zealand, contact: info@merchantwise.com +61 (0) 3 9520 1000 www.merchantwise.com TLA 21

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HOWARD ROBINSON ‘SELFIES’ ‘Selfies’ is the simple concept of adorable images of the animals and pets we all love joining into the worldwide craze for taking selfies. Realistically accurate Selfies then appeal to all ages and peoples worldwide and with many incredibly varied products published so far ranging from surfboards to baby grows and pet products to mobile applications. A winner in the Independent Toy Awards 2016 and a finalist in the LIMA International Licensing Awards 2017, Selfies has been an amazing success for Howard working alone from his home studio taking care of everything from concept to artwork creation and licensing. With currently 68 licensing partners across the UK, USA, Canada, Russia, Poland, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey, Hong Kong & China producing 1000+ sku’s across 122 products for Tourist destinations, National Parks, Zoos & Aquar-

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iums, Independent gift and stationery stores and gaining mass market placements in Wal-Mart, TRU, Staples, Target, Meijer, Aldi, Office Depot, Carrefour, Asda, Samsung app store. Selfies has recently expanded into several new categories and territories. In digital media collaboration with Butterfly-effected GmbH for a unique mobile application has resulted in a large range of Selfie themes exclusive to Samsung. In addition, 1616 Media will soon be launching a new and unique range of Weavyword digital greetings. In home wares and soft furnishings Brumlow Mills using a new innovative printing process will produce a range of accent rugs and carpets. Klaus

Herding GmbH launching a large range of Selfies designs for bedding and cushions. ‘The Mountain’ in the United States after achieving impressive sales of Selfies T Shirts have now expanded into many new products including blankets, throws, cushions, tote bags and pet beds, also in the US Trademark Global have licensed a large range of designs for box canvas and metal prints. Reinders for posters and Karto Finland for office stationery and calendars are other new signings. Highlights have been the continued growth of the best in class worldwide lenticular 3D range with Prime 3D producing over 120 stationery and gift items and for the second year running over one million Selfie Puzzles being sold by various clients worldwide. The demand has been such that Howard has now appointed licensing agent Ramon Go to represent the Selfies in China, South Korea, Philippines and Indonesia. Looking towards Asia and Australia in 2018 it already promises to be an exiting time for the Selfies brand with the launch in April of a new junior Selfies range at Licensing Expo Japan and most exciting is that plans have been drawn and permits granted so that the groundwork is starting on a new Selfie Beach Resort in the Philippines.

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UNIVERSAL BRAND DEVELOPMENT Content slate continues to grow with fresh and relevant franchises for kids and adults Universal Brand Development continues to drive expansion of its international business including the recent announcement of a direct local Australian and New Zealand team; led by Jo Pascoe, Country Director. The new local team is part of a strategic shift to direct management of the Consumer Products business and an overall initiative to build global franchises across the rapidly growing content slate from creative engines; Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment and DreamWorks Animation.

Jo Pascoe, Country Director of Consumer Products, Australia and New Zealand of Universal Brand Development is excited for future. Pascoe said, “This is a very exciting time at Universal Consumer Products Australia and New Zealand. We have quickly galvanised an incredibly talented group of individuals, who are committed to ensuring our local office delivers on being locally relevant, who are specialist across category, marketing and creative and who are passionate about building a culture that is uniquely Universal. When you pair this team with our rapidly growing content slate, the opportunities are endless.�

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Twenty five years ago Jurassic Park captured the imaginations of global audiences and transported fans to a world where dinosaurs roamed the earth. In 2018, the wonder, thrill and adventure returns as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom makes its highly anticipated debut in local theatres 21 June 2018. This blockbuster release will be supported by a 365-day-a-year program, the Jurassic World franchise includes multiple touch points for fans to engage with the brand, including live entertainment through our partner Showtime Attractions, gaming and digital content, as well as best-in-class, multi-category toy lines from global partners Mattel and LEGO along with lifestyle collections and apparel from DesignWorks.

In conjunction with the LEGO Group, we recently announced the launch of our largest Jurassic World partnership to date, offering an expanded line of construction sets, allnew animated content, and, for the first time ever, a lifestyle collection.

Universal is building upon the success of LEGO Jurassic World, with the debut of construction sets that span every LEGO age category, as well as two all-new, animated videos, and a collection of soft lines and publishing to reach audiences beyond the toy aisle.

to a spin-off in July 2019, as well as the debut of the 9th chapter of Fast & Furious in April 2020. A graphic lifestyle universe has been designed to develop a relevant product offering that will meet the fans’ demand. Additional media content is in development to build the franchise amongst our younger fans.

“Fans embraced LEGO Jurassic World with our initial product launch, and we couldn’t wait to come back and give them more of what they love with new ways to play and new opportunities to interact with the brand,” said Vince Klaseus, President of Universal Brand Development. “The expansion of our partnership reflects Universal’s objective to create lifestyle programs and engaging fan experiences that reach every age category, 365 days-ayear.” More than ever, Jurassic World is THE one and only, definitive, dinosaur brand.

Almost 20 years after its creation, Fast & Furious continues to set boxoffice records worldwide. On the theatrical front, fans can look forward

From E.T. to Back To The Future, Universal has established a portfolio of iconic movies, which contribute highly to cinema history. Jaws, Steven Spielberg’s first major commercial success has frightened generations. Beyond those pop culture

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA phenomena, Universal has also pioneered horror movie creations. The first movie of its kind, The Phantom of the Opera, was created in 1925. The legacy of Dracula, Frankenstein or even the Invisible Man has passed through generations. The fascination for such characters continue to thrive, so that today monsters and other iconic heroes of the U-Vault catalog are trendier than ever! From the creative team at Illumination in collaboration with Universal Pictures comes a newly imagined version of Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role of The Grinch, in local theatres 29 November 2018. Our seasonal offering in Consumer Products will launch in Q4 2018 and will be driven by our key partners Just Play (distributed by The Brand Exchange), Caprice, Bensons Showbags, Park Avenue and more.

Following Illumination and Universal Pictures’ Despicable Me 3’s record-setting global theatrical debut, Illumination’s Despicable Me has become the world’s largest animated franchise ever, surpassing the billion dollar bar at the global box-office. The franchise’s theatrical releases have generated over $124M at the Australian box office. While fans eagerly await the release of Minions 2 in June 2020, locally we will continue to drive Minions madness as part of all cultural conversations through partnerships and seasonal product promotions at Halloween and Christmas. Our social content will continue to flow, reaching our 58M fans across all platforms. Illumination’s Minions, with their sweet and subversive nature, continue to win over the hearts of the public, especially that of teens and young adults.

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Throughout 2018, DreamWorks’ Trolls will be celebrating Hugs & Happiness with a year-long campaign, that kicked off on World Hug Day, 21 January 2018. Locally we reached over 500,000 consumers across Australia including a TV appearance, media and influencer morning tea event and character appearances at selected Toys”R”Us stores. We will continue the DreamWorks Trolls music and dance party at key events including the Sydney Easter Show and a Coronation Party for our Queen Poppy. Global master partner Hasbro will continue to expand the breadth and scope of its consumer products program.

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Additionally, Poppy, Branch and the Troll Village are back in an all-new 2D animated series, DreamWorks Trolls The Beat Goes On!, which debuted on Netflix this January. Picking up where the film left off, DreamWorks Trolls The Beat Goes On!, is an all-new chapter in the Trolls hair-raising adventures. This fresh new content will be released quarterly until end 2019 and debut on Free-to-Air which builds our audience for the highly anticipated Trolls 2, set to premiere in in local theatres in April 2020.

The DreamWorks Dragons franchise continues to expand its audience with the launch of DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge debuting on ABC ME last month, airing 5:40pm weekdays in addition to the new content currently streaming on Netflix. Fans are eagerly awaiting the release of DreamWorks’ How To Train Your Dragon 3 in local theatres 28 March 2019! The previous two movies performed exceptionally and grossed $47M at the local box-office. We are working closely with our global partners Spin Master and Playmobil for the third instalment of this franchise.

From the DreamWorks Animation Television portfolio, Universal will showcase a programming line-up that offers something for everyone. ABC ME launched the highly acclaimed Television series: DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender in January 2018 airing twice a week. New content will continue to be stream quarterly on Netflix until end 2019 and our global partner Playmates (distributed by HeadStart) will launch toys trade wide from March.

DreamWorks Spirit: Riding Free combines all the attributes of success: a sense of adventure and friendship, some strong family bonds, a heroine bursting with freedom and courage‌ and horses galloping freely in the wide open fields of the Wild West. We follow the adventures of Lucky, a fearless 12-year-old girl, as she creates a symbiotic tie with a mustang called Spirit. New content continues to stream quarterly on Netflix until end 2019, we will launch on Freeto-Air and short-form content is available on our YouTube channel DreamWorks TV. Our toy partner Just Play (distributed by The Brand Exchange) launched limited toys last Christmas which flew off shelves and are gearing up for a trade wide release in June.

Get in touch with us: UniversalBrandDevelopment_ANZ@nbcuni.com

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NEW LICENSES FOR SOPHIE Deliso report that Sophie la girafe now has six partners in Australia covering categories including publishing, sunglasses, awakening toys and more. In addition, baby clothing will arrive in Australia for spring/summer 2018 collection thanks to the new partner Smafolk, joining the French, US and Japan collection. Sophie la girafe has partnered with Eyetribe in Australia over the last couple of years to develop ranges of protective baby sunglasses. Publishing is also well established in Australia with around 25 of the Sophie la giraffe titles sold in the territory thanks to publishing partner DK. There is also a long-term partnership with French company Trousselier for nightlight and music boxes which are now available in Australia. The launch of the Sophie la girafe web series in October 2017 was as a result of a growing demand from parents for quality content for younger children. Comprising fifteen episodes and five nursery rhymes, each episode lasts for three minutes and is

set to launch in English as well as French shortly. Sophie was created 57 years ago and has sold more than 55 million products since. The toy is still traditionally produced and product has been sold in more than 85 countries. DeLiSo was founded in 2011, following consumers demands for SLG products. The DeLiSo office is located in Vulli’s factory, in France, where Sophie is still made.

BORN LICENSING GROWS Australian made David Born is celebrating continued growth of his licensing agency Born Licensing, which focuses on the use of licensed properties in advertising campaigns. In the last 12 months Born Licensing has worked on advertising campaigns for major companies such as MoneySuperMarket.com, Facebook, Instagram, Boost Power, T-Mobile, Comic Relief, Tesco, KFC and BT Infinity. Most recently Born Licensing worked with new UK pay-as-you-go energy provider Boost to develop ‘Boost Lee’, a character inspired by martial arts legend Bruce Lee. The firm has just celebrated their first campaign in India with Facebook. India joins the list of markets that ad campaigns have launched in, including UK, Australia, USA, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands and Italy. In late 2017 David appointed Naomi Smith as Licensing Coordinator. Naomi was introduced to the licensing world during a 12-month internship at Mattel UK.

HASBRO MAGAZINES FROM SIGNATURE PUBLISHING Signature Publishing currently distributes four magazines in Australia and New Zealand, under license from Hasbro, via Seymour International and distributed by Gordon and Gotch.Titles include the global franchise brands of My Little Pony, My Little Pony Equestrian Girls, Littlest Pet Shop and Transformers. Without the need to translate editorial, and minimal differences in toy testing and regulations for the cover mounts, all of these titles are UK versions, which are adapted and exported from the UK. This, with strong brand awareness and content created from the rich assets and backstory, produces strong sales despite the higher cover prices when compared to the locally published magazines. In addition to the quality of the magazine packages, investment has also been a key element in Signature’s success and in 2017 this included air-freighting three issues of My Little Pony magazine to ANZ, to ensure the on sale dates

of the special issues produced for My Little Pony The Movie coincided with the film launch and the Christmas special hit the shelves for the peak holiday period in December. Alongside this the magazine was promoted on video walls at WH Smith Travel outlets, along with promotional pockets, while posters were produced for independent newsagents, with a competition for the best display by a retailer in New Zealand.

NEW WAVE OF COLORIFIC PRODUCT

Colorific, the Melbourne-based developer of children’s products, released the second wave of its successful Build-a-Bot brand. The second wave features three new variations of robots and is now available at Walmart. Build-a-Bot Series 1 launched in 2017

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with three variations in over 40 countries. It was Colorific’s first introduction to youth electronics, following the company’s decision to rebrand itself into a progressive and modern toy developer. “We’re thrilled to release this second

wave after a huge demand for more and different versions of the Build-aBots,” said Mark Levi, Managing Director, Colorific. “Our aim is to continue to grow this brand by bringing out new bots to excite loyal fans and bring on new fans.”

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Total Licensing Australia talked to Tom Punch and Yvonne King at Haven to see what’s in-store for 2018 and why they’re so excited for the year ahead.

Haven - What’s in Store for 2018! “We’re set for a bumper 2018, there’s so much going on across our portfolio! We’ve got brands that are super-hot right now, everything across the spectrum from infants to kids and young adults... to brands that speak to them all. We’re seeing much enthusiasm from our retail partners, who have put their backs into licensing again, and we’re pumped for a big year. We have major partnerships rolling out with our mass partners Target, Kmart, BigW and Best & Less, as well as exciting new developments in Specialty with some of our amazing trend-setting retail partners like Peter Alexander, Cotton On, Jay Jays, EB Games and Zing. As always, there’s a heap of confidential discussions underway so we haven’t been able to cover all of our wonderful brands in this feature… so stay tuned as we put out a steady stream of big news stories throughout the year.

First up, we’re incredibly proud to have been welcomed into the wonderful world of Seussville, representing the phenomenal Dr. Seuss portfolio. With well over 650 million books sold worldwide, and more Dr. Seuss books sold here per capita than anywhere else in the world, we know we’re onto a good thing! 2018 will see us launch our brand extension program here, partnering with Qantas, Jay Jays, Peter Alexander, Showtime (showbags) and more. We’re strategically developing our programs based around iconic characters to tie-in with seasonal events throughout the year, such as The Grinch at Christmas and the Lo-

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rax for Earth Day. With treasured classics like The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Fox in Socks and so many more, Dr. Seuss is a brand with endless possibilities for products and promotions that speak to multiple demographics. In the girl’s space we’re right on top,

with MGA’s L.O.L Surprise kicking off 2018 as the #1 girls doll brand here in Oz YTD with a whopping 20% market share (NPD). Local distributor Headstart is predicting to double last year’s sales to reach a staggering $70 million at retail in 2018! At #1 in the US and other key territories, this one is a global powerhouse and MGA is expecting to triple its retail sales in 2018. The global roll-out into softlines and other key categories is happening now and we are excited to be one of the first territories to have product hitting shelves to meet the incredible demand from little L.O.L. fans. Our retail partners are jumping on board in a big way. Apparel has launched at mass and the initial sales reads are matching the toys. We’ve expanded our local partnership with Caprice across softlines and bedding, showbags are launching for March and we’ll have outdoor and wheeled toys in the market for toy catalogues. Hatchimals is the other big winner for us in the girl’s space. It launched in October 2016 and sparked a global craze of mums everywhere trying to get their hands on one! Spinmaster’s special Surprise Hatchimal achieved #1 dollar ranking property in the plush category in the US, and #1 special feature plush here in Oz (Feb to Nov 2017 NPD) and there is a huge buzz around the Hatchimals Colleggtibles range with

Spinmaster producing a mind-boggling 6 million Colleggtibles every week! Off the back of a 30+ strong licensee network in North America and major support from Target, Walmart and Toys R Us we are rolling out our consumer products program here in 2018. With full mass retail support here for the toys, we plan on having a lot of fun with this one. We have apparel hitting shelves now, Bensons is urgently airfreighting showbag stock to hit their big Brisbane royal show in August and we’re working on everything from bath and body, to confectionery and more. All little girls loooove to dance, and the hit show The Next Step continues to fire here in Oz. We’ve got key strategic retail partnerships in place with BigW and Best & Less, with apparel, sleepwear and accessories ranges that are hitting the mark with Aussie Steppers. This one reaches a huge audience with prime broadcast across ABC ME and Disney Channel, a non-stop global touring schedule and heaps of activity across social media. It’s got a seriously engaged, dance mad fan base and is ripe for category extension as we look to 2018 and beyond. Later this month we’ll be saving the world before bedtime with the launch of our first Powerpuff Girls sleepwear collaboration with Peter Alexander in conjunction with the brand’s 20th anniversary. Kicking off with a pink carpet exclusive launch event, the collection of sleepwear and accessories exudes sugar, spice and everything nice… and we know that long-time fans will snap it up. The launch starts the exciting roll-out of new episodes from Cartoon Network and is the launch pad for our expansion into new categories and retailers.

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA At Haven we have fantastic stable of classic brands, and we relish the challenge that comes with having to deliver break-through ideas for brand extension to fuel retail and consumer demand. 2017 saw us proudly reintroducing Sesame Street toys to the market with Headstart. The Tickle Me Elmo plush exclusive with BigW was the #1 selling plush over the key toy catalogue period and Headstart has invested heavily to create a gorgeous 26-sku range. The success of the plush and Ooshies ranges has sparked our

brand extension into new categories and retailers and we’re seeing big wins with a brand that reaches over half a million preschoolers here every day. We’ve just rolled-out a major back to school stationery range with feature point of sale in Australia Post and our collaboration with BabyLove nappies reengaged new mums to the brand. 2017 was also a catalyst year for the Mr. Men Little Miss brand, with the launch of new adult book titles including Mr. Happy and the Office Party, Little Miss Shy Goes Online Dating and Little Miss Busy Surviving Motherhood! We’re now working with licensees on delivering an adult range of merchandise. We’ve seen great success with Target, with our range of infant and kids personality tees a sell-out and some fun collabs with the likes of Subway and Sylvia P, delivering personalized ranges of kids gymnastic gear which were met with massive online and social media fanfare. We’ve partnered with Showtime to manage activations and meet & greets and will be continuing to add new partners to deliver new categories and promotions throughout 2018. Hello Kitty is also hot for 2018, with a recent sell-out collab with ASOS sparking massive interest here locally. Our program is about to explode

with the likes of Cotton On, Supre, MYER, Target, BigW and more onboard and embracing the Hello Kitty craze fueled by the success of ASOS, Lazy Oath, Urban Outfitters, Fila and PUMA. We’ve launched the Hello Kitty Gang (featuring her hot network of fans and bloggers across the cool and creative worlds of fashion and street style), headed up by hot Oz fashion influencers Tara Milk and Kate Hannah, which reached over 1.5 million people. With Hello Kitty back at the forefront of fashion, we’re seeing success across many and varied categories, from cafés to cosmetics and confectionery, apparel, footwear, swimwear and more. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is another super evergreen for Haven. 2017 was huge, with our stellar partnership with BigW delivering eat your heart out infant ranges. The full scale partnership delivered multiple range drops across infant unisex, girls and boys apparel and sleepwear, with robust marketing including catalogue features out to more than 5 million homes. We also saw massive success with the Very Hungry Caterpillar puppet stage show breaking the rules to open at the Sydney Opera House, with ticket sales of over $1.5 million to date! Our Boost Juice promotion rolled-out in December, across 400 stores and 7 countries with 4 fun collectible kids drink cups and we have more healthy food and beverage partnerships in the pipeline. It’s an exciting time as we look ahead to 2019 and celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary... there’s plenty in the pipeline and lots of scope for new partners to join us. And to round things off, we’re seeing break through results in the specialty market with youth fashion retailer Jay

Jays where we are currently the #1 men’s licensed brand with Cartoon Network’s Rick & Morty AND the #1 in ladies with Pusheen. Rick & Morty sales are through the roof, at Christmas it was their #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6 best-selling tees in the entire chain nationwide with the brand dominating 45% of their men’s apparel business! Jay Jays is an incredible partner and has jumped all-in driving 3 key areas across product expansion (including into women’s apparel and accessories), fabulous instore execution and window displays, a massive in-store presence and creative tie-ins with both Jay Jays and Cartoon Network’s own social media. Pusheen came out of left field to dominate as the #1 ladies’ license at Jay Jays, with a massive range of outerwear and accessories cementing its destination status for Aussie fans. We’ve also seen big success into new categories - our range of sleepwear with Supre sold-

out in just 2 weeks and we’ve quickly grown the gifting and stationery category to have a presence in over 200 independents nationwide. 2018 will see us grow this white-hot brand, with an exciting new fashion collab to be announced very soon, the launch of homewares and footwear and a showbag to launch at the upcoming Melbourne royal show. So it’s a busy year ahead, which is just how we like it. And this is all on top of our wonderful Nickelodeon business which is featured separately in this issue. It really is so hard to try to summarise into a few paragraphs the incredible amount of work the team here at Haven puts into each and every one of our brands and partners. There are so many exciting things in the pipeline that are hush hush right now, so we’ll look forward to sharing more with you soon… when our licensors won’t shoot us for jumping the gun!”

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PROFILE

FROM BABIES AND PETS TO HOUSE RENOVATION AND A MUSIC BAND! Grahame Grassby is working on three key properties this year including The Diary Apps which comprise The Baby Diaries and The Pet Diaries together with Proflipped home renovation training course and Rapid Reno Mate app. In addition, Grassby is working on the 10th Anniversary of Lah-Lah which takes place this year. The Pet Diaries app is a free app that allows pet owners to keep track

tisers direct access to pet owners and will work with leading pet care services, retailers of pet products, publishers of pet books and magazines and pet insurance providers to offer their goods and services directly to the owners of pets. The Pet Diaries app is the sister app to The Baby Diaries app that has been licensed exclusively in Australia to TerryWhite Chemmart, Australia’s largest pharmacy group. The Baby Diaries app allows mothers and carers to keep track of their baby’s daily routine, milestones, memories, growth, medications and photos thus creating a permanent digital baby book of their early years. Both The Baby Diaries app and The Pet Diaries app are being launched into international markets and will provide advertisers direct access respectively to mothers of babies and

of their pet’s lives by tracking their vet appointments, medications, exercise, location, growth and nutrition across their pet’s various life stages. The app will allow pet owners to upload photos of their pets creating a permanent digital pet book of their lives whilst at the same time boosting their pet’s health outcomes. The Pet Diaries app will offer adver-

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owners of pets. Stella has licensed the Baby Diaries App in Australia to a pharmacy chain called TerryWhite Chemmart and will seek similar licensed partnerships in other territories. The Pet Diaries will be licensed to suppliers of pet goods and services across the pet industry. Both apps are or will be free to download from iTunes and Google Play. Proflipped is a professional training package designed to teach people how to successfully renovate houses for profit. The Proflipped home renovation training package has been created by Naomi Findlay, one of the world’s leading experts on renovating houses for profit and is based on the successful training courses she manages in Australia. Proflipped is designed to be licensed to people outside of Australia who

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want to manage their own home renovation training businesses and who need a complete training package containing all of the resources needed to teach people to successfully renovate houses for profit.

on Australia Day at Tumbalong Park in Sydney’s Darling Harbour. In January the other huge news for Lah-Lah has been the broadcast launch of the Lah-Lah’s Adventures music vid-

eo clips across the Unites States children’s TV channel Universal Kids. The Lah-Lah’s Adventures TV series is also being broadcast by Virgin Media in the UK, Knowledge Network and BBC Kids in Canada and on ABC KIDS in Australia. In March this year Lah-Lah will commence their 10th Birthday Party national tour and will be touring to all states around Australia. In April, the Australian Children’s Television Foundation will be launching an in-school music learning course using the assets of the Lah-Lah’s Adventures TV series and featuring Lah-Lah and Buzz the Bandleader as teachers of the music course for primary school children. Sony Music will be releasing a new Lah-Lah music CD to coincide with the national tour and Alfaberry has been licensed to release a range of Lah-Lah inspired clothing to be sold online. Without doubt, 2018 will be a great 10th Birthday Party for Lah-Lah’s Big Live Band.

The Rapid Reno Mate app is a free app being launched in March 2018 and will allow home renovators to keep track of their renovation data, costs and timelines and will give them direct access to some of the best renovation products in the market. In Australia the Rapid Reno Mate app is being launched with a number of exclusive tier 1 advertising partners including Beaumont Tiles, Bristol Paints and Carpet Court carpets. The Rapid Reno Mate app will be launched in other international markets and similar marquee suppliers of renovation products will be sought to advertise their products exclusively to home renovators using the Rapid Reno Mate app. Finally, Lah-Lah is a favourite music band for the under 7s and in 2018 the band are celebrating their 10th anniversary. The year has already started with a big bang with Lah-Lah performing before The Wiggles at two sold out concerts

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Kids Around the Globe... Noah, 5 and Patrick, 2 live in Ocean Grove, Melbourne. Their Dad, Aaron, answered some questions on their likes and dislikes, how they access content, what their awareness of licensed products is, and what influence their peers and TV shows have on their preferences for toys. Halfway across the world, we asked Ashley, mum to Darcie, 5, and Imogen, 2, who live in Kent in the UK, the same questions, to see how children across the globe differ – and what similarities they share. Aaron on Noah and Patrick: What is Noah’s absolute favourite thing to watch on TV? Rusty Rivots or Paw Patrol - he loves them both at the moment And what about Patrick? Peppa Pig and Puppy Dog Pals (we can now recite every episode of Peppa Pig.) And are there some shows that they watch together - or that you all like to watch as a family? They both like watching Paw Patrol and Puppy Dog Pals together as a family - to watch something together can be challenging but if we do it is generally a family-based movie like Finding Dory. Would you say they access their content more via traditional TV, or are they watching on iPhone and iPads as well? They access through the TV and also through the IPads - they know their way around iPads better than us. Is Noah very tech savvy - and has this also filtered down to Patrick? Noah is very tech savvy. We have never sat down and shown him how to do things. He is self-taught and

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most definitely it has filtered down to Patrick. Patrick is able to find shows etc without an issue. In terms of phones and tablets, do they know how to access and even download apps, and how does this differ in their ages? They both now how to get to the App Store as nearly every program has a link to the App Store but neither of them actually know how to do it they both are locked down so they can’t purchase! Toys! If you are out shopping, what sort of toy would Noah be likely to ask for, and what would Patrick? Noah will pretty much grab anything or ask for anything, he will generally though ask for a toy related to what he is watching like Rusty Rivots etc. Patrick will always want Peppa Pug other things don’t really bother him unless Noah says something about it, then Patrick will want it. Together they also tend to go for toys like a water play set. Do you find they have a preference for technology over traditional toys, or is it a bit of a mix? Noah still loves the traditional toy, that is certainly what he prefers. Noah is now at school - how have you noticed his friends influencing his choice of TV, toys, tastes? All the kids seem to be liking the same thing and then the other follows - it is a massive trending thing if it’s popular and the others kids have it, they all have it. Noah is very plain with his tastes and so are his friends just not adventurous at all. And what about Patrick? Patrick is still I dependent with his

choices for TV and toy. As for tastes, if it can be eaten he will eat it! Do you notice that they steer towards ‘boys toys’ organically, or are they just as happy using their imagination with all toys? Generally they will steer towards boys toys although at times they both will play with dolls, etc. And again, because Noah has more peers, do you notice a difference in this? No not at all. As parents - what are YOUR favourite things for them to watch, and do you have a preference for educational programs over entertainment, or a nice balance? You have to have balance - there is a show here called Play Slong with Sam which is a mixture of song, dance, learning and then a cartoon it is a very very good mix. When you go to the supermarket, do they ask for things that they see in the aisles, e.g., Thomas the Tank engine drinks, or Peppa Pig sweets, because of the character they recognise? All the bloody time! We know it’s the same product as the plain package one but “it tastes different dad, it has Peppa Pig on it”. It is such a marketing idea that works! And lastly, again as parents, how do you think their childhood is different to yours e.g., the many more options of content they have, the huge choice of characters, toys, or do you fundamentally think children are always the same and they might be using iPhones but the way they

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Ashley on Darcie and Imogen: What is Darcie’s absolute favourite thing to watch on TV? Films wise she loves Trolls and Shrek. Netflix has just released a Troll series she loves. She also loves Lego Elves! And what about Imogen? Imogen loves Frozen and Minions. TV-wise she likes Peppa Pig and Peter Rabbit. And are there some shows that they watch together - or that you all like to watch as a family? They both like Trolls mini series and Minions. As a family we watch more films than tv shows but TV wise we watch things like the Crystal Maze and GBBO (Great British Bake Off) which Darcie claims to enjoy!! Would you say they access their content more via traditional TV, or are they watching on iPhone and iPads as well? They watch on TV at home but they also access on my phone and iPad very regularly! My phone is used by Imogen when we are out Is Darcie very tech savvy - and has this also filtered down to Imogen? Yes, they are both swiping screens and using remotes etc!

In terms of phones and tablets, do they know how to access and even download apps, and how does this differ in their ages? Darcie does - she will use apps (although she doesn’t download). Imogen will access apps but that’s about as far as it goes Toys! If you are out shopping, what sort of toy would Darcie be likely to ask for, and what would Imogen? They are both obsessed with Kinder eggs and surprise egg toys. Darcie is more likely to ask for a puzzle, craft or a dvd whereas Imogen will go for soft toys or baby dolls. Do you find they have a preference for technology over traditional toys, or is it a bit of a mix? We limit screen time so it’s a massive treat to have the iPad! Given the choice I think they would still go for traditional toys if we allowed them more screen time with the iPad Darcie is at school - how have you noticed her friends influencing her choice of TV, toys, tastes? No - she is very independent with that and has firm likes and dislikes. I have noticed they will play alongside each other in their own games if their friends refuse to play the game they want. And what about Imogen? No - Imogen isn’t really influenced yet. Do you notice that they steer towards ‘girls toys’ organically, or are they just as happy using their imagination with all toys? They both go more towards girls toys Because Darcie has more peers, do you notice a difference in this? I think that Darcie’s peers are generally more girly, as she has befriended the girls! But the boys will also play with crafts and puzzles.

As parents - what are YOUR favourite things for them to watch, and do you have a preference for educational programs over entertainment, or a nice balance? I like a balance! I would prefer them

to watch CBeebies over Lego Elves for example, as it is more educational, but they are very stubborn and watch what they want on the whole! When you go to the supermarket, do they ask for things that they see in the aisles, e.g., Thomas the Tank drinks, or Peppa Pig sweets, because of the character they recognise? Yes - regularly! And lastly, again as parents, how do you think their childhood is different to yours e.g., the many more options of content they have, the huge choice of characters, toys, or do you fundamentally think children are always the same and they might be using iPhones but the way they use their imaginations is the same? When they are playing, they rough and tumble and play mums and dads etc. I think that on the whole at this age they are having a similar childhood in that way. However there is a much greater exposure to the Internet and technology and this is reflected in how tech savvy they are. I used to love playing on our computer but Darcie has more use of the iPad than I was allowed to have. Also we only had children’s TV for a couple of hours a day whereas its on tap for them!

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use their imaginations is the same? We try to limit the use of technology that they have. They both have very vivid imaginations and will play together using their imaginations all the time. For extended periods they are both active and want to be outside playing, which is very similar to our childhood. We try to give them a simple balance They are very similar to how we grew up just with the added extra of the technology part on iPads etc.

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BREYER HORSES

Developing in the Australian marketplace

Who would think that children and adults alike, could make such a connection with a model? Breyer allows their owners to realistically dream and learn simultaneously and Breyer Australia is working to inspire and build on the collectability and creative play elements that Breyer Horses are renown for around the world. Breyer works with film studios and models some of the most famous horses in the world from Olympic Champions to TV icons like Spirit. They are in negotiations to bring more licensed product into Australia and produce some more uniquely iconic Australian models, such as their first effort with Black Caviar. Breyer Animal Creations began as the Breyer Molding Company, a Chicago,

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Illinois-based plastics manufacturing company. Its first model horse, the # 57 Western Horse, made its appearance in 1950. It was a special order for the F.W. Woolworth Company, made to adorn a mantelpiece clock. The company was then flooded with requests from people who saw it and wanted to know if they could purchase just the horse! By accepting that one order, the Breyer Molding Company had changed the focus of its business and compa-

ny direction forever! Reeves International, Inc is a New Jersey corporation with offices in Pequannock and Wayne, New Jersey. Reeves was founded by Swiss entrepreneur Werner J. Fleischmann in 1946. Reeves entered the toy industry as the U.S. distributor of fine European toys and collectibles to the “carriage trade,” that is, toy specialty stores and fine department stores.Top brands such as Stieff, Corgi and Britains were staples of the Reeves International portfolio. Through these brands, Reeves earned an outstanding reputation for sales and distribution. From 1946 through the 1970s, Reeves became one of the nation’s top distributors, operating from its showroom in New York City with a nationwide sales force. And, in 1998, Anthony Fleischmann, purchased Reeves International, Inc. outright from his father Werner Fleischmann. Today, Reeves International is still privately held. In the 1970s, along with the globalization of the toy and collectibles industry, Reeves began to modify its business strategy to shift from sales and distribution to manufacturing proprietary brands.With that goal, Reeves began to acquire manufacturing companies. Reeves International acquired the Breyer Animal Creations brand in 1984 and has gradually completed the transition from distributor to a man-

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA ufacturing and marketing company in the last 20 years. Reeves International also owns The Big Dig. The Breyer Animal Creations brand is Reeves International’s largest line. Today, under the Reeves International umbrella, Breyer manufactures plastic, porcelain, and resin model horses, animals and accessories for play and collecting. Breyer model horses, which begin as artist’s sculptures, are all handcrafted and hand-painted with airbrushes and paintbrushes. Approximately 20 different artisans handle each individual Breyer model from start to finish – a process, which, 62 years later, is still done by human hands, not machines. Even today, no two Breyer model horses are ever exactly alike! Reeves’ Breyer Animal Creations brand dominates the model horse market in volume, sales, distrbution, innovation, and quality. The company’s products are carried in specialty toy stores, tack shops, agricultural stores and agricultural specialists like Wheatbelt, Tractor Supply, Midstates and Purina Mills, as well as at toy chain retailer, Toys R Us. Breyer brings approximately 300 unique horses, animals and accessories to market each year. Created in unique sizes and packaged into distinct lines from the upmarket Breyer Gallery of porcelains and resins to the cuddliest Plush ponies, Breyer is best known for the realism and authenticity of its model horses. Breyer has also expanded its line to include jewelry, casual clothing and other equestrian-themed products. In total, Breyer manufactures and ships approximately 5 million model horses each year, including Special Editions and tack and accessories. The company has a strong collector base for which it published an annual collector publication Just About Horses (JAH), has an online Collector Club, and hosts BreyerFest, the world’s largest model horse collector and equine festival each year. Starting in 1998 with the release of Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer, Breyer has become Hollywood’s “go-to” company for horse films. Brey-

er has made the official model horse of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Seabiscuit, Dreamer, Flicka and more. With other licensing alliances including Scholastic, Macmillan Children’s Publishing,WNET’s NATURE and now Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse, the magic of the Breyer brand continues to grow each year. The brand creates tribute models to real life equestrian super stars, such as race horses like Black Caviar and Olympic medal winners like Valegro. These are perfected

down to the tiniest detail, including face and leg markings. Bringing the story right up to date, in 2005, Breyer’s parent company Reeves International began to distribute Breyer in the United Kingdom. With the success of its UK expansion, Reeves has gained distribution for Breyer in the following countries: Canada, Russia, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Australia and New Zealand, Mexico, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and South Africa.

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KENNEDY LAUNCH NUM NOMS MAG Following on from the success of the Official Num Noms magazine in the UK, Kennedy Publishing will now be launching the magazine in Australia. Based on the hugely popular MGA collectible toy line, the new monthly 36-page magazine is aimed at children aged 5-9 and is jam-packed with puzzles, colouring and exclusive Num Noms branded gits and stickers. Num Noms are uniquely scented collectable characters which can mixed and matched to make endless scent combinations, and the magazine plays to this with fun recipes, cute crafts and a scented element each issue. Commenting, Kennedy Publishing said, “We are delighted to be working with MGA on the new Num Noms magazine in Australia. The magazine has been a huge success in the UK and we are confident it will enjoy the same popularity amongst Num Noms fans in Australia.”

Kennedy Publishing currently publish over ten standalone character titles under license in Australia including well-known favourites Peter Rabbit, Bob the Builder and Hello Kitty, as well as a large selection of their own successful multi-character magazines.

DENNIS & GNASHER SOLD TO ABC Multimedia powerhouse, Beano Studios, recently announced the first international sale of its hit original series, Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed, to ABC Australia. Following a hugely successful UK launch, securing the most watched spot on CBBC in its premiere week, Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed began airing on ABC ME in December. The 26 x 11-minute animation wowed audiences in the UK, securing the top spot as CBBC’s most watched show in its debut week, and has peaked with 259,000 viewers for episode 2. Allison Watkins, EVP Global Consumer Products & TV Distribution at Beano Studios, commented: “This is a hugely important moment for Beano Studios. Following the amazing reaction at Mipcom earlier this year, it is wonderful to welcome ABC to the Beano family as the first International broadcaster to come on board with Dennis and his friends, with further announcements on other key markets to be made shortly. Our amazing group of friends have struck

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a chord with international territories, and we’re confident that global audiences will love Dennis, Gnasher and new friends JJ and Rubi as much as UK audiences have done. It shows there is an audience yearning for fun and mischievous story-telling, where our group of friends are front and centre of all the action.” For the first time, Australian audiences will also be able to find even more adventures from Dennis and friends on beano.com Launching in Australia as website and iOS and Android apps, beano.com is the home of daily videos, games, quizzes and more all housed in a completely safe digital environment tailor-made for 6-12s.

GLOBAL LICENSING NZ TAKE ON SPACE ARCHIVES Licensing Management Intl. (LMI) has appointed Global Licensing NZ Ltd to manage the licensing for International Space Archives for Australia & New Zealand. International Space Archives (ISA) is a vast digital library. The Mission Patches, photos, films and video contained in the archive come from NASA (the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and the international space programs of Russia, Japan, China, India and the European Union. For the first time ever, International Space Archives is bringing together the best of this magnificent still and motion photography into one comprehensive collection for licensing.

KIDDETS SOLD TO ABC AND TVNZ Pukeko Pictures recently confirmed the sale of Kiddets, its sister series to hit animated preschool show ,The WotWots to Australia’s ABC and New Zealand’s TVNZ. Slated to air on both broadcasters later this year, Kiddets expands upon The WotWots franchise with 52 x 11 brand new adventures and sees the introduction of five new WotWot characters - young space cadets in training at a play school space academy on planet WotWot. Aimed at new and existing fans of The WotWots, Kiddets will enjoy a broader audience appeal including older preschool children with each episode demonstrating the positive values of teamwork and the building blocks of true and enduring friendship. The series is co-produced by Pukeko Pictures and Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company and is the first official children’s television co-production between New Zealand and China. Kiddets has been created by The WotWots’ Creator, Martin Baynton and will be Executive Produced by Richard Taylor.

The Walt Disney Company Australia is gearing up for one of their biggest years to date in 2018, with an action-packed theatrical slate leading to exciting possibilities in consumer products across all four key franchises – Princess, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. The much-anticipated in-cinema releases of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War, Lucasfilm’s Solo: A Star Wars story and Disney.Pixar’s Incredibles 2, to name a few, will see a whole new range of toys created this year, perfect for technology fans and pop culture enthusiasts.

Jack, reflecting the positive sentiment around the changing gender roles in society. Gender neutral toys will be released to coincide with the film hitting the big screen in mid-June. The iconic characters from Toy Story, especially Woody and Buzz, are the

Living eternally on retail shelves and in little girls’ hearts are the much-loved Disney Princesses, with a new ‘Proud to be a Princess’ campaign to launch this year, with a toy and apparel range to follow, promoting and supporting the value of play for young Australians. Tangled and Moana were some of their strongest performing ranges, affirming young girls’ strong identification with the brave and courageous attributes of these modern-day princesses. Excitement levels are already at an all-time high for Incredibles 2 and Toy Story 4, with the importance of appreciating family and friends a continuing Pixar theme. There’s been a lot of superhero love as of late, especially for Helen (Elastigirl) who will be out saving the world in the upcoming sequel while Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) is left to care for Jack-

toys we always wanted, their adventures excited us as kids and bring back feelings of nostalgia as adults. The dynamic pair is expected to revisit our retail shelves in new ways ahead of the theatrical release of Toy Story 4 in mid-2019.

The year of Marvel is here, with all the hype centred around the different Avengers coming together to battle their most powerful enemy yet in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War film. To build up momentum until the film’s release in late April, exciting, new products will be released every hour at the Universe Unites event on Saturday, 3 March, with the opportunity for visitors to get first look at and test the latest technologies. The event will see Marvel’s Cinematic Universe assemble at Federation Square in Melbourne, to celebrate the stories, characters and worlds we know and love in one action-packed afternoon. With the Solo: A Star Wars story film exploring Han Solo and Chewbacca’s adventures before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, toy possibilities will be nothing that Australia has ever seen before – think young Chewy and the original design for the iconic Millennium Falcon. The era in which the film is based will lead to a whole new range of toys that are sure to excite fans of all ages. Meagan Sanders, General Manager of Disney Consumer Products and Retail, said “The toy landscape is ever-changing, and though change comes with its challenges, it’s a really exciting time in this space. “Our busy theatrical slate will provide us a great opportunity to reinvigorate the idea of play, with the creation of never seen before products that position technology at the forefront. “We’re looking forward to capturing Australians’ imagination this year and beyond through play.”

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA By Utku Tansel Euromonitor www.euromonitor.com

THEME PARKS:

Wanda City versus Disneyland As explored in our global briefing of “Experiential Licensing: Consumer Fundamentals Falling into Place”, Disney Shanghai Theme Park in China has been one the world’s most anticipated attractions in recent years, which is also the new “Experiencing is everything” phenomenon fuelled by “The New Consumerism”. Today’s consumers are redefining their values and priorities, leading to the birth of a new consumerism while time has become a luxury in our connected world. The experience trend is impacting across many areas from travel, theme parks and live shows to sports and music. Theme parks themselves have become an increasingly important component of many brand licensing strategies in recent years, as licensors search for new and innovative ways to leverage their property, enhance brand awareness and connect with fans and followers. China’s booming middle class attracts new actors to town Disney’s Shanghai Park opened its doors on 16 June 2016 at a substantial cost of US$5.5 billion, its greatest foreign investment to date targeting the country’s expanding urban middle class and their children. Disney is by far the world’s largest licensor, commanding a very extensive and unmatched

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portfolio of world-famous franchises. China’s theme park industry has grown much more quickly than that of most countries in recent times, and given the country’s size and population it is ripe for further growth. The Chinese spend only a fraction of their Western counterparts per person on theme parks annually.

quite boldly declared war on Disney as he told China National Television: “The days of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck creating a frenzy are over [...] One tiger is no match for a pack of wolves – Shanghai has one Disney, while Wanda, across the nation, will open 15 to 20 Wanda Cities.” This caused considerable controversy.

However, the market potential also comes with its own perhaps rather unique challenges. Just over two weeks before the opening of new Disney park a rival, Wanda City (also dubbed “Anti-Disneyland”), was opened in Nanchang (a city situated an 8-hour drive from Shanghai) by China’s richest man, Wang Jianlin. The new attraction features China’s tallest and longest rollercoasters. Mr Wang

It is entirely possible that some could potentially interpret the move as sheer hypocrisy, as many fake Disney characters from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Snow White to Captain America and a Stormtrooper have all been spotted at the park. Disney is thought to be taking legal action. One of the unique selling points which local theme parks claim is their ability to cater for local culture and tastes. For example, Wanda City was opened with a ceremony of traditional dancing dragons and its shopping mall was designed to resemble a massive Chinese tea set. However, having copy Disney characters – in poorly designed costumes – to greet guests did little to help or support this argument at this latest local attraction. It could also be argued that controversy around the Disneyland franchise may sometimes surface from rather unlikely places such as the arts. With his Dismaland “bemusement park” pop-up exhibition in the UK, world renowned British graffiti artist and social activist Banksy had a quite sinister and satirical twist on Disneyland. Located in a derelict seaside swimming resort

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THEME PARK SALES WORLD AND CHINA: 2011 - 2020 RSP 2011 2012

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2013

China

2014 2015 2106

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2107 2018 2019 2020

0

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in Weston-super-Mare, it was opened to the public for five weeks from 21 August 2015. While Dismaland was branded and marketed as “The UK’s most disappointing new visitor attraction”, its motto certainly failed to deter the British public, with their unique sense of humour, making the show a total sell-out within minutes of ticket launches. Disney factor in China Disney has a real edge over local theme parks thanks to its global expertise and operations as well as perennial and vastly famous properties. While Shanghai Disney Resort’s ticket prices are double those of Wanda Park – a weekend day admission costs RMB499 (US$75.90) versus RMB248 (US$37.70) – it is argued that visitors would not be so deterred by high costs and willing to pay a premium to see and spend time with their favour-

20,000 30,000 40,000

ite characters. Putting aside a possible law suit that Disney would bring against Mr Wang for the infringement of copyrights, some believe that the industry could potentially benefit from new openings as supply would sooner or later create demand. The new growing army of white-collar workers in China would eventually – albeit slowly – catch up with their counterparts in developed markets as they adopt a similar approach of spending money at attractions. The number of people who visit theme parks in China is also projected to more than double over the next five years to reach 339 million by 2020 up from 150 million in 2015. Theme parks is projected to be most dynamic activity ahead of all other activities with a substantial 20.7% CAGR, which translates into US$7.2 billion in further sales over the 2015-

50,000

2020 period. Yet it was reported that many of China’s existing theme parks are losing money due to poor management. Disney’s world-wide expert proficiency could theoretically bring and set the know-how. Both Disney and Wanda should also benefit from the government’s new initiatives to create more national holidays and high-speed rail lines according to global travel company Thomas Cook. After all, in absolute terms, rail travel is forecast to be one of the most popular modes of transport, generating US$27.9 billion in additional sales over 2015-2020 in China. Currently, however, in more broad terms, Chinese consumers’ present attitude of not splashing out at theme parks is causing a struggle, leaving many attractions rather cash-strapped. Disney has the potential to change all that.

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THEME PARKS:

The Gold Coast The Gold Coast is synonymous with fun, attractions, and of course, theme parks making it one of the most preferred holiday destinations for travelling friends, families and tourists not just in Australia but also around the globe. And, of course, where there are theme parks, there are opportunities for licensed product. The economic development unit of the Gold Coast made sure that tourists have several options when it comes to a day out on the Gold Coast. All Gold Coast theme parks are clustered together. The IMETT Group SEQ Theme Parks Industry Report which was released in 2012 found theme parks clustered together increase the number of patrons when compared to those that are located individually, much like restaurants. The Gold Coast is the home to six world-class theme parks including Sea World, DreamWorld, Wet n Wild, Warner Bros. MovieWorld, Australian Outback Spectacular and Whitewater World. A Newspoll study revealed that Sea World has been voted the most popular tourist attraction of all time in Australia. The study found that 56% of the adults from the country who have visited the Gold Coast had been to Sea World. Dreamworld came in close at second followed by world-famous Taronga Zoo, Movie World, and Wet n Wild. Sea World’s achievement has definitely helped in boosting the Gold Coasts tourism industry. With a strong Nickelodeon presence, figures revealed

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that the number of international visitors increased by 10per cent last year. This number is more than double when compared to other Queensland regions. What made it so popular to both domestic and international visitors is the fact that it sends the wildlife and the whole conservation message while providing family entertainment to visitors. Dreamworld is equally populated by licensed characters with the presence of The Wiggles, Bananas in Pyjamas, Hoot from ABC and Kung Fu Panda amongst others. Based on figures reported in The IMETT Groups report, Gold Coast theme parks are one of the major reasons why millions of domestic and international visitors chose to visit the region. In 2010, the total theme park attendance was 189.1 million. This represents a 1.9% increase when compared to the figures gathered the year before. Back in 2007, the most visited theme park was Dreamworld with 1,368,141 unique visitors followed by Sea World (1,351,800 visitors) and Warner Bros. MovieWorld (1,323,542 visitors). Despite the fact that the Gold Coast has many amazing theme parks, experts in the hospitality industry believe that introducing a new theme park can help attract new international clients and convince previous visitors to come back. In an interview, Q1 general manager John Wilder believed that the main drive for repeat visits is to offer something unique that people would come back for. He proposed an ocean-based waterpark that features wave-making machines

and water-based rides. He said that offering something that the world has yet to see will make Gold Coast even more desirable to travellers. He added that although theme parks are all over the world, building something that is unique will become a big deal not just for travellers but also for locals. Gold Coast theme parks continuously re-invest in new attractions and brand-new rides not only to improve the number of visitors they receive during good economic periods but also to minimise visitor loss during economic downturns. Bringing the story up to date, Gold Coast theme parks recently had one of their best weekends, thanks to good weather and school holidays. Packed carparks at Dreamworld and Sea World mark a stark contrast to the aftermath of the Dreamworld tragedy when lives were lost after a raft carrying passengers on the Thunder River Rapids ride flipped. Park attendance dwindled over the following 14 months, but staff report that they’re finally back on track. Village Road Show Theme Parks credit their recent success to the arrival of Sea World’s polar bear cub, a new reef attraction, and the hyper coaster at Movie World. Meanwhile at Dreamworld, things are looking up, with the Big 9 thrill rides all running at the same time for the first time since the accident in October 2016. Dreamworld’s latest safety audit recently came back at 100 percent, allowing the park to re-open favourites like the Rocky Hollow Log Ride last year in time for the Christmas rush.

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Which brands should you be selling? Children are quite possibly one of the industry’s toughest critics. Their attention span is far more limited than any adult. They’re swayed by new trends all the time, and they’re continuously motivated by advertising, far beyond their comprehension. As Helen Fowler Neville, a paediatric nurse and author, writes in her book “Is this a phase? Child development & parent strategies, birth to 6 years”, a three-year-old may spend between 3 to 8 minutes independently focussed on an interesting activity, while a six-year-old may stay interested for around 30 minutes. It’s not long to keep them entertained, which is why brands continually seek to establish what will engage their attention the longest – and what will make them want to return for more. Kidz Global (a quantitative market research provider specialising in children, teens and families across 42 countries) interviewed thousands of parents of children aged between three and six in Australia in October 2017 to establish who the most pop-

ular brands currently are, which product categories are performing best, and what children love most. When it came to the boys, there were some clear favourites. Paw Patrol is considered to be the most popular brand, while Lego continues to rank favourite for most demanded, also rising in popularity. Some of the other

brands around this end of the positive scale include Cars the Movie, Minions, Hot Wheels, Play-Doh, Spider-Man and Batman. Less popular are brands such as Justice League, Transformers, The Wiggles, Fireman Sam, and Star Wars. This is potentially reflective of children’s ability to grasp story-lines and plots, as well as how their interests will quickly change as they grow older in a relatively short time-span. Even in their unaided responses, where kids didn’t have any prompts, the boys continued to favour Paw Patrol, with this name ranking first among the top

30 brands. Following behind were PJ Masks, Spider-Man and Peppa Pig. When it came to aided awareness, Peppa Pig topped the charts for being the most recognised brand, with 89% of the boys aged three to six recognising it. This was followed closely by Cars the Movie, Lego, and Thomas and Friends.

By Kidz Global Kidz Global is a quantitative market research and consulting firm. They provide their clients with the right information so they can make the best business decisions. To find out more about Kidz Global, contact: philippe. guinaudeau @kidzglobal.com.

When it comes to what drives their interest, awareness of 24 out of the top 30 brands had come from either television or film companies, 4 had come from toy manufacturers, and 1 had come from a video game company. This goes to show just how valuable licensing can be, particularly with popular TV shows. Children often want to play with toys that they have seen on-screen, adding their own spin to the narratives that have already been crafted out for them. The personalities and story-lines have already been developed on their behalf, meaning they have a spring-board to start playing from. The popularity index spreads to ownership too, with 92% owning merchandise connected with Cars the Movie and 88% for Lego. Despite being less popular, 35% owned The Wiggles merchandise, which isn’t too dissimilar to the ownership rates of Peppa Pig at 42% - despite being overwhelmingly more popu- lar. This could potentially be due to parents looking to introduce a wider

TLA 47

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA and speciality toy or game stores. In comparison, online retailers saw 14% of people visiting weekly, and 44% visiting monthly.

range of brands to their children, rather than them becoming over-exposed to just one popular name. Many families are used to having Peppa Pig dominating their screens each morning, and there’s a chance that many parents are therefore less keen to buy more merchandise with this on. In addition to this, 84% of boys were requesting Lego – either as a general purchase or on their present lists – followed by Cars the Movie, Paw Patrol and Minions. This would have an impact on diluting ownership of other brands. When it came to product categories, the boys were most interested in toys and games, followed by clothing, and then books, magazines and comics. Within the toys market, they were most interested in purchasing figurines and action figures, followed by trucks, cars and tracks, and then games and puzzles. Kmart topped the list as retailer, with 26% of those interviewed visiting on an average weekly basis or every few weeks, while 57% were visiting monthly or every few months. This was followed by Target and then other department stores

Sources: BrandTrends Entertainment Country Review, 3 to 6 years old, Australia, October 2017

TLA 48

The girls in Australia aged between three and six showed a perhaps unsurprisingly different set of results. The most popular brands were Frozen and Peppa Pig, while Disney Princess was their most wanted brand. Other popular names included Peppa Pig, Barbie, Paw Patrol, Play-Doh, Shopkins, My Little Pony and Minnie Mouse. These are largely brands who gear their marketing towards the female market. Less popular with the girls were brands such as Bananas in Pyjamas, Lego Friends, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, Shimmer and Shine, and Giggle and Hoot. When it came to unaided awareness, Peppa Pig got the most mentions, followed by Frozen, Paw Patrol, Barbie, My Little Pony and Dora the Explorer. 93% of girls recognised both Frozen and Peppa Pig, while 89% recognised ABC Kids, and 84% recognised Minions and Bananas in Pyjamas. The fact so many recognised the latter, albeit not ranking as popular, suggests that exposure to brands doesn’t necessarily correlate with popularity. As this particular brand has been in existence for many years, it potentially lacks the freshness of more exciting names and stories. It could also be reflective of parents who are familiar with this brand but don’t feel the need to buy it for their children, either because they weren’t interested as a child or because it feels more dated than more modern brands such as Minions and Frozen. It could also be representative of the product range and availability, with the larger companies producing a lot more products with a greater variety of licenses for the girls to buy into. This is reflective in

the ownership too, with 83% of the girls owning a Frozen product versus only 17% owning a Bananas in Pyjamas product. An overwhelming 96% owned Disney Princess merchandise, while 72% owned a Barbie. Just like the boys’ results, it seems the girls are largely getting their brand awareness from television and film companies (23 out of the top 30 brands), followed by toy manufacturers (4 brands) and books/ comics companies (1 brand). The girls were most interested in the toys and games product category, followed by clothing and then costumes. Within the toys category, the girls had the strongest buying interest towards dolls and accessories, followed by arts and crafts, and then games and puzzles. Kmart continued to top the list for retailers, again followed by Target and other department stores. Trends are constantly changing and at Kidz Global, research is conducted on a regular basis globally to keep abreast of these. With such research available, it is possible to start predicting where the market is headed to, and this is something Kidz Global offers businesses as part of their consultancy process. This can help buyers identify which licenses to opt for before the wider rush, tapping into a more avid customer base.

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA Boutique License of the Year which was awarded to Hey Duggee from BBC Worldwide. March 6th will see the popular Licensing Breakfast, hosted by LIMA Australia and held at the Melbourne Convention Centre. This year’s featured speaker is Teresa Rendo who has worked in retail for over 17 years and currently holds the position of General Manager Commercial for BIG W. Previously, Teresa was Head of Perishables and General Merchandise for

The Australian Toy, Hobby & Licensing Fair opens its doors this March with more than 200 exhibitors displaying product, and licensed properties, that will take the marketplace by storm in the coming year. Last year, the show attracted nearly 5,000 visitors primarily of course from Australasia but also from Europe, the US and Asia Pacific including more than 3300 buyers to the four day event with a number of properties - notably Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol and eOne’s Peppa Pig and PJ Masks on show across a number of exhibitor booths. This year licensing is fully expected to, once again, feature heavily. In fact, key sponsors of the show this year include eOne, Hasbro, Nickelodeon and LIMA Australia. It will be interesting to see how the miniaturised collectible trend pans out this year, following last year’s strong showing. In addition, visitors can see if last year’s trend of traditional board games, such as those on view from Winning Moves, continues through 2018. The Australian Toy Association, who organise the show, also played host to the Gala Dinner and awards evening. As expected, licensed properties featured strongly. Amongst the winners Headstart International was awarded Action Toy of the Year for their Ben 10 Rust Bucket. Moose Enterprise Pty, one of the leading toy companies in the market and the creator of Shopkins won Collect-

ible Range of the year for their Cutie Cars Shopkins as well as Craft & Activity Toy of the Year for their Oonies Starter Pack. Oonies is a relatively new brand within the Moose stable but, following the success of Shopkins and other brands, in time it is expected to form the basis of a licensing program. As well as toy awards, the event also hosts a number of Licensing Awards. Boys License of the Year last year went to Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice from Warner Bros whilst Girls License of the Year was awarded to Trolls from their Australian agent The Fusion Agency, now CentaIP. Best Promotional Campaign went to Sesame Street for their Cookie Monster and the Australian Red Cross campaign orchestrated by Haven and Preschool License of the Year was awarded to ABC’s much loved Play School which celebrated 50 years last year. The final Licensing Award was the

For full details on the Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair visit www.austoy.com.au or for further information, contact the Toy fair office Toyfair@austoy.com.au or +61 3 9320 2600.

Woolworths Supermarkets and prior to that, Head of Buying for BIG W. Teresa’s success and experience in retail reflects her passion for the industry. and she will outline some of BIG W’s plans for licensing. Of course, a major retailer in the toy business is Toy R Us. The Australian arm of the global giant insists that local stores will trade as normal after the parent company filed for bankruptcy in North America and Canada with the UK struggling. Australia is one of the company’s bigger overseas markets with 39 stores and a number of further stores reported to be planned for opening in the near future.

TLA 49

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

Exhibitor Floor Plan

A41

C40

B28

A23 A26

B27

C28

D40

D37

LIMA LOUNGE

D36 E33 D30 E29 E27 D26

B21

A01

A18

B17

B22

C22

B06

C18

C06 A06

A02

B05

B01

B04 B02

C03

D21

D17

D22

E25 E23

F40

E34

F36

G36 H37

E32 E34 G30 F28

H29 G24

H22 I25 H23 G22

E21

E18

D14 E15

E12

E28

F18

E18

F16 F08

D12 E11 D10 D08 E07 D06 E05

E06

C04

D04

E04

C02

D02

E02

E12

E06

I35 H28 I29

H25

MEETING PLACE

D20 E17

H36 H32 I39

E30 E32 E28 E30

F06

F02

E04

I21

H21

G14 H17

H18 I17 H12 I09

G12 G10

H04 I05

G08 H07 G06 H05 G04 G02

ENTRY TLA 50

H40

H02 I01

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

Sunday 4 March Monday 5 March Tuesday 6 March Wednesday 7 March

K40

I34

K37

K36

9am - 5pm 9am - 5pm 9am - 5pm 9am - 3.00pm

L40 M22

L37

L22

K22 K21 I28 I22

J03 J01

L21

MARKET ALLEY

J21

J13

J18 K17

M17

K12 L05

M05

I12 I06

M24

M21

J29

I18 I16

M23

J05

M02

J12 J08 J06

J02

K05

K06 L06

K02

L03 L01

M03 L02 M01

TLA 49 51

Exhibitors

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

TLA 52

A.J. Leeman Hobbies P/L.................................................MA11 Active Outthere.................................................................... E34 Active Wheels Australia...................................................... D12 Aetherworks........................................................................... I16 All Brands Toys Pty Ltd........................................................B27 AM for Kids............................................................................ E28 AMS Distributors................................................................. G06 Artico Pty Ltd.......................................................MA08, MA09 Artiwood Educational Toys....................................... I05 & I06 ASHTABULA.......................................................................... E27 Associated Retailers............................................................M22 Australian Toy Distributors................................................ H40 Australian Toy Sales............................................................. D02 Axis Toys.................................................................................. J01 Baby Brands........................................................................... C18 BABYink®...........................................................................MA18 Banter Toys & Collectibles.................................................. L05 Belta Brands - Sedlif............................................................. H37 Bensons Trading...................................................................... I39 Big Balloon Pty Ltd..............................................................M21 Big Wheel Toys...................................................................... D36 BMS Wholesale Pty Ltd...................................................... D08 Bobangles................................................................................. I01 Breyer Horses Australia..................................................... G22 Bright Baby Imports.............................................................B04 Britz Marketing Australasia................................................ A26 CA Australia Pty Ltd............................................................ D10 Cactus..................................................................................... H21 Cara Jane / Fairy Girls......................................................... C03 Childsmart............................................................................. D04 Cocomotion............................................................................ J21 Colorific................................................................................. C28 Colourful Learning............................................................MA20 Cooee Classics Pty Ltd........................................................ F18 Coolcasc Spain....................................................................... F31 Cotton Candy Imports........................................................K06 Crazy Skate Company.......................................................... I22 Creative Products Enterprises T/A Bubba Kids............. E32 Crown & Andrews | Goliath Games.................................K40 Crown Products................................................................... A06 Custom Originals.................................................................. E18 Dalex Trading Pty Ltd.......................................................MA14 Danish by Design................................................................. D26 Diecast Distributors Australia............................................B02 Divisible By Zero P/L.......................................................... H02 Drake Collectibles................................................................ F28 Easyread Time Teacher Ltd..............................................MA01 Educational Experience Pty Limited................................. L22 Educational Vantage..............................................................B06 EduKits International........................................................MA03 EE Hobbies............................................................................. E02 Eleganter Australia Pty Ltd.................................................. F06 Elldesigns.............................................................................MA22 Entertainment One Licensing Australia.......................... D22 Eureka Concepts................................................................... E25 Even Toys and Games............................................................ I29

Formula Sports....................................................................... I35 Freod Games......................................................................MA06 Funrise Australia Pty Ltd.....................................................K36 Funskool................................................................................. G04 Furward Pty Ltd (Scentco).................................................. E33 Games Wholesale................................................................ G30 Games Workshop.................................................................. I17 Geek X Distribution............................................................ E12 Geomagworld....................................................................... G02 Go Easy Australia................................................................... J03 Gollygo................................................................................MA05 GPI Apollo Bicycle Company............................................ H23 Guangdong Weili Intelligent Development Co., Ltd....... I12 Hanabee.................................................................................. F33 Happy Hop Australia...........................................................M17 Hasbro ...................................................................................M02 HeadStart International...................................................... A01 Heebie Jeebies.......................................................................K22 Hinkler.................................................................................... D21 Home Grown Brands Australia.......................................... I21 Hunter Leisure..................................................................... D40 Hunter Products......................................................... L40, M24 Ikon Collectables Pty Ltd.................................................... L37 Independence Studios Pty Ltd............................................. J18 Innovation First International.............................................B22 iWorld Australia.................................................................... F29 Jacaranda Music.................................................................MA27 Jasnor (Australia) Pty Ltd................................................... C40 Jedko Games......................................................................... G24 Jenjo Games.......................................................................MA04 Johnco .................................................................................... H17 Jozzies Australia.................................................................MA17 Junda Toys Industrial Company Limited.......................... D14 Junior Learning...................................................................... H07 Kaleidoscope Australasia Pty Ltd..................................... H22 KAPLA.................................................................................... H25 Kawada Australia Pty Ltd.................................................... D17 Keldan International.............................................................K17 Keycraft.................................................................................... J05 KidKraft...................................................................................B17 Korimco.................................................................................. F36 Kudo Banz...........................................................................MA23 La Belle Toys........................................................................... E06 LaQ Australia........................................................................ D20 LEGO Australia Pty Ltd...............................................L02, L06 Leisure Learning..................................................................... J29 Les Folies................................................................................ G10 Let’s Play Games....................................................................K37 Licensing Essentials................................................................ I09 Lifespan Kids......................................................................... C04 LIMA Lounge..........................................................................B28 Little Smiles............................................................................K21 LOGICO................................................................................ H05 Loumet....................................................................................K02 Loz Blocks...........................................................................MA12 LTC Agencies Pty Ltd.......................................................MA24

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

March 2011

The floorplan and list of exhibitors were correct at the time of going to press. There may have been alterations or additions since that date. Stands labelled MA are situated in the Market Alley area (see floorplan).

March 2010

March 2010

March 2011

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

March 2010

Southern Cross Cycles......................................................... I18 Southern Model Supplies....................................................B05 Squatter - Australia’s Classic Game..............................MA21 STC.......................................................................................... E05 Strider Sports Australia...................................................... G12 Tenth Dot Kids Pty..............................................MA25, MA26 The Brand Exchange Pty Ltd............................................. C22 The Bugg Report...............................................................MA13 Theatrix Magic Stuff............................................................... J02 Thumbs Up............................................................................ G33 Tiger Tribe............................................................................... F08 TOMY Australia....................................................................M05 Tower Systems....................................................................... E29 Toy & Hobby Retailer........................................................... F17 Toynetworx............................................................................ L03 U. Games Australia Pty Ltd................................................. L21 Ugears Australia..................................................................... I28 Vadafa Pty Ltd....................................................................MA16 Valiant Enterprises...............................................................M01 Ventura International.......................................................... A02 VR Distribution.................................................................... C02 VTech Electronics (Australia) Pty Ltd..............................M03 Wild Republic........................................................................K12 William Valentine Collection..............................................K05 Windspeed Kites................................................................... E21 Winning Moves Australia Pty Ltd...................................... F02 Wolfpack Games...............................................................MA10 Wooderful Life....................................................................... F16 WYC Imp & Exp Pty Ltd.................................................... H28 Zest Imports..........................................................................B01 Zimbler Toy & Hobby.......................................................... C06 Zing Global Limited............................................................. D37

Exhibitors

Lumina Active Pty Ltd.......................................................... E17 M.B.M.I Pty Ltd..................................................................... G17 MAGFORMERS.................................................................... G36 Make Me Iconic..................................................................MA02 Mattel...................................................................................... A18 MDI Australia......................................................................... F07 Meeple Distributors............................................................. E15 Merrigold Collections........................................................... J13 Micador Group..................................................................... D30 Mideer ................................................................................MA19 Modern Brands Pty Ltd...................................................... A41 Monkey & Chops................................................................. G08 Moose Enterprise Pty Ltd.................................................. A23 Nattou Australia..................................................................... J12 New Urbanites..................................................................... D06 NGS Group............................................................................ E07 Ninja Laser Design Studio...............................................MA07 Nooconz.............................................................................MA15 Pink Poppy............................................................................. H36 Plasticant Mobilo (Aust)...................................................... E30 Platinum Boutique Pty Ltd................................................... J08 Play Pouch Australia.............................................................. E11 Plum Play.................................................................................B21 Product Management Group............................................... I34 Puzzles and Games Specialist Australia........................... G14 Q Toys...................................................................................... E04 Radical Paint........................................................................... E23 Rainbow Pacific...................................................................... L01 Red Bay Republic.................................................................... J06 Regent Sporting Goods...................................................... H32 Rhinocorn.............................................................................. H29 Royal Selangor...................................................................... H18 Rubies Deerfield......................................................... H04, H12 Rusco Imports Pty Ltd......................................................... F40 Scholastic Australia.............................................................. G11 Shamrock a creative product company............................. I25 Shantou Pengrui Electronic Technology Co...................M23

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

The international Sensation Comes to Australia

The international Sensation Comes to Australia

For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

March 2013

March 2010

March 2013

Magazines for the Australian licensing industry since 2003 ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

March 2011

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

March 2011

March 2010

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

The international Sensation Comes to Australia

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

The international Sensation Comes to Australia

For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

March 2011

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

The international Sensation Comes to Australia For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

March 2010

March 2011

March 2010

March 2010

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

The international Sensation Comes to Australia For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

March 2011

March 2011

March 2010

The international Sensation Comes to Australia For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

Domo © NHK-TYO 1998–2011. Domo Animation © Domo Production Committee. All rights reserved. www.domonation.com

“...The poster child of user generated content...”

ndford. Martin Ha (c) 2010

r licence from Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ges are used unde nd other ima Characters a

The international Sensation Comes to Australia For licensing opportunities contact: anna@stellaprojects.com

TLA 53

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA

What’s On Show... Total Licensing Australia takes a look at some of the exhibitors showing in Melbourne this year. For stand numbers, see the exhibitor list on the previous page.

AMS

TLA 54

Active Outthere launched in Australia in 2009 and is dedicated to bringing innovative outdoor products to Australia and beyond. The company has grown from importing, wholesaling and distributing to also manufacturing and exporting. Active Outthere is a leading supplier of scooters including three-wheelers, stunt scooters and adult scooters. Brands include Grit, Globber, Crisp and more. Scooters range from 1 year old to adult. They also distribute Italtrike tricycles, made in Italy. The company’s focus has always been on supplying independent retailers with high quality, original products with a point of difference. As such, they are always on the lookout for something clever to bring to Australia. Active Outthere Director, Brett Varga, has had an extensive career in the management and marketing of Australian wheel toys and bikes. His experience qualifies him to determine what products will work in the Australian market. Active Wheels Australia is a recently formed Australian company. The owners and management of AWA have a long and successful history in the bicycle, children’s electric ride-on and the adult mobility business. AWA has recently been appointed the Australian and New Zealand distributor for Yamaha ERO’s and bicycles. Other brands that AWA distribute include Columbia and Universal. AWA are the Australian Distributors for Yamaha Bicycles and Children’s Electric RideOn’s, Columbia Bicycles and Children’s Electric Ride-On’s ERO’s. Ballard Pacific Resources Inc, a worldwide supplier of Bicycles, Bicycle Related Products and Children’s Electric Ride-On’s, recently announced Active Wheels Australia as its Australia and New Zealand Sales Representative and Distributor. BPR is the distributor of several internationally known brand names including Columbia Bicycles and Action Wheels Electric Ride-On’s and sells

Disney Princess and Disney Frozen riding toys in the USA. BPR is also the Yamaha brand Licensee for ERO’s and Bicycles in the USA, and has just added the Australia and the New Zealand markets to its current license. Aetherworks is an Australian-owned and operated business aiming to bring the best of the tabletop gaming and hobby industry into the Australian and New Zealand market. Their main focus is on miniatures, board games and role playing games. They distribute for brands such as Battlefront, Privateer Press, Steamforged, Corvus Belli, Chaosium, Evil Hat and many more. All Brands Toys Pty is a wholesaler/ importer distributing product nationally. They have exclusive distribution of key brands and high profile suppliers and they carry many of the big toy brands from many suppliers. They support their clients with timely product information, product releases, and continuous new offerings. AM for Kids offers a range of educational classic toys and 3D puzzles. Created more than 40 years ago in Amsterdam, AM-Living’s expertise and interests go back many centuries. AM-Living’s collection of furniture, artifacts, and accessories is inspired by the age of discovery, maritime history, campaign travel, and more... Their continuing quest for unique objects and designs, coupled with their goal to share their stories with a dedicated audience never ends. AMS Distributors is a company importing and distributing the Playzone range of Rugs for both the retail and education markets. Display options for their Kids play mats can be viewed on their stand for retailers. Their Rug range is designed for the classroom environment bringing in natural tones to create a calm atmosphere. Artico is a family business that has operated in Australia for over 25 years. They have a strong design team that focuses on developing products specifically for Australians. Additionally they have great partnerships with

European and American design-led businesses. Recently signings include Robert Fredericks Classic Games and North Parade Publishing’s Wonders of Learning to Australia. Artiwood Educational Toys is an award-winning boutique educational toy company. The company is dedicated to sourcing and supplying quality, eco-friendly toys that suit all budgets and every occasion. They are the Australian distributor for Kinderfeets (Tiny Tot trikes & Kinderboards), Indigo Jamm, Micki Leksaker, Apple Park, Organic Farm Buddies, Caaocho, Freckled Frog, I’m Toy, Inakids, and Zee, New Classic Toys, Kidstart and more. Their business began as the personal passion of founder, John Daniels. For many years he helped small family owned handicraft manufacturers in rural Sri Lanka bring their products to market. Ashtabula is a specialist supplier of licensed infant apparel, Ashtabula’s focus is providing quality and affordable products for football communities across Australia & New Zealand. As is evidenced by their Footysuit range of products, they pride themselves on innovation and a fresh approach to the infant supporter category. Associated Retailers operate in Australia and New Zealand as the largest independent retail group. Australian Toy Distributors will continue to bring unique items to the market in 2018.Their latest range will be complemented, offering exclusive licensed product from Mattel and Hasbro. They are the exclusive distributors of Dolu, Monarch, Bubbadoo, American Plastic Toys, Casdon, Skullduggery and more as well as local distributors for Britz n Pieces, Hasbro, VTech, Winning Moves and HeadStart. Australian Toy Sales (known as ATS) is an importer/wholesaler of exclusive brands throughout Australia. ATS supplies a range of Eco-friendly, educational, infant & pre-school products and their brands include EverEarth, Maxim, Racer and NEW brands

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA being launched at the Toy Fair 2018. Axis Toys is the exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand for DoodleArt, Goetz, Lundby, Sassi, Leolandia, Kaethe Kruse, Micki, Miniland, PlayBox, Plasto, Cayro, Wooden Story, Little & Sleepy, Chic2000 Bayer and Goldfish Gifts. They are also the developers of the new ColourAway and Scribbla brands. They are also the exclusive distributor for WWF in Australia and the agent for Steiff and FischerTechnik in Australia and New Zealand. Axis has an active publicity and social marketing campaign. This allows them to work alongside their customers to provide further tools to levage their exposure. All their suppliers’ products conform to the latest safety standards and they are able to supply disclaimers for each supplier to verify this fact. In recent news, Axis Toys has announced that it will be distributing the Teebee range for 2018 in Australia and New Zealand. This Danish-designed toypod/lunchbox accessory lands mid February and they envisage a strong up-take with its amazingly versatile design.Teebee is a transportable, compact toy box made from food-safe plastic for kids aged 3-12 years, designed for use on the go whether in the car, plane or at a temporary destination from the beach to the park. Teebee comes with a sorting tray and plate for Lego, Mega Bloks, Kreo, etc., but works for all kinds of creative toys. Teebee is robust and can accommodate the smaller pieces of toys, which children are usually not allowed to bring on a trip. Baby Brands has been bringing products to the Australian market for almost 20 years. Their range includes world famous brands for babies and kids as well as many of their own brands including Discoveroo Wooden Toys, Twigz Kids Gardening products, Two Nomads travel accessories and more. Overseas brands include: - Oball, Halo Innovations, Little Partners Original Learning Tower, Mombo and more. Baby Brands began in 1999. It was started by a mum like so many other businesses in the nursery catgeory.

The idea was to find the best baby brands around the world and share them with like-minded retailers and parents. Baby Brands has introduced many great brands and categories to Australia. Baby Einstein, Taggies, Swaddle Me, Halo, Diono, Mebby, Pabobo among many others. Baby Brands also offers a whole range of The Wiggles wooden musical instruments and educational toys. Presenting for the first time at ATA, Babyink has a fast-growing following and is ready for retail shelves. This unique product allows parents to capture hand / footprints, mess-free and easy. It is the only colour ink-less technology world-wide. Banter Toys & Collectibles are leading distributors of licensed entertainment toys and collectibles in Australia and New Zealand. The company is located in Melbourne and has been servicing mass and specialty retailers since 1988.The company is the market leader in trading cards and has a growing toy business. Because of its historical trading card relationships, the company is able to offer its supplier partners very broad distribution, beyond just mass retailers. The company attends all major trading card and toy industry events around the world and exhibits every year at the Australian Toy Fair. Belta Brands (formerly Sedlif) are the Official Australian Distributors of Sluban Building Blocks which are compatible with other leading brands. Their Forever Dreaming Girls Range includes Lockable Diaries, Music Jewellery Boxes, Fairies, Unicorns, Mermaids, Tea Sets, Stationery Sets and more. Their Belta Beach Range has over 100 product lines including masks, snorkels, Pirate and Mermaid buckets and spades and cricket sets. Bensons Trading is a family owned business operating for over 60 years. They are one of the country’s leading importers, wholesalers, and distributors of licensed and generic novelty toys, gifts, plush and showbags. They have a diverse product range to service the AU/NZ retail market and amusement industry and currently represent under the Benson’s portfolio some of the most popular brands

worldwide. Current brands include Paw Patrol, Shopkins, Grossery Gang, Doctor Who, Peppa Pig, Ben 10, Sesame Street, Pokemon, Animal Planet, Thomas & Friends, Num Noms, Hello Kitty, Emoji, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Hot Wheels, LOL Surprise, Adult Swim, Twozies and more. Big Balloon is an Australian, full service toy distributor. Launched in December 2010, their expertise in sales and marketing focuses on developing toy ranges in multiple categories across 5,000 retail stores in Australia. Their brands include Ty, Pokémon, Stretch Armstrong, Cars, Transformers, Cabbage Patch Kids, Smooshy Mushy, Stick Its, Peppa Pig, Nella the Princess Knight and Fireman Sam. Big Wheel Toys is a supplier or Stikbot, Globe A Bubbles, Play Tape, Farm Hoppers, Squishable, Bolli, Bulb Botz and more. They will also be presenting official LEGO licensed products Alarm Clocks and Buildable watches by ClicTime, and Storage and Display Cases by Room Copenhagen. This includes the re-launch of the LEGO Storage Head and the new LEGO brick drawers! Big Wheel Toys supports International manufacturers with the launch, management and distribution of their products in Australia and New Zealand. Their focus is on building long-term value in prominent brands by securing the right retailer distribution. A deep passion for consumer brands drives them to work hard with our partners to achieve smart, sustainable growth for their brands. BMS Wholesale is a glob- Axis Toys al wholesaler, distributor and manufacturer, selling books, toys, games, craft kits, homewares and stationery products. BMS Wholesale helps the local Australian indepen-

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA dent stores by providing a wholesale service by not only supporting their own product ranges but by working with many trade partners to become a “one stop shop” for a number of book, toy and game ranges. Their main aim is to make top quality products affordable for everyone. They carefully select every title they sell in order to bring consumers the very best from locally and around the world. BMS Wholesale initially started of life as a remainder books dealer in March 2009. Bobangles brands include Fat Brain, Uncle Goose, eeBoo, Floss & Rock, Jack Rabbit, Maud ‘N Lil, Mudpuppy, Ooly, Peaceable Kingdom, The Purple Cow and Puzzles from New Yorker and Pomegranate. In addition, they market a range of kids socks from Foot Traffic. Breyer Horses Australia bring consumers the world’s most realistic model horses, riders and accessories for play and collecting. Breyer is especially known for its Traditional, 1:9 scale ‘portrait’ models of great champions like Secretariat, Hollywood heroes like The Lone Ranger’s Silver and Roy Rogers’ Trigger and literary legends like Black Beauty. Baby Brands

Starting in 1998 with the release of Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer, Breyer has become Hollywood’s “go-to” company for horse films. To date, Breyer has made the official model horse of the following, The Horse Whisperer, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Seabiscuit, Hidalgo, Dreamer, Flicka and Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse Breyer has also been a sponsor of such

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prestigious international championships as the FEI World Cup Finals and the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, where it was the Official Model Horse. Bright Baby Imports specialising in unique award winning children’s toys, gifts and games from Europe. The company is the exclusive Australian distributor of quality brands including Janod, Haba, Playforever, Kaloo, Goki, Lilliputiens, Heimess, Holztiger, Fiesta Crafts and Buttonbag. Bright Baby Imports focus on products that are of the highest standards in terms of design, materials used, educational value, craftsmanship and safety. Britz Marketing Australasia is a family owned, home grown Australian organisation that distributes and produces toys that promote fun, active and imaginative play. They design, innovate, source and distribute award winning toys and recreational sporting goods for children of all ages. Our major brands Wahu and Britz’n Pieces are house hold names. Wahu, a homegrown Aussie brand since 1999, embraces all aspects of the classic, Aussie outdoor lifestyle. Every year the company’s unique games and beach toys for kids join thousands of Australian families on weekend trips to the beach, to pool parties, and of course to the backyard barbeque. For endless hours of outdoor play the company has inflatable pool toys, pool slides, colourful neoprene balls and fun beach toys for kids. Their range of backyard games and toys enhances safe, imaginative and active play. This summer, consumers can magic their backyard pool into a Wahu fun park with a massive super doopa pool slide, floating slide or kid-sized paddle wheel, together with aqua pods and their deluxe inflatable Chillax chair. There is also Wahu’s Nippas range of pool toys and inflatables for babies and toddlers. Britz Marketing’s toys are available in various international locations. Babies and toddlers will be thrilled to get in the water this summer as they learn to swim with the Wahu Nippas range of swimming equipment for tots. Nippas is a specialised range of products developed by Wahu to assist babies and toddlers as they learn to

swim. Wahu’s sister company, Britz’n’Pieces continues to astound kids with multi-faceted toys that fly, glide, hover, boomerang, change gears and even light up the night sky! CA Australia has been established since 1976 in the Asia Pacific Region specialising in plush, souvenir, promotional and licensed products. Their licensed brands include The Wiggles, Animal Planet, Gold Coast 2018 and Eric Carle.They have recently been appointed as the exclusive Australian distributor for the iconic realistic plush range from Hansa Creations C.A. Australia Pty Limited is a wholly owned Australian company. They have been in business since 1976 as a designer, manufacturer and wholesaler of soft plush toys, gifts and souvenirs, as well as various homewares and manchester items. They produce their own brands plus a range of licensed products. They also design and manufacture customer specific products for many organisations and companies throughout Australia. More recently they have been appointed by several overseas companies to distribute various products compatible with our own ranges in Australia. They are headquartered at Brookvale on Sydney’s northern beaches and have offices or agents in all States and Territories, and in New Zealand. Cactus is Australia’s #1 brand of watches for kids and teens.Their range includes cute and colourful time teachers to help with learning how to tell the time, trendy and durable watches for active kids, water resistant watches for the beach and pool, and their new collection of activity trackers and smart watches for tech-savvy kids. Distributed globally by Avantco. Cactus was started in 2006 by Sheryl and Len Smith, husband and wife team with many years’ experience in the watch industry. There was so little available for parents who wanted to buy their child a first watch with good design and form. Parents could choose poorly made product from licensed movie themes and TV characters, knowing that their child would soon lose interest in the character or theme. They wanted to make kids’

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA watches that would last, would be classical yet trendy and modern. But above all, they wanted to make quality products that boys and girls would be proud to own and want to look after well. The different collections include 30m water-resistant watches, 100m water-resistant surf and beach watches, cool and trendy time teachers, and their latest new range of smart watches and fitness trackers catering to kids, children and teens for all aspects of life – school/work, party/play, and sport/ leisure. Childsmart is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor of a large portfolio of toy, nursery, kids lifestyle and children’s FMCG brands which has enabled them to build strong customer demand for a broad range of licensed and non-licensed products across the toy, nursery and kid’s lifestyle markets. As the exclusive distributor of BRIO, World’s Apart, Crocodile Creek, SelfieMic, CoCaLo, RoomMates, Born With Style, Drink and Play, Think King, Rosie Pope and Kidsline (within Australia and New Zealand), they pride themselves on being an authority within the Children’s Experience Market. Since their inception in 2002, Childsmart has consistently grown and evolved as a business, continuously diversifying our business portfolio to support the ever-changing market place. As a family owned and operated business, they are passionate about maintaining positive relationships with both major toy retailers and traditional boutiques, which offer an increasingly personalized experience. Colorific is an innovative family business based in Melbourne. They started as an independent business in 1990 with the purpose of creating and sharing kids’ products for the world’s next generation to experience. Colorific has enjoyed an exciting and successful history over the past 26 years. They pride themselves on this history. Colorific began as a small division of the Alexander Group in Melbourne, Australia in 1986. The company developed and marketed a unique range of children’s craft to the toy and craft industries, and school suppliers.

In 1990, Wayne Brander and Peter Levi acquired Colorific. Each partner had a background in successful retailing, and both were founding directors of Australia’s second largest toy buying group, Toy Kingdom. In the first full year of trading, the business more than trebled. Colorific became an established name in the toy industry and in 1992, Colorific expanded into New Zealand. In 1999, Colorific featured in a multimillion-dollar TV, press and billboard campaign nationally to promote the Commonwealth Bank and in 2001, Colorific purchased Glow Zone - the leading marketer of glow in the dark toys in Australia and New Zealand.The range was redeveloped in-house, and relaunched in 2002. In 2006, Colorific brought home the ATA Australian Development Award for their new construction product, LUGZ. and in February 2010, Colorific acquired Fun N Fashion Australia, a leading distributor of girls’ accessories and toys, including the Crystal fairy brand. Colorific acquired children’s furniture, nursery equipment and play accessories brand Jolly Kidz from Protoys in July 2013 and in 2014 they released their newest craft brand, Bloom Pops the latest flower fashion creations. Colourful Learning produces unique educational games. Children of all abilities are captivated with the excitement of learning through these colourful games. Their games are ideal for your store, boutique or online shop. Cooee Classics manufactures diecast scale models available in 1:64, 1:76 and 1:87 scales and a large range of Australian cars in HO gauge for model train layouts. In addition, they have numerous diecast Bathurst race cars from the 1970’s in 1:64 scale packed into counter presentation packs. Coolcasc are the market leaders and innovators in the design of lycra helmet covers, for skiing, bike riding and most helmets in the market. With an amazing range of funky and bright designs, there is no limit to their imagination. Cotton Candy Imports specialises in innovative on trend products, with

their in house design team creating winners year on year. 2018 brings great new designs adding to their awarding winning Chloe’s Garden fairy house, fantasy lanterns, new baby doll designs and lots more Crazy Skate Company is Australia’s leading skate manufacturer and distributor of Australia’s #1 Skate brand Crazy. Their product range includes Roller (Quads), Inline (Blades) Skates, Scooters and related skate accessories and apparel. The Crazy Skate Compan ywas Divisible founded in 2004. By Zero Company Director John Moore owned and operated a number of roller skating facilities in Australia and saw an opportunity to produce and market innovative, quality products to the industry. With an understanding of the industry and the needs of the end consumer - the Crazy Skate Company was born. Initially working within Australia, the popularity and reputation of the brand spread to overseas markets and in 2011, the brand was launched in the United States of America. Since then, they have established a company and licensed distribution facility to cater for the needs of the North American market. The brand has continued to grow from strength to strength each year. The Crazy Skate Company is a young and progressive brand that understands the ideals and importance of doing business in this technological age while simultaneously respecting the age old traditions of developing and maintaining loyal relationships with our retail partners and customers. As a company, they are focused on creating the wave, rather than riding the wave of our competitors. Bubba Kids is an Australian owned business that has been established since 2000. They are all about choosing the latest and most unique children products from around the globe and making them available in Australia.

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA Bubba Kids is one part of an Australian company that has a long history in gifts and souvenirs in both design, manufacturing, importing & wholesaling and now online retail in Australia. All stock comes out of their Sydney warehouse and has the security of being quality checked thoroughly before delivery. Crown & Andrews | Goliath Games Crown & Andrews / Goliath Games has been bringing Australians great games, jigsaws and toys for more than 50 years, truly believing that great games, toys and puzzles really can bring people together. Crown Products/MJM continues to dominate the kids licensed category in games and puzzles. New licenses include PJ Masks, LOL Surprise, Hatchimals, Disney, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Marvel, Star Wars, Shopkins, Paw Patrol, My Little Pony, Transformers, Thomas the Tank, ABC Kids Brands & Peppa Pig, together with their Spirograph and Fashion Plate ranges. MJM Australia and Crown Products have extended their range to stationery, crafts and toys, however still with a strong base of puzzles and games. Their licenses include the most up and coming as well as happening brands for boys, girls and pre-school. They constantly strive to develop and look for innovative toys for children to help them learn, develop cognitive skills and most importantly to have fun. Custom Originals Australia is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for Diecast Masters range of Caterpillar Diecast Scale Models. Diecast Masters manufactures the world’s widest range of Cat scale model replicas – well over 100 items that represent nearly every machine category offered by Caterpillar. In addition to the current items available, new models are constantly being developed for regular release. Dalex Trading Pty Ltd is an exclusive distributor of the Wooden City brand in Australia and New Zealand. This is a new European brand of original 3D kinetic models for self-assembly made of plywood. The growing range of models from beginner to advanced level of complexity targets teenagers

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and adults who are interested in engineering and challenging DIY projects. The company is a sole designer and manufacturer of mechanical 3D wooden puzzles and models based in Europe. They designed their first model in 2015. It became our inspiration for the brand name Wooden City. Their growing experience in designing new models helped them to move forward with their ideas. Currently Wooden City models are sold to 12 countries worldwide. The company uses highly accurate laser equipment and the raw material is exclusively eco-friendly birch plywood. The manufacturing process is fully automated and every single manufactured model is tested by qualified technicians. Danish by Design are suppliers of some of the world’s best toys for children. When sourcing brands they look for unique features, great packaging and exceptional quality as well as value for money. At this year’s ATA they are showcasing Moover Toys, Kipod, Milaniwood & Calafant, all from Europe and each with an exciting collection. Today they import a substantial range of stylish, modern designer nursery furniture and infant products and toys based on true craftsmanship and innovation. Their aim is to offer Australian parents well designed products that not only look good but are super practical for both parent and child; products that have versatility and longevity and are great value. Today Danish by Design is the proud distributor of many brands and has some serious celebrity clientele, including Nicole Kidman, Rebecca Twigley (Judd), Mel B and Megan Gale! Their team thrives on the challenge of trying to find more unique products to add to our range, preferably from Scandinavia. Each product they take on board has to match their design, function and quality standards. They also strive to be the best they can be regarding customer service and trust. Diecast Distributors Australia is a major contributor to the Australian diecast market and happily so over the last 17 years, having the largest range of diecast in Australia. With their passion for cars over the years, the own-

ers John and Christine express this in their ever expanding range. This year the team at DDA are presenting their vastly increasing selection from DDA Collectibles, including their newest additions of iconic Australian motorcars. As well as opening up the Diecast world by showcasing the biggest and best from Australian history, they will also be expanding their popular pop culture selection and venturing into the comic pages. The Brisbane-based company is the exclusive distributors of DDA Collectibles, Greenlight Collectibles, Precision Collection, Highway 61, Hawk, King Creations, Motorcity Classics, Coca Cola, Schuco and Shelby Collectibles. DDA also distributes an extensive range for the hobby market with popular brands including: AMT, Lindberg, MPC, Polar Lights, Glencoe, Moebius, Mostly Signs, Jada, Sign of the Times, ACME, Ace Models, Dickie Toys, GMP, Golden Wheels, Lucky Diecast, Hot Wheels, Motormax, New Ray, Oz Legends, Sun Star, Vitesse, Welly, Majorette, Matchbox and Real Art Replicas. Divisible by Zero DBZ is the Australian distributor for Fascinations Metal Earth. These 3D Laser Cut models are cut from an 11cm square thin sheet of metal. Each model features detailed laser etching and includes easy to follow instructions to help build Museum quality models. Recently added to this ever-growing range is four titles of Legends - Batman, Spider-Man, Super Man and Wonder Woman, along with four Freightliner titles COE Truck, 114SD Dump Truck, FLC Long Nosed Truck and the 114SD Snow Plow. They also have Dr Who Rusty K9 and four new Star Wars titles, which brings the total of Star Wars models to 26 titles. The new titles for Star Wars are ATM6 Heavy Assault Walker, Resistance Bomber, Resistance Ski Speeder and Kylo Ren’s TIE Silencer. Our existing range also includes five Star Trek models, five Avengers models, five Batman models, four Transformers models, six Boeing models, five Caterpillar models, five Dr Who models and four Harry Potter models Drake Collectibles is a manufacturer and distributor of high quality

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA diecast replicas of Australian truck, trailers and associated products. Their products are not only very popular in Australia but around the world. They are rapidly being recognised as a major contributor to the world wide premium collectible market. Drake Trailers is Australia’s leading manufacturer of heavy-duty trailers and specialised transport equipment. Since 1960, Drake Trailers has developed equipment that delivers on their promise of quality, reliability, and durability, both in Australia and internationally. Drake has generations of experience in the heavy transport industry and a comprehensive range of designs and manufacturing facilities. 2010 marked the beginning of a new identity, Drake Collectibles.This was in response to demand from avid diecast collectors and Drake Trailer operators alike. Their initial focus was on replicas of Australian produced equipment, starting with the iconic Drake Swingwing Low Loader, Dolly and Kenworth T908 Prime Mover combination. Drake Collectibles in its own right has now produced a variety of highly collectable replicas of both Australian and international pedigrees and are rapidly being recognised as a major contributor to the world wide premium collectible market. Easyread Time Teacher Ltd is a family business dedicated to helping children and adults overcome the problems encountered when learning to tell the time on analogue clocks. The business was started by Roger Shackleton, based in Sydney Australia and a winner of the Australian Design Award. Roger designed the EasyRead Dial and the Three Step Teaching System after finding it extremely difficult to teach his own children to tell the time using regular analogue clocks. Roger’s business started in 2011 under the name Theme Time Australia. In 2012 his sister Sue Shackleton, based in Malvern UK, joined him to develop the business in the UK and Europe. EasyRead Time Teacher Ltd, a UK registered company, was formed in 2013. Roger’s designs have been so successful that the clocks are now available in Europe, Australasia and North Ameri-

ca, from Amazon, eBay and an increasing list of other outlets. Educational Experience is one of Australia’s leading suppliers of quality learning resources. As a trusted learning resource supplier and advisor with over 40 years’ experience, Educational Experience understands the importance of inspiring young minds and enriching children’s learning and development through child-led, play-based experiences. 2017 saw the company’s 40th birthday. They celebrated by passing on some of the biggest savings to our customers in our long history, sponsoring the sectors most coveted awards and partnering with some of the worthiest causes.And in 2018 they are taking this to the next level! This year they will continue our support of the sector, sending Educational Experience sponsored educators all over the globe on educational expeditions, expanding knowledge and gaining extraordinary experiences. Educational Vantage was established in 1980 specialising in the manufacture of educational paint and glues. Today They are Australia’s largest educational paint manufacturer and can be found in 96% of primary schools. Their products are sold into 28 countries and they are the largest exporter of educational paint to Singapore and South Korea. Educational Vantage is privately owned and currently employs 35 staff. Their head office and warehouse is located in Melbourne and they have a showroom in Collingwood. In 2014 Learning Can Be Fun (started 1986) was added to the group portfolio and in February 2014 they took ownership of Gillian Miles, the number one poster and placemat brand in Australia. During that time, they renamed the business of Educational Colours to Educational Vantage. The name change reflected the growing number of businesses under the one rooftop. Educational Vantage can be found in over 3500 stores in Australia and the team speaks to over 150 customers a day. EE Hobbies ‘ brand MakeBlock is a line-up of robotic products for STEM education. Creativity is at the heart of every dream. Every idea, every ground-

breaking leap that changes the world starts with the vision of talented creators and their tools. At EE Group, they sell these tools to bring their ideas to life. Today, these products are redefining industries. Professionals in film making, agriculture, conservation, search and rescue, energy infrastructure, and more trust EE Hobbies to bring new perspectives to their work and help them accomplish feats safer, faster, and with greater efficiency than ever before. Eleganter Australia is a wholesale supplier of wooden toys who has been servicing the industry with high quality products and outstanding customer service. Brands include Kaper Kidz, Koala Dream, Tooky Toy and Top Bright. They currently have an extensive range of wooden and educational toys, musical instruments, decorative and novelty items, fancy stationeries, puzzles and games. All products are crafted from plantation woods and non-toxic paint. Elldesigns supplies creative and innovative ways to stimulate minds. Their product range includes Australian made Iron Me Beads, Melty Crystals and Imagination Craft Activity Boxes all designed to take children back to basics. Australian made Iron me Beads are made and owned in Australia by Australians. Iron me Beads are fun to use and educational at the same time, suitable for everyone from 5 to 99 to use and will keep everyone occupied for hours. Boys and girls alike love to use Iron me Beads to create fridge magnets, suncatchers, necklaces, key tags and their own unique creations. Iron me beads are used by placing the beads onto a bead/peg board randomly or in a pattern. Cover your Iron me Beads with ironing paper and iron the beads! (This will melt the beads together) Turn the beads and board over, remove the board, place another piece of ironing paper over the beads and iron this side off the beads. Allow to cool then remove paper. Entertainment One Licensing Australia manages the creation and development of consumer products and associated marketing and promotional campaigns for some of the most

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA high profile film, TV and lifestyle properties including Australia’s favorite preschool brands Peppa Pig, PJ Masks and Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom . Even Toys and Games have been distributing quality board games and card games to Australian retailers for 17 years. In 2018 they will be introducing a new range of educational games and re-introducing some old favourites. Suited, Ghost Blitz and The

Entertainment One

Magic Labyrinth will all be available in 2018. Formula Sports is an Australian based distributor and manufacturer of indoor and outdoor games. With a heritage in darts and snooker, their business has expanded in recent times to include table tennis, toys and lifestyle products. Leading brands include Formula Sports, Target Darts, Riley and Longhorn Sports. Freod Games is a West Australian board/card game publisher that specialises in fast family co-play games (all players play together non-stop from start to finish - no waiting for turns). Funrise Australia is debuting the Sunny Bunnies toy collection at the Australian Toy & Licensing show. Developed in partnership with Media I.M. Digital Light Studios and Evolution, the innovative new preschool toy line brings the charm, comedy and playfulness of the Sunny Bunnies animated characters to life. Developed by Digital Light Studios and distributed by Media I.M., Sunny Bunnies is a new entertainment property that has captivated kids

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around the world. After an unprecedented rise to fame on YouTube with over 260 million views in less than 18 months, Sunny Bunnies started airing on the Disney Channel and Disney Jr. worldwide, continuing its monumental growth in popularity. The Sunny Bunnies are five beaming balls that can pop up wherever there is a source of light, bringing their cheeky brand of fun and games to diverse locations to spread laughter and happiness. Each episode is capped by a collection of animated bloopers. Sunny Bunnies toys will be available at retail in North America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand starting September 2018. The range of innovative and interactive toys include light up and bounce plush, talking plush, super-sized huggable plush, and the bunny blast cannon playset. Funrise is a global innovator and industry leader in the design, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of toys and games worldwide. Delivering fun for kids of all ages, Funrise creates toys and games for high-profile brands including Tonka, Gazillion, Luna Petunia, Space Racers and Sunny Bunnies, is the global master toy partner for Paramount Pictures’ highly anticipated animated feature film, Amusement Park, and is a co-production partner and toy creator for the upcoming series Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty. Furward PL distributes Scentco, a range of authentic scented pens, pencils, markers, crayons, note pads and other scented gift items for kids. Scentco has also partnered with Disney, Marvel, Crayola and Dreamworks to merge their popular characters with Scentco’s scents. Games Workshop manufactures, distributes and sells all of the gaming and support materials for the world’s most successful miniatures wargames, based around their key brand names - Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000. Geek X is a Melbourne based distribution company, representing brands such as Bandai Namco, Mattel, Tomy, Hasbro and more. The company specialises in all things pop culture and Geek X is a one stop destination for movie, TV, gaming and comic merchan-

Funrise dise. Geomag is a magnetic construction company whose product lines include Color, Mechanics, Pro L, Magicube and KOR, all of which all follow the STEM methodology. They sell Geomag products domestically in Australia. Geomagworld SA is a company where creativity and learning have been working side by side since 2008. Their classic toys exploit the potential of magnetism for play and education. Geomag’s products help children of all ages to develop and train their minds, imagination and curiosity through the science of magnetic construction. Each year, Geomag introduces new and innovative product lines. Geomag has received several international awards for quality and play value. Go Easy Australia is a privately owned and diversified company located in Melbourne and was established in 2005. Andrew Tawaf the founder of GoEasy created the company with a vision of becoming Australia’s largest independent provider of action sports and leisure products. GoEasy Australia maintains his vision by continuing to expand its quality focused retail and wholesale product range into various industries including ATVs & Dirt Bikes, E-scooters, Cycling, Fitness and Outdoor Products. Whether it’s their own developed brands such as GMX Motorbikes, GoSkitz (e-Scooter) or all other leading international brands, GoEasy Australia is one of Australia’s leading independent retail and wholesale provider. Gollygo’s extensive range of quality dress ups is designed for children to

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA play hard. Every day is a special occasion in a Gollygo dress up. GPI Apollo Bicycle Co has been a major supplier of bicycles and accessories to the industry for 40 years. The Apollo name is synonymous with supplying quality products at an affordable price. Apollo has many key brands in its stable, including Cheetah bikes and Croozer kiddy carriers to name a couple. Guangdong Weili Intelligent Development Co., Ltd is located in Chenghai District of Shantou City which is famous for the manufacture of toys and gifts. They specialize in research, manufacture and distribution. Their main products are mini remote control cars, alloy remote control cars and remote control planes. Hanabee Entertainment is a distributor of licensed products and provides sales and marketing services for entertainment brands.Their operation serves as a one-stop shop for entertainment brands who place a high value on community engagement. They distribute, merchandise via wholesale and also direct-to-consumer through conventions and their eCommerce stores. Hasbro is a global play and entertainment company committed to creating the World’s best play experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands. Key brands in the Hasbro portfolio include Transformers, My Little Pony, Monopoly and others. Headstart is one of the hottest toy companies in Australia with a focus on building the best brands in toys. Their brands include LOL Surprise, Ooshies, Little Tikes, Baby Born, Sesame St, Ben 10 and much more. Their Sesame St range has been particularly successful and is now the leading branded preschool plush in Australia. Headstart’s June 2017 catalogue featured Tickle Me Elmo on the front cover and over 8,000 units sold in just four weeks. In addition to the Tickle Me Elmo plush, last year Headstart introduced a talking Cookie Monster puppet and character pillows. Christmas saw a new Elmo, Cookie and Abby talking

plush. Heebie Jeebies produce toys and geeky gear for all ages including Mrs Green - gardening for littlies, Quack Traditional fun toys and craft, Liquifly - rocket science at home, Smart Brain GamesPop - giant bubbles, Chameleon - colour changing accessories, Sterling Books and Giant Microbes. Hinkler creates spontaneity, joy and learning across a wide variety of book, art and craft, and toy categories, with a commitment to producing high-quality products affordable to every family. Hinkler is a global, independent publisher based in Melbourne. Their mission is to surprise and delight every child, adult and retailer by publishing books with a difference. Hinkler was founded in 1994 in Melbourne. Since that time, they have focused on making quality products that are affordable for families. They are motivated by their belief that price should be no barrier to the enjoyment of good books and language and distance should not be barriers either. Every year they sell 20 million products in 38 languages throughout 77 different countries. Home Grown Brands is a onestop-shop for skateboards, scooters, pool fun, water and surf, snorkelling and sun protection. Products have a unique lifetime warranty, the toughest quality control procedures with new and improved products with same-day order dispatch and order accuracy from their Scan-Pack warehouse. Hunter Leisure owns and operates their office and distribution warehouse from Melbourne from which they distribute nationally. Their extensive top selling product range includes fast moving children’s products in the best selling licenses and brands. Hunter Leisure is a 30 year old family enterprise, 100% Australian owned, commanding one of the most comprehensive range of leisure products available in Australia including toys, sporting goods, stationery, craft, party, and carnival covering all markets, age groups and price points. One of Hunter Leisure’s greatest strengths lies in developing products in partnership with local and international licensors such as The Walt Dis-

ney Co. Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox. Hunter Leisure also has proven ability to build and market successful brands, across a range of solid, staple lines as well as develop exciting, new products. Some of their most outstanding marketing successes include Huffy Bicycles and Basketball Systems, Cyclops Toys, Presstik stationery, FunStuff - colouring and activity products and CraftStuff - craft & scrapbooking ranges and NSI - craft and science products. Hunter Leisure’s customer base includes major retail chains, discounters, department stores, newsagents, schools, stationery stores, specialty sports and wholesale outlets Australia wide. Over the years, Hunter Leisure has devised creative strategies resulting in excellent sales, increased market share, and reinforced brand recognition. They have been recognized as a premier marketing and distribution company in the Australian Leisure Industry, nominated by peers, competitors and industry associates. Hunter Products is one of the largest privately owned toy and sporting goods importers in Australia. They focus on distributing a wide range of the hottest licensed and non-licensed toys, electric ride-ons, scooters, bikes, fitness equipment, inflatables and more! Hunter Products are one of Australia’s leading importers of todays best toys, sporting goods, fitness equipment, and aquatic accessories along with a huge range of licensed products. Ikon Collectibles is Australia’s premier wholesale distributor of today’s leading officially licenced popular culture merchandise. Ikon is recognised for their broad range of products, from the award winning Pop! Vinyl range to action figures, statues, gift-

Headstart

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA ware, replicas, trading cards, games and much more. Ikon also has their own range of officially licensed products designed in-house that are sought after in the collectables market. A new signing is a Replica Aquaman Trident. Ikon has been a Warner Bros licensee for many years and has made a number of replicas along the journey such as Harley Quinn’s Baseball Bat and Mallet from Suicide Squad. Aquaman’s Trident will be the latest in our line of replicas. As seen in the 2017 Justice League Movie and the upcoming 2018 Aqua-

man movie; this replica has been designed using 3D files created by the movie studio. Assembled, the Trident stands 213cm tall and is a metal and fibreglass construction that screws apart into four pieces. The four pieces of the replica come protected in a burlap bag and then packaged into a detailed wooden chest. Independence Studios is Australia and NZ’s leading wholesaler of toys, homewares and gifts. They exclusively represent some of the world’s leading toy, game and licensed brands such as Jellycat, Lagoon, Luckies, Paladone and NPW. In addition to these brands, they distribute their own gift brand. Their competitively priced, broad collection encompasses plush, classic, seasonal, card/board games and educational toys. Independence Studios is Australia and New Zealand’s leading wholesaler of homewares, gifts and toys. The company began in 1987 when founder James Smail sold internationally sourced artisan wares at Sydney Markets. Innovation First International are inventors and designers of Hexbug

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Toys and Vex by Hex Robotics. Innovation First is a leading name in robotics, STEM and fun toys. Along with their award winning products they distribute Corolle Dolls, Spy X, Lottie Dolls, Hama, Infantino, Little Bird Told Me, the O2Cool water bottles and multi award winning Silverlit Drones, robots, blasters and preschool toys. Established in 2006, iWorld Australia is a leading supplier of steam education & audio products in both Australia and New Zealand. iWorld Australia has a very select range of exclusive agreements with the following worldwide brands: Arckit - Crosley Audio - Circuit Scribe - Edwin The Duck - littleBits - Makeblock - MudWatt - Marbotic - Primo Toys - Strawbees, Teknikio and Zometools. Since 1988, Jasnor has been a leading distributor of quality toys and gifts, boasting an extensive collection of beloved children’s brands across multiple product categories – from gifts for baby, to plush bears and animals, seasonal offerings, licensed products and educational toys. Key brands include Pusheen, The Wiggles, Paddington, Bush Baby World, Hey Duggee, In the Night Garden, Peter Rabbit, Sesame Street, Eric Carle & GUND. Founded in 1988, Jasnor is one of Australasia’s leading distributors of quality and innovative toys and gifts with a reputation for providing value for money combined with a high level of service, experience and expertise. Jedko Games is a one-stop supplier for games, jigsaws, playing cards, and puzzles, with over 6,000 products. They are the exclusive Australian distributors for Holdson, Jumbo, Wasgij, Heye, Piatnik, Cheatwell, Professor Puzzle just to name a few! They are distributors for Gamewright & Imagination, and also wholesale most major brands of games and jigsaws. Jenjo Games Pty Ltd is a Melbourne based company distributing all over Australia and New Zealand, with a range of games suited to all ages. Their products are mostly wooden design with only a few plastic products. Johnco is a leading wholesaler of quality children’s toys with a strong focus on STEM. With over 30 years of experience and an extensive retail

distribution network, Johnco products include the 4M brand, educational science and nature products, craft kits, speedster cars, books, backpacks, novelty products and more. Jozzies Australia has a large choice of Australian animals, birds and marsupials. It is an Australian owned and operated company that makes Australian made native and heritage toys.The company has a strong focus on unique Australian animals including iconic Aussies like Kangaroos, Koalas, Emus, Echidnas and Platypus’ as well as some less known animals such as Numbats, Dunnarts and Rainbow Lorikeets. They also have teddy bears and Merino ewes and rams. Product is sold through wildlife stores, museums, gallery and zoo gift shops and various other stores. Junior Learning is a leading developer of educational toys, games and technology applications. By combining the latest educational research with expertise in toy design, Junior Learning’s educational toys and games are world class. Their main customers are e-commerce, retail and school supply. They have a line of over 250 products including 100 new products for 2018. Kaleidoscope Australasia distribute hiigh quality educational award winning toys and gifts. They are distributors for Djeco puzzles, games and art/ craft, Papo figurines, Le Toy Van wooden toys, doll houses and role play, Wheely bug ride-ons, Folkmanis puppets, Bonikka Dolls, Meiya & Alvin rubber baby toys, Mamagenius wooden toys, KiddieConnect educational toys, Shoenhut Pianos, Manhattan baby toys, Trybike trikes and bikes, Tender Leaf wooden toys. The company was founded in 1989 with the goal of providing high quality toys and children’s products to the Australian market. Since that date they have grown into a market leader in the Australian toy industry by upholding that goal, and continuing to deliver high quality products paired with great customer service. Keldan specialises in unique gifts concepts featuring wildlife,Australiana and sea life.They are the Australian distributors for 3D Livelife and the new Inflatimals range comprising pet themed

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA products as well as their new birds of Australia ranges. Keldan International was founded in 1999 and has grown from very humble beginnings into one of Australia’s most successful suppliers of innovative novel gift ideas. After consulting extensively with retailers and consumers Keldan discovered the market needed and deserved more innovative products that are designed specifically for Australian niche markets. As a result, in 2001 they began creating their own product concepts. Today, Keldan has formed exclusive partnerships with some of the most innovative and well respected manufacturers in Asia and They will continue investing in the development of novel gift concepts that will keep them at the cutting edge of the market. Keycraft are impulse purchase experts. They believe great products, well packaged should be a given. They source and develop quality items that promote creativity, engagement and integrity.They also package and display them in ways designed to optimize impulse purchases. For 50 years, KidKraft has helped create imaginative play through award-winning products for the bedroom, playroom and backyard. Built to last, KidKraft toys are designed to spark imaginations, inspire curiosity and celebrate play. In 2018, KidKraft provides greater innovation and new ways to Live, Learn, Play and Explore through a product lineup providing more life-like interactive features, modern play platforms inspired by cultural trends and consumer feedback, and an improved assembly experience through the introduction of EZ Kraft Assembly technology. La Belle Toys is an exclusive distributor for the Fun Factory and Viga wooden toys as well as Gowi Toys of Austria. Their range includes educational toys, puzzles, musical instruments, doll house furniture, multicultural dolls, role play home corner, board games, puppets, doll prams, animal replicas, sports items, beach toys, art and craft, stationery, novelties and more. LaQ is a very simple, yet highly creative and tactile construction toy. Its

uniqueness comes from using just seven types of block parts to make unlimited creative 2D and 3D models. LaQ is invented and made in Japan, and has won numerous international toy awards. Smart Toys Trading is the authorised distributor for LaQ in Australia. The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company with headquarters in Billund, Denmark. Founded in 1932 and based on the iconic LEGO brick, it is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials. The company is committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning. LEGO products are sold worldwide. Leisure Learning produce quality educational games and toys. Their brands include Smart Games, Crazy Aarons Thinking Putty SmartMax, Geosmart, Amos Craft, Buki Books, Edushape, Popular Playthings, The Learning Journey, Mindwister, Brainbox/Green Board Games, Silli Chews Blue Orange Games. Les Folies is the sole distributor of the world famous Sophie la Girafe and other Vulli products in Australia. Les Folies was founded in 2006, and the sole and exclusive Australian distributor of Sophie The Giraffe , the teething toy still hand made in France by Vulli since 1961. Les Folies was created by two French ladies Isabelle and Cecile who remarkably grew up together as best friends in the heart of France. They would have never thought that they would both end up marrying Aussie’s and moving to live in Australia. Soon after with new born babies of their own, the girls naturally went to buy the Sophie teether. To their amazement Sophie had not yet travelled down under so the girls jumped on the phone to France and Les Folies has been very proud to distribute, throughout Australia, Sophie and all other Vulli products such as the Magic Tree, ever since. Each Sophie voyage seems to be part due to the growing international notoriety of this wonderful baby product and part down to the people who import her. The Les Folies family now

includes Isabelle, Mike, Cecile, Guy, Charlie, Jim, Coco, Louise, all of whom are very happy to be part of the story. Let’s Play Games is Australia’s premier distributor of specialist board games, role playing games, card games, gaming accessories and organised play kits. They are staffed by game experts with a deep personal and professional commitment to building gaming communities across Australia. Let’s Play Games distributes Dungeons and Dragons, HABA Dragon Ball Super Card Game and Cards Against Humanity. Licensing Essentials is a wholesale company representing high profile brands specialising in exclusive development as a point of difference with key retail partners. Brands represent-

ed include Disney, DC Comics, Marvel, Pokemon, Movie entertainment, sports brands like AFL & NRL, Holden and Ford just to name a few. Product ranges from apparel, headwear, melamine, coffee mugs, drink ware, cooler bags, plush, stationery, back packs and all other accessories items. Licensing Essentials is an Australian-owned company with its Head Office based in Melbourne. Lifespan Kids specialises in a range of kids indoor and outdoor products ranging from trampolines, cubby houses, sandpits, play kitchens, swing

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sets, slides, inflatable jumping castles and water slides and climbing frames just to name a few. With over 8 years of experience in kids outdoor playground equipment, Lifespan Kids is Australian owned retailer with over 35,000 happy customers.The company Lifespan Kids kicked off in 2008 with a range for trampolines and wooden play equipment. The HyperJump series trampolines quickly became the flagship product with unique design attributes and a high level of after sales service. The Lifespan Kids range continues to expand into indoor play, toddler play and inflatables. Little Smiles is the exclusive Australian importer and wholesale toy distributor for some of the world’s leading toy brands, such as Step2, Kid O Toys, Ambi Toys, Classic World,Vilac, Battat, Wonder Wheels, Vilacity, Quut Petitcollin and Jejura. EUToys is the exclusive Australian distributor of the Logico educational game that introduces new concepts of learning for cognitive development. The game is recommended for families, schools and kindergartens because it is educational and engaging. Logico is widely used throughout Europe, Asia and the USA by educators in preschools and primary school and has received a number of international and national awards. Loumet aims to bring the best of the world’s outdoor and indoor play products for children. Presenting extensive licenses through our play products which include playballs, flash balls, Foam Sculptured Balls, hopper balls, bucket sets, wheelbarrow sets and more. 2018 will see Loumet Toys outdoor range expand to include new leading licenses including Star Wars, Frozen, Disney Princess, Cars , Mickey , Minnie, Incredibles 2, Finding Dory, Marvel Avengers, Marvel Spiderman, Powerpuff Girls, Paw Patrol, Sesame Street , Ben 10, Despicable Me 3 and The Wiggles. Loz Blocks is an Australian Distributor of Guangdong Zhenfeng Science and Educational Toys Co., Ltd. The company was established in 1998 and their main products are Loz brand

building blocks, diamond blocks and mini blocks. They export to Australia, US, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia. Lumina Active Pty Ltd offers interactive & light-up Cricket Australia, BBL & Disney licensed products that maximises the enjoyment of sports. The company began in 2006 when Designs To You (DTY) offered Cricket Australia a compelling solution to completely manage their junior participation program. Almost a decade later, participation levels grew by some 30% and the significant cost savings and efficiencies gained by Cricket Australia was reinvested directly back into Milo 2Cricket and Milo T20 Blast programs. They now distribute over 60,000 participant packs to cricket clubs all over Australia and with a projected 30,000 more set to join as part of the Australian Sports Commission Sporting Schools Program. Make Me Iconic takes on an entirely new tack on designer home wares, toys and premium Australian souvenirs. They produce high quality and iconic gifts that people enjoy, connect with and want to talk about. Their goal is to bring the unsung icons of Australia and its cities to life and into people’s homes. At the same time their products aim to enlighten consumers by providing facts about the icons of the city and what makes them so special and iconic. Working with young, local designers in Melbourne and Sydney, their products make fresh things familiar and familiar things fresh. With an exclusive range of designer toys, cushions, tea towels, mugs and screen-printed wall posters, they have everything consumers need to take a piece of your favourite city home. Mattel is a creations company that inspires wonder in the next generation, to shape a brighter tomorrow. Their mission is to be the recognised leader in play, learning and development worldwide. Mattel’s portfolio of global consumer brands includes Barbie, Fisher Price, Hot Wheels, Thomas and Friends, Mega, among many others. MDI is a specialist developer and distributor of gifts, toys and homewares based in Brisbane, Australia. They partner with international brands to bring their products to Australian shores,

tailor existing products to better suit the Australian market and develop products from scratch for Australia and for global export. Meeple Game Distributors is Australia’s No.1 choice for board games, card games, role playing games, miniatures, gaming accessories, puzzles and more. They stock huge brands like Fantasy Flight Games, Asmodee, Czech Games Edition, Crown & Andrews, Days of Wonder, Chessex, Educa and many more. Merrigold Collections is an importer/wholesale distributor of quality educational early childhood and preschool toys in Australia. They stock an extensive range of modern teaching aids. Their brands include Merrigold Fabric, Safsof, IQ and they have exclusive distributorship for Wonderworld and Blue Ribbon. Their wooden toys are made from rubberwood and all products conform to EN71 safety standards, made in 100% safe materials. Micador is an Australian owned business which develops and distributes art, craft, stationery and technology products into both the Retail and Education channels. Over the last 60 years Micador Group has become a constant in the art, craft and education markets. Mideer is a Melbourne-based company, dedicated to looking for fun and quality toys to import.They focus on bringing fun to kids’ learning process. Currently they are the exclusive distributor of MiDeer and JoanMilo in Australia and New Zealand.Their main customers are toy retailers, boutique gift shop and news agencies. Modern Brands is the exclusive distributor for Australia and New Zealand of world-leading retail toy and entertainment brands. Modern Brands supply to all retail channels major grocery, toy specialty, nursery, pharmacy and gifts. Modern Brands represents some of the best quality toys from all over the world including Sylvanian Families, Schleich, Melissa & Doug, Ravensburger, Eurotrike, Playmobil and many more. Moose Toys is an Australian-owned Award winning company that is known for developing, designing and distribut-

TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA ing toy and lifestyle products around the globe for children of all ages and the young at heart. The team has innovation in their DNA and are famous for the design, development and manufacture of award winning toys that continue to disrupt the market. Moose dominates in categories including collectibles, craft, dolls, games and youth electronics featuring much loved brands such as Shopkins, Little Live Pets, Beados, Happy Places, The Grossery Gang, The Trash Pack and Mighty Beanz and is consistently recognised as the most creative company in the industry. Moose Toys calls Australia home and has teams across Los Angeles, Hong Kong, China, London, Paris and Vietnam, employing more than 350+ staff and distributing to over 100 countries. NGS Group is a supplier of electric ride-on and foot-to-floor vehicles to the retail Industry with over 20 years of experience. They have also added storage and kids furniture to their portfolio recently. The Australian Toy Fair 2018 is the debut for Hinja: Instant Origami from Ninja Laser Design Studio. Hinja are Australian-made modular origami construction units, die cut from durable, reusable polypropylene film, with engineered folds that guarantee accurate millimetre-precise construction. Depending upon which folds and colours are engaged, a multitude of 2D, 3D cubic, and complex 3D polyhedral designs become possible. Nooconz offers an Australian designed and manufactured connection system for pool noodles. Children can build from pre-packaged kits or create their own shapes. Happy Hop Australia is the sole distributor of Happy Hop children’s inflatables in Australia and New Zealand. Happy Hop is a worldwide industry leader of the production and supply of domestic jumping castles and inflatable water slides. Happy Hop has forged its reputation in Australia over the last 14 years and uses state-of-the-art technology to provide innovative functional design and highest quality products at affordable prices. Pink Poppy /Yipose Trading Company was established in July 1987 and

is today one of the major suppliers of children’s contemporary gift, accessory, toys and novelty products in Australia.They supply their Pink Poppy brand to many of the leading children’s retailers across Australia. Platinum Boutique Pty Ltd t/ as Balance Buddy is an Australian owned company, trademarked in Australia and New Zealand. They sell balance bikes which are engineered for minimum wear and maximum fun for children aged between approx. 18 months to 5 years old Plum Play is an active play specialist. Plum offers an extensive range of trampolines, climbing frames, swing sets, sand and water play, indoor kitchens, role play toys, scooters and much more. They are passionate about designing and manufacturing toys that look great, are super safe and have that all-important fun factor. Founded in 2007, Product Management Group is a full service product marketing and distribution company specialising in bringing innovative global brands across a diverse category range to Australian and New Zealand consumers. They are suppliers of The Elf on the Shelf Christmas Tradition, Cloud b sleep aids, Crayola modelling dough, Ann Williams creative craft kits, 3D Light FX wall decor, and more. Puzzles and Games Specialists Australia is the largest traditional games company in Australia. Ranges on show include the latest Dal Rossi Italy Range and the large range of other games and brainteaser puzzles. The Dal Rossi Italy design luxury chess and backgammon sets are a statement of extravagance coveted world over for their elegance and flawless construction. Q Toys is one of Australia’s leading suppliers of wooden furniture and toys to the children’s sector. With over 12 years experience Q Toys continues to enhance their reputation with research and development in this ever changing demographic. Product is manufactured in their own factory in Vietnam using ecologically sourced timbers and finished with natural oils including beeswax. Rainbow Pacific is the distributor of two iconic brands. Collecta is a range

of hand sculpted and painted animal figurines. National Geographic offers a selection of natural animal soft toys and body puppets. Both enjoy the finest quality manufacturing and great branding, while offering the best value, quality and profit margin. Since 1885, Royal Selangor has been synonymous with design and craftsmanship, offering a range of tableware and gift items. Royal Selangor has a retail presence in more than 20 countries and has worked with partners such as Disney and Warner Brothers to commemorate popular culture franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel, and Batman. This year, Rubie’s Deerfield are exhibiting a brand new non-licensed collection of costumes, which celebrates the ‘everyday’ costuming needs as well as provides inspiration for special events like Halloween and Book Week. The new toddler, child and teen collection focuses on “re-imagined classics” including devils, witches, skeletons, vampires and pirates but also features exciting new costume ideas for boys and girls like gypsies, French mademoiselles, werewolves, a Green Army soldier, dinosaurs, a unicorn and a kangaroo. In addition, their licensed range of costumes will of course be a highlight of the stand as They introduce new licenses to their portfolio in 2018. PJ Masks, Qantas and Jurassic World are brand new ranges for Rubie’s.They are also celebrating their local development of the iconic Australian brands

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TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA Qantas and The Wiggles. Both licenses will be on display at the Toy Fair. As always movie launches provide perfect platforms for costume development and they are excited to have costumes and accessories for all the blockbuster movies being launched in 2018. Rusco distributes a range of vehicles including Nikko RC, Rusco Racing RC, AGM Top Racer Slot Cars and GIGO Dream Collection Dolls. Licenses held include Hot Wheels, Ford, Subaru, Mercedes - Benz, Jeep, Audi and Nissan. Squatter is Australia’s No 1 Australian board game. Entertaining and authentic, this game is a realistic mix of luck and strategy. Suitable for 2-6 players - adults and children 10+. Unequalled in its educational value across many curriculum areas including business management, finance, cultural heritage, livestock raising, mathematics and English. Strider Sports Australia are the official Australian distributors of American Strider Balance Bikes. Suitable for 18 months to 80+ years. This year sees the launch of New 14X Strider Balance Bike with attachable pedal kit. Strider balance bikes are industry-leading balance bikes that help children as young as 18 months learn to ride on two wheels. Strider balance bikes focus on the fundamentals of balancing, leaning, and steering without the distractions and complications of pedals or training wheels and many Australian parents are looking at our bikes for their kids’ first bikes. The Strider’s simple, no-pedal design of their balance bikes (also called glider bikes, running bikes, no-pedal bikes) builds confidence and eliminates fear by allowing kids to have their feet on the ground and progress at their own pace. This unique design teaches young children balance on two wheels right from the start, avoiding developmental

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delays typical with tricycles and training-wheel bikes. The Brand Exchange is one of Australia and New Zealand’s fastest growing toy companies, representing one of the worlds fastest growing toy companies - Just Play Products. Just Play work with leading children’s entertainment brands including Disney Consumer Products, Mattel, EOne and Nickelodeon to offer a range of product in pre-school and girls’ categories. Thumbs Up brings fun, quality and value to the technology, home and lifestyle marketplace. An award-winning product development company with innovation running through its DNA – Thumbs Up has been bringing quirky products to retailers large and small since 2004. Tiger Tribe creates a range of children’s activity sets, gifts and toys. Compact and portable, Tiger Tribe’s activity sets are ideal for travel and cafe play. Product categories include activity sets, magnetics, active toys, bath toys and wooden toys. Tomy Australia is the distributor Tomy toys and games, John Deere toys, replicas and ride-ons, ANIA collectible animals, licensed plush featuring Harry Potter, Nintendo, Sonic, Disney and Molang including Mocchi Mocchi plush. In addition they distribute lifestyle and electronic toys such as KiiPix and other radio control products, Lamaze Infant development System, JJ Cole & Boon Baby Accessories,The First Years Infant Feeding Play and Development Range including car seats. U. Games Australia is celebrating its 21st anniversary, supplying fun and educational toys, games, creative kits and puzzles. They represent some of the world’s largest, most creative and innovative companies in the toy industry and are constantly on the look-out for new opportunities to develop brands and enhance their range. As a family business, Valiant Enterprises is proud of its tradition and heritage in representing and distributing quality international baby and nursery brands since 1965. With almost 50 years of experience, their track record is second to none in

providing service and customer satisfaction to both retailers and end users alike, across a range of innovative and quality products and brands. VR Distribution is Australia’s fastest growing distributor of board games, toys, video games, collectibles, trading card games, clothing and licensed merchandise. They are authorised distributors of leading brands and represent world-leading game titles and manufactures. Located in Adelaide, VR Distribution offers complete sales, marketing and distribution services with an emphasis on customer satisfaction. Since 1976, VTech has developed high-quality, innovative educational toys for children from birth to preteen that deliver smart-play through entertaining electronic formats. In 2016 VTech acquired Leapfrog, creator of award-winning learning toys, reading systems and tablets. LeapFrog is trusted by parents, valued by teachers and loved by children. William Valentine designs and distributes a unique line of more than 1500 high-quality and innovative gifts, collectibles, outdoor, novelty and specialty toy products. Notable featured brands include BigMouth Inc. Pool inflatables & Novelties, NMR Aquarius puzzles, playing cards and board games, Gamago lifestyle baby ranges, Whiffer Sniffers scented backpack clips, Icup Inc’s iPartyHard games, Watchitude slap watches & Marshmallow Fun Co marshmallow shooters. Winning Moves manufactures and distributes licensed and custom editions of the world’s hottest games, including Monopoly, Cluedo, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Top Trumps, Guess Who, Connect Four and Operation. They work with internationally recognised entertainment brands and have strategic partners across the world including Disney, Warner Bros., Hasbro, Mattel, Nickelodeon and many more. Zest Imports is a distributor to the independent toy and gift market with brands such as Dickie, Simba, Aqua Play, Zinc Scooters, Majorette, Adora Dolls and Regal Doll Carriages, For over 50 years Zimbler have been selling quality toys with big brand names like Bruder, Maisto, Carrera and Laser Pegs.

TOTAL LICENSING Philippe Guinaudeau of Kidz Global gives Total Licensing readers an overview of the market highlighting some of the brands that are working in the Italian market. There is a strong list of brands preferred by girls whilst boys tend to appreciate cross-gender brands. Infants/preschoolers are also highly gender-orientated with the exception of Mickey Mouse,VTech and Noddy.

How to read the graph Mostly mentioned by girls 7 - 14 Mostly mentioned by girls 0-6 Mostly mentioned by boys 7 - 14 Mostly mentioned by boys 0-6 Diameter - Number of mentions

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June 21-23, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas In its 36th year, Licensing Expo has connected the world’s most influential entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate brand owners and agents with consumer goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers. This is where the global licensing industry will gather, to build partnerships, check out latest trends, and talk business. Millions of products across the world started life as a conversation at Licensing Expo,. In 2015, 461 exhibitors representing more than 5,000 brands gathered in Las Vegas and more than 16,150 key decision making retailers, manufacturers, marketing and advertising professionals attended, across all consumer product categories. Read our detailed preview over the next several pages, with news from exhibitors, previews of what to expect from the show, who is looking for new partnerships, and highlights of what of the three days in Vegas! Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Mickey Mouse

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Paw Patrol boasts 68% awarenesss amongst boys aged 3 to 6 who love the property. And consumer demand for licensed products is extremely robust. 60% of boys aged 3 to 6 want to receive a product featuring Paw Patrol in the near future mainly covering three different categories including toy ranges and apparel.

Although Star Wars appeals to boys 7 to 9 and 10 to 14, as well as older consumers, the brand is also very much appreciated by girls of the same age groups. However, ownership vs awareness of the brand shows some room for improvement. 43% of boys 10 - 14 know the brand and have a product featuring Star Wars.

We’ll be all over social media at the show, updating the industry with all the latest. And to be included in our NEW show dailies, please email becky@totallicensing.com with your news!

Kids aged 3 to 6 and 7 to 9 know Lego. Although ownership is quite general consumer demand remains rebust with more kids willing to have products than kids already having products.

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censed products, which ran during the film show time, to raise money first in order to manufacture products.” But that was the story two years ago. Li stressed that October Media nowadays has launched a wide range of licensed products and promotional events for the successful property. “We have also started licensing activity on our upcoming movies too,” he added. The same lesson was also learned by Enlight Media, one of the biggest entertainment groups in China. Before the company had their films shown on the cinema screen, they already launched an impressive quantity of licensed products for customers. The movie Big Fish & Begonia last year, and Dahufa which launched this Summer, are good examples. Many official licensed products can be found in the market, especially online, including on the crowdfunding sites of Taobao and

Italy is a very competitive country in terms of licensing. The top entertainment brands in the country are a mixture of a number of international brands together with a few strong national brands such as Geronimo Stilton and Clementoni.

How to read the graph Mostly mentioned by girls 7 - 14 Mostly mentioned by girls 0-6

Philippe Guinaudeau of Kidz Global gives Total Licensing readers an overview of the market highlighting some of the brands that are working in the Italian market.

Mostly mentioned by boys 7 - 14 Mostly mentioned by boys 0-6 Diameter - Number of mentions

Boys and girls, as in many other countries, appreciate different brands. Infants and preschoolers are less gender-orientated, with the exception of Clementoni, Minions, Nintendo or the TV channels Cartoonito and Boing.

TOP 30 FAVORITE ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS IN ITALY Kids aged 0 to 14 years. January 2017 an industry for committed, hard working and creative people, who seize the opportunity, when it comes around – especially in Germany. Germany has a challenging segmented retail structure and self-confident and critical consumers, who know very well what they want. None of the licensors, licensees, the agencies and all the great people, working in German licensing business get anything for free. But those, who accept the challenge, have a good chance of major success in one of the most thrilling markets in the world.” LIMA has one of the largest memberships in the world within Germany with more than 180 members covering licensors, agents, licensees and retailers. The Association runs different events during the year, including their major Day of Licensing in April and Licensing Market Germany in October.

Of course, with more than 170,000 square metres, the world’s largest Toy Fair, which has a major impact on the licensing industry, is also held in Germany. The Nuremberg Toy Fair (Spielwarenmesse) opens its doors on January 31 to more than 2800 exhibitors from 60 countries and trade visitors numbering in excess of 75,000.

Minions is the most cross-age and crossgender of the entire landscape; almost as many young boys, young girls, older boys and older girls place the brand as their favorite brand. Consumer demand on the brand, however, is weaker.

On the following pages we take a look at some of the companies involved in the licensing business in Germany which, hopefully, will give our readers a feel for the marketplace. Universal Consumer Products Germany are gearing up to the launch of Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom which will be released on 7 June. Commenting on the brand, Kathrin Brandhorst, Country Director of Universal Consumer Products Germany GmbH, believes, “Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom is a blockbuster movie on our agenda, which will entertain a wide target group. For us, as a young company, it is important to make a global impact to thrill existing and

7 - 14 years

73% of girls aged 3 to 6 love the Frozen brand. 11% place the brand as their favorite brand. And 72% of these girls want to receive a consumer product with the brand on it.

0 - 6 years

Masha and the Bear became the most popular entertainment brand amongst young kids aged 0 to 2 and 3 to 6 - over the last few quarters. Although slightly preferred by girls than boys, the consumer demand for licensed products is extremely strong.

Despite its international success, only half of the 7 to 25 year olds - boys and girls - know Minecraft.Younger boys aged 7 to 9 tend to appreciate the brand more and want licensed products featuring the brand.

Kids 3 to 6 and 7 to 9 know Lego and love it. And although ownership is quite general, consumer demand for the brand remains very robust. However, less kids are willing to have products than kids that already have the products.

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For more information, contact Elena Snagovskaya elena.snagovskaya@ grand-expo.com

Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark (collectively the Nordic countries) have a combination of high living standards and low income disparity that has captured the world’s attention. At a time when the growing gap between the rich and poor has become a political hot button in developed nations, the Nordic region has been cited by many scholars as a role model for economic opportunity and equality. The Nordic model has attracted a significant amount of attention from other nations. Many wonder if it provides a template for smaller countries where citi zens are more homogeneous in terms of their opinions and experiences yet live in poverty or repression as a result of Marxist government policies. Others believe it provides a template for reforming the unchecked capitalism that has created notable income inequality and dramatic differences between the quality of life between the rich and the poor in prosperous nations. Sitting between the controlled economy of Marxist re-

gimes and unchecked capitalism at the other end of the spectrum, the Nordic model is sometimes referred to as “the third way.” Licensing in Nordic territories is, as one would expect, very developed and sophisticated, with a combination of home-grown brands and international ones. In the following pages, we take a look at different sides of the industry, and

a few different properties which we hope will give our readers a flavour of what’s on offer in Scandinavia. Icelandic character-based lifestyle brand Tulipop has flourished in its most exciting and productive year yet. The magical world and its quirky, colourful characters came alive in a series of webisodes on a dedicated Tulipop YouTube channel launched in October, while a pitch for an animated TV series created intense interest at Cartoon Forum. In addition, the company’s first flagship store opened in Reykjavik and the brand continued its global expansion with a growing presence in the US centred on an exclusive retail launch in 300 Hot Topic stores in November. Founded in 2010 by celebrated Icelandic illustrator Signy Kolbeinsdottir and marketing expert Helga Arnadottir, Tulipop has developed into a multiple-award-winning design brand with a growing global fanbase through its range of quality character products. “Since Tulipop first appeared, fans have been asking for more ways to get to know the world and the characters,” explains Helga. “It has always been our ambition

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12 - 16 July 2017 Coex Halls, Seoul, South Korea Total xhibitors 320 Total attendees 128,000.

With over 29 billion views, Masha and the Bear from Animaccord in Russia is one of the most watched YouTube videos of all time. During 2017, Animaccord continued the successful media and licensing expansion of Masha and the Bear. In June, Animaccord together with the Ink Group, brought the show’s Season 1&2 to Clan TV, making it the first time the series was released on a free TV channel in Spain. Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s fastest growing entertainment

networks, introduced Masha and the Bear Season 1&2, and the spin-offs Masha’s Spooky stories and Masha’s Tales to Indian audience in May. Following the huge potential of the show in India, Nick Jr. has partnered with Animaccord to release the Masha and the Bear Season 1 on TV in India on November 13th. Turner Broadcasting System signed a deal with Animaccord to purchase the rights for the core show’s Season 3, which was launched on Cartoon Network Latin America on December 4th. In Italy, Rai Yo-Yo has snapped up Season 3 and spinoff Masha’s Spooky Stories being released on December 17th and August 11th respectively. In France, France TV

launched Season 3 on November 6th, whilst in Poland Puls TV is on board for Masha’s Spooky Stories. In Canada, the free TV channel in English – Treehouse – released Masha and the Bear Season 3 on November 6th. This year Animaccord has conquered the top by inking the deals to bring Masha and the Bear show for the first time to free TV channels in the United States and United Kingdom. Thus, in September the show was released on NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s - Universal Kids network. The series is aired from Monday to Friday at 6 p.m. In the UK. Animaccord, together with the Ink Group, partnered with CSC Media Group, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television, launched Masha and the Bear the Season 1 on the free children’s TV channel, Tiny Pop, on December 11th. In terms of consumer products for Easter 2018, Ferrero will launch a special collection of licensed Kinder Surprise Maxi eggs in Europe and Kinder Surprise eggs in Mexico, Central America, Europe and CIS. Simba Dickie Group, the Master Toy Partner of Animaccord in the EMEA region, has recently presented a plush for the Christmas season, which was available for purchase in major retailers across Europe. The

new toy makes snoring sounds and dressed in pajamas. Hachette designed a new collection of licensed partworks, which consist of book with the learning letter, activity book, a magnet and magnetic board, launched in Poland in November 2017 and in France in December 2017. Brand4rent group of companies develops licensing in Russia and CIS across all licensing categories, from traditional character licensing to sport, lifestyle and art licensing.The company was established in 2015 and became one of the top three licensing agents in very short period of time. Currently b4r works with leading international and local licensors providing them with sales, marketing and creative support. Their kids portfolio includes Super Wings, Wissper, Oddbods, Tobot, Maya The Bee and other brands. Brand4rent Sport is the leading sports licensing agency servicing local and international sport brands including leading local football clubs like Spartak and CSKA as well as international leaders like Eurosport, Slazenger, Everlast and others. Brand4rent Art is the leading licensing agency focusing on lifestyle and art brands. Their portfolio includes Pepsi, Moomin, Gapchinska, Miffy and other brands.

NORDICS

Japan is the third largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP and the fourth largest by purchasing power. In addition, it is the world’s second largest developed economy. Little surprise then that, according to the LIMA Annual Global Licensing Survey, Japan is the world’s third largest market for licensed products, after the US and UK markets with $11.9 billion in retail sales for 2015. However, the Japanese market is one of stability rather than one showing significant growth. It is still the largest electronics goods provider and, faced with increasing competition from its South Korean and Chinese neighbours, the country today focuses primarily on high-tech and precision goods. It is also a popular tourist destination with tourist numbers growing significantly and expected to grow yet more as we get closer to 2020 when the country will host the Olympic Games in Tokyo. So where does Japan stand in terms of licensed products? To find out more, we talked to Roger Berman of ZenWorks and Kaori Taniguchi from LIMA Japan who gave us their take on the state of the marketplace and how we can expect it to develop over the coming period. According to both Kaori and Roger, the market is a pretty stable market with this year’s retail sales figures on a par really with the previous year’s

figures. “If there has been any growth,” explained Roger Berman, “it has been incremental rather than anything else.” According to both, the Japanese market is very much subject to movement only as a result of a hit character. For example, between 2012 and 2015 there were a number of hit properties which helped to grow the market. As Kaori explained, “Frozen, a social phenomenon in Japan, and Yo-kai Watch both had a huge impact on licensing and allied industries. The toy

industry, for example, rose 10% as a result of Frozen toy sales.” But whilst some of the hit properties were, as one would expect, the international success stories such as Frozen, others were very much Japanese in origin and execution. Kumamon was a mascot created for tourists by the government of the Kumamoto Prefecture in 2010. It helped attract visitors after the Kyushu Shinkansen line opened and by 2011 had become nationally popular. Sales of Kumamon merchandise grew from $26 million in 2011 to $120 million in 2012. The government issued licenses to manufacturers but did not charge

for the usage, which certainly helped the merchandising program and such was the popularity of the character that it made a cameo appearance in the 2014 Yo-kai Watch 2 video game and, beyond Japan, the character is also now beginning to be popular in

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The Emerging Licensing Destination

By Marcus Macedo Santa Cruz Marketing and Director, Abral Brazil

BRAZIL: A FRESH LOOK When one looks back to the first decade of this century, specially between 2005 and 2010, the licensing business in Brazil was reasonably levelled. Licensors such as Disney, Warner Bros. (along with Cartoon Network) and Mattel had local offices in Latin America´s largest consumer market. Studios like Universal, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Discovery, Fox, Sony, Marvel and Paramount and brand owners like American Greetings and Sanrio – to name a few, were largely represented by local or regional agents with a strong local market footprint. The economy was showing incredible performance and consumers were out spending money. Brazil was celebrated as the new kid on the block, its economy ranked among the world´s top 8 largest and international investments poured in.

incapable of sustaining actual wealth creation. Despite the fact that a considerable part of the low-income families celebrated a spike in consumption, the “middle class dream” did not last long. For over 13 years, the worker´s party, led by populist president Lula, tried to install what has been called “white socialism” - a free market economy with a heavy state presence geared towards subsidies distributed to lowincome families. Not only did it not work on the basics of the economy, but it opened the doors for one of the largest and most systematic corruption schemes ever seen in the mod-

ern era. For months a fair share of the population hit major city streets across the country to demonstrate its revolt and repugnance and it made it clear the government could no longer stand as it was. Before the end of 2016, Dilma Rousseff who succeeded president Lula was impeached by congress and the country plunged into one of the worst political and economic crises of its history.

By Rutika Malaviya Editor- in - Chief, Licensing Corner rutika@roohentertainment. com

A countrywide investigation, led by federal judge Sergio Moro,

What the world failed to see (or conveniently didn´t want to see…) was that the country was anchored on income distribution programs devised by an inexperienced government that lacked the responsibility to create solid economic foundations and

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Without any doubt, the German licensing market is amongst the top brand markets in the world. As Peter Hollo, who heads up LIMA in Germany explained, “ First of all, Germany is a fantastic market. Not only, regarding the licensing business. Germany has a strong and growing economy, is politically stable and amongst the most reliable and predictable regions in the world. A good place to invest money and grow your business at low risk.” “In terms of retail sales for licensed goods, Germany is a strong #4 in the world,” he continued. “German retailers are doing a fantastic job, when it comes to doing business with licensed products. They know very well how licensing supports them in securing and growing their businesses. Licensed products help them explore new target audiences or regain target audiences, thought to be lost. Licensed products create new touchpoints and opportunities for consumer sales, every single day. Of course, this is not happening ‘just like that.’ Licensing is

Grand Expo JCSC in Moscow, organisers of Kids Russia and Licensing World Russia are bringing Total Licensing readers the latest developments from a number of key players in the Russian marketplace.

market, to award-winning catalogue shoots across the world. Already the website has become an integral part of our business and we’d encourage your readers to look around and really get to know us! We’ve also continued our focus on diversifying our brand portfolio - while entertainment will always remain the backbone of our business, we now also extend across the key pillars of sport, brands and art and design. With new brands we’re opening up opportunities for retail collaborations that until now have been unheard of in our markets. And if that’s wasn’t already enough for one year – we then launched a brand new office in the Philippines - HavenAsia - extending our reach into South East Asia and beyond. We’ve worked hard to put together a fantastic team on the ground, and with Nickelodeon as our first major partner we’re already moving forward with opportunities in this new market that we’ll be announcing soon. It’s a very exciting time!”

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Haven goes Global! between partners and what we offer is so much more than that. Doing the deal is the easy part! We’re market makers, brand builders and managers. We create new opportunities for brand extension and drive success at retail with compelling marketing programs. Everything we do is strategically designed to push our brands’ awareness at all levels, and at the end of the day the deals and contracts are just the papering-up of these processes we go through! With the rebrand came a new website – www.havenglobal.com, which truly illustrates the breadth of our business and the variety of our accomplishments – from fashion collaborations with some of the best Australian labels, to launch events for unique product we’ve brought to

Film Licensing Market Size in China

MARKET OVERVIEW

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With a new look, a new website and a new office in the Philippines, Haven’s business is changing to reflect the changing global environment. Total Licensing Australia caught up with Tom Punch and Yvonne King to find out more.

This makes a pleasant change. The box office record for a Chinese-made animated film is still Monkey King: Hero Is Back, made in 2015, which generated 957 million yuan ($144m). The movie was produced by October Media but, at the time, Chinese film makers were not really ready for licensing activities. “Our focus was for on the film content itself, but we didn’t expect it would be so successful,” said Li Zhen, Licensing Director of October Media. “Large numbers of the audience were looking for licensed products after they watched the movie, but there was virtually nothing in the market. It was only then that we realized we should launch licensing products as soon as possible. So we immediately created an online crowdfunding project on Taobao for the li-

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Don’t forget to pick up our sister publication Total Brand Licensing, taking an in-depth look at some of the big brands that will be in Las Vegas! www.totallicensing.com

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“2016 was a huge year for us, with some bold and exciting changes at Haven to meet the ever changing environment in which we all do business. First and foremost, we’ve undergone a rebrand process and come out the other side with a fresh new look that truly reflects what it is that we do and what we offer our partners. The industry and the way we work has changed so dramatically over our 23 years in the biz, and we felt it time to reflect these changes within our own branding – including dropping the word ‘Licensing’ from our name. Finally we feel our outsides are matching our insides and showing what we’re really capable of! In reality, a ‘license’ is simply the terminology to describe the agreement

This summer, the Chinese film market hotted up.The Wolf Warriors 2, directed and starred in by action film star Wu Jing, launched in cinemas on July 28. Wu’s first Wolf Warrior film came out in 2014, but had little impact on the market. Wolf Warrior 2, however, has become a phenomenon. The film broke box office records in China in only twelve days, became the first Chinese movie to be ranked in the world’s top 100 in only 18 days, and generated 5 billion yuan ($750m) in 24 days. And it just keeps on growing. Meanwhile, the licensed products based on this record-breaking film have also been welcomed by the market. Licensed products featuring Wolf Warrior 2 include toys, models, apparel, accessories, housewares, electronics and more, covering almost every traditional licensed product sector. Although the major income for film producers in China still lies with the box office, the idea of developing licensed products at the same time is already on their minds.

alice_yang@tjpa-china.org

Las Vegas 2016

TOP 30 FAVORITE ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS IN FRANCE Kids aged 0 to 14 years. January 2017

78% of girls 3 to 6 love Frozen. 31% even place the brand as their most favorite - and 85% of these girls want to receive a consumer product featuring the brand.

By Alice Yang Licensing Project Manager China Toy & Juvenile Products Assocation

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The French licensing marketplace, in common with the Italian market covered in this issue, is a highly competitive market, largely created by a mix of international brands and a number of strong national brands.

Playmobil is a popular brand amongst boys and girls aged 3 to 6 as well as 7 to 9. The brand is mostly appreciated for its master category - toys. The potential for the licensing of Playmobil appears limited at this time.

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Licensing opportunities now exist in all spheres in India. Manufacturers from various industry sectors including apparel, consumer goods, toys, gifts, accessories and sports are keen on acquiring licenses. The emergence of modern and more organized retail in India has set the pace for new collaborations between International licensing companies and Indian business houses. Character and entertainment licensing has witnessed terrific activity. The children’s entertainment market is steadily gaining pace. Licensing in sports has also developed into a multi-billion dollar systematic business in India with the formation of various sports leagues. The attraction of licensing trademarks for business objectives appear to be at an all-time high. Many eminent personalities and fashion designers in India have started licensing their brands to business houses that independently produce and sell on a large scale and give royalties to designers. The brand licensing business that was launched 11 years ago in India is currently growing at 15% over $1.2 Billion USD. The total Indian retail industry is growing at CAGR of 13-15% yearly (estimated to reach $948 billion USD by 2019). Currently, e-commerce retail sales stand at $29 billion USD with whopping growth of 68% in 2015. Disney, Viacom, Cartoon Network,

IMG-Reliance have their own offices. There have been number of success stories of Indian Brands. One sector amongst these is celebrity licensing. Salman Khan’s Being Human had accounted to $55 million USD in 2016 under the stewardship of Manish Mandhana of Mandhana Retail Ventures. An Indian originated animated IP Chhota Bheem owned by Rajiv Chilaka, Green Gold Animation has over 100+ product categories covered with 4000 SKUs and is now present in 15 International markets. A Film Production house - Yash Raj Films is bringing in the Entertainment to Experience Brand Licensing & Merchandising programme. India is in many ways a tougher mar-

With Brexit now around the corner, do you think the UK will continue to be the gateway to Europe in terms of licensed products? Rob Corney Bulldog Licensing

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Despite the uncertainty of Brexit and all its implications, the UK it seems at present is business as usual. For this year’s Roundtable, we spoke to a number of individuals, on different sides of the industry, to see how they view the marketplace in the UK both today and, importantly, looking ahead into an uncertain future.

ket. Its population is poorer and its infrastructure worse. But its prospects look remarkable. The income per person, which in 2014 was $1,570, could be twice that by 2025. Two-thirds of Indians are younger than 35 and their phones give a huge number of them access to the Internet. In December 2014, smartphones accounted for one in five Indian mobiles, according to Goldman Sachs. Just six months later, they accounted for one in four. Morgan Stanley expects Internet penetration to rise from 32% in 2015 to 59% in 2020. By 2030, India is projected to be a one-billion-person digital market. India is one of the fastest growing retail markets in the World with 10%

Rob Corney: I think there’s a big question as to whether the UK has ever been the gateway for products... for brands rather than products, the UK is seen as the springboard for success across Continental Europe in many ways and this will certainly continue. The US is seen as a marker for likely growth of brands in the UK and there has never been an official trading relationship between our two countries, so it would be very odd to suggest that the changing nature of our political relationship with Europe would affect the position of the UK as a barometer for a brand’s opportunity elsewhere in Europe. But for products I think the traf-

fic is much more inbound. There are certain categories, mainly hardlines, in which major UK companies take the lead in distributing their products around Europe, though most of them have had a footprint on the continent for years, with local staff managing their product roll-out. In these categories, with high costs to entry and long lead times, this trade is generally carried out under the terms of Pan-Euro (or certainly multi territory) agreements - there is a question as to whether or not the potential for tariffs on certain classes of goods could impact a UK company’s ability to distribute internationally, but even under WTO rules (assuming favourable terms cannot be agreed), corporation tax levels, labour regulations, economic stability, etc. in the UK are still far better than in most of the rest of Europe so a base here will continue to make sense, even if some adaptations might need to be made, depending on the outcome of conversations in Brussels. Where the biggest change could possibly come is in cross-border trading. At pres-

OUR 2017 PANELISTS

A look at some of the companies and properties making waves in the Canadian marketplace.

Rob Corney, Group Managing Director, Bulldog Licensing Rikesh Desai, Licensing Director Merchandise/ Gaming, Consumer Products, BBC Worldwide Kelvyn Gardner, Managing Director, LIMA UK Darran Garnham, CEO, MTW Toys Hannah Mungo, Country Manager UK and Ireland, Universal Brand Development Tom Roe, Commercial Director, DHX Brands Meera Santoro, Founder and Creative Director, Santoro ent, inbound licensed products, trading into the UK under EU free trade rules, cause huge challenges for local licensees.There is some traffic heading the other way with UK licensees shipping to European retailers under the auspices of ‘unsolicited trade’ but the UK really bears the brunt of this due to language issues - most Licensors seeing product development from a UK licensee in anything other than the

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9 Story Media Group is a leading creator, producer and distributor of kids and family focused intellectual property. Its award-winning animation studio, Brown Bag Films, is recognized around the world for best-in-class brands such as Doc McStuffins, Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, Octonauts, Wild Kratts, Peter Rabbit and The Magic School Bus: Rides Again. The company’s international distribution arm, 9 Story Distribution International represents over 2,700 half-hours of animated and live-action programming, seen on some of the most respected international channels and platforms. With facilities in Toronto, Dublin and Manchester, the 9 Story Media group of companies employ almost 600 creative and corporate staff. 2017 has been an exciting year for Peg

+ Cat! Master toy partner Imports Dragon introduced an exciting first line of toys for the brand, featuring an assortment of high-quality plush, arts & crafts sets, games and wooden puzzles. These are available in Canada on Amazon.ca, ToyRUs.ca, and Renault-Bray. On the home entertainment front, eOne has released two titles: The Chicken Problem and The Christmas Problem. With relatable and funny adventures filled with upbeat music, the multiple Emmy award winning series has garnered a growing audience and has been sold to over 180 countries. 9 Story also report that there are several exciting things in the works for Nature Cat as we move into 2018. New North American master toy partner TOMI is hard at work on the brand’s first line with plans to launch

in early 2019. Tomi is currently working on plans for plush, figures, play sets and role-play skus. Aimed at children 3-8 years old, Nature Cat helps children relate to and engage with the natural world. The series was recently renewed for second and third seasons. On the consumer products side, 9 Story represents various territories for several key children’s properties, including: Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood in selected markets, Peg + Cat worldwide, Nature Cat for worldwide excluding the US, Wild Kratts for the world excluding North America, and Luo Bao Bei for worldwide licensing. Nelvana is one of Canada’s premier animation companies and a worldleading producer and distributor of children’s content. Nelvana has delighted audiences around the globe for more than 40 years with a vast library of more than 4,000 episodes from original, award-winning series like Babar and Franklin. Nelvana’s content is distributed in more than 160 countries worldwide and broadcast across Corus Entertainment’s suite of leading kids networks. Nelvana Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Nelvana, manages the organization’s portfolio of in-house and third party brands with offices in Toronto and Paris. Nelvana Studio in Toronto and leading digital animation software

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For information visit www.totallicensing.com Editorial: Francesca Ash or Becky Ash francesca@totallicensing.com - becky@totallicensing.com Advertising: Jerry Wooldridge or Joanna Cassidy jerry@totallicensing.com - joanna@totallicensing.com

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As a country that is the 3rd largest economy in the Eurozone and the 8th largest economy in the world, Italy through the centuries has created some of the world’s best known brands - from the art of Michelangelo to fashion brands such as Gucci, Versace and Giorgio Armani and automotive brands such as Lamborghini, Ferrari and Maserati. And then, of course, there is sport. Football is a matter of national pride and Italy boasts some of the most globally known football clus such as Juventus, AC Milan and the Italian national team is the second most successful team in World Cup history, having won four FIFA World Cup competitions.

censing Trade Fair is the Licensing Retail Lounge. Following five years where the organisers have held a Licensing Retail Day dedicated to one-to-one meetings between licensing industry players and retail, this year an exclusive retail lounge area will be set up and run throughout the show.

On the following pages we take a look at the Italian licensing marketplace, beginning with the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair which brings the industry together at the end of March. The Bologna Licensing Trade Fair opens its doors for three days beginning on 26th March to a sell-out exhibition hall with over 600 brands confirmed as being at the event. Over 60 companies will exhibit this year including Warner, Rainbow, Cplg, CAA - Global Brands Group, Mattel, Hasbro, Viacom, Turner, Smiley, The Pokémon Company International, Sanrio, Mondo TV, ETS Italy, Maurizio Distefano, Planeta Junior, Kiddinx, Atlantyca, De Agostini, Starbright, Mediaset, RaiCom Mondadori, Showlab, National

Geographic and many others! Promotional companies, too, are taking part including Grani & Partners, Pea & Promoplast, Leoni SpA, Dynit, Cool Things, EQSG, Tema Promotion, Exclama and Bonus Marketing Productions. The show, which sits alongside the world famous Bologna Children’s Bookfair aims to bring together the entire licensing community for a number of events including the Fair itself as well as dedicated retail events and awards. The show is aimed at licensors, licensees, licensing agencies, producers of consumer goods, retailers, distribution, broadcasters, audiovisual producers, communication agencies and anybody else involved in the world of licensing. An important part of the Bologna Li-

On a different note, this year will see the second Bologna Licensing Awards. This launched last year, dedicated to the best 2017 licensing programs covering the preschool, kids, teen and adult categories. A special focus this year will address retail and fashion. Last year’s winners included Peppa Pig, Barbie and The Smurfs. Further awards were given to Despicable Me with a Special Mention for Retail together with Trolls and Paw Patrol from Nickelodeon.

For more information about the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and Bologna Children’s Book Fair, email licensing@ bolognafiere.it

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ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS Italian Girls aged 7 to 9 By Philippe Guinaudeau philippe.guinaudeau@ kidzglobal.com.

Whether you’re planning your summer marketing strategy or your 2018 Christmas campaign, knowing what entertainment toys and shows children are most interested in can be paramount to ensuring your approach is effective. No one wants to waste their budget licensing the wrong brand, or putting time into championing a product that children just won’t be interested in. With advertising and marketing constantly swaying their opinion on what’s hot and what’s not, brands have to keep up. Kidz Global helps to make this easier for businesses by providing them with high-quality global research conducted across 42 countries with thousands of participants ranging from toddlers to children to teenagers – plus their parents - so, in short, families. The surveys are conducted regularly throughout the year ensuring the data remains upto-date and relevant. They test over

850 different brands with each wave, making it a comprehensive set of results that can be used to predict future trends and desires. For Italian girls aged seven to nine, Violetta is the most popular brand, although Barbie leads the way as being the most in-demand. Other popular brands include Frozen, Minnie Mouse, Disney Princess, Winx Club, Minions and My Little Pony. Less popular brands include Spongebob Squarepants, Kung Fu Panda, Doraemon, Tom & Jerry, and Fantastic Beasts. Part of the interviews conducted include unaided questions, where the girls were not influenced in any of their answers by prompts. During this part of the survey, Disney overwhelmingly topped the list for the number of mentions, followed by Marvel, then YouTube, then Barbie, Netflix and Lego. Interestingly the girls were very interested by activities that in-

Consumer demand gap (Purchase Intention - Ownership) Miraculous Maggie & Bianca Paw Patrol Violetta Ice Age Soy Luna Minnie Mouse Sony Playstation Bugs Bunny Mickey Mouse Lego Friends Monster High Penguins of Madagascar Minions Kung Fu Panda Madagascar Lego Disney Princess Tweety Mia & Me Geronimo Stilton Frozen Harry Potter Winx Club Barbie Masha & The Bear My Little Pony Uno Hello Kitty

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volved them sitting and watching programmes, rather than engaging in independent play. When it came to aided awareness, it was Frozen and Mickey Mouse that topped the charts with 99% mentioning the former and 98% referencing the latter. This was shortly followed by Barbie, Minions, Minnie Mouse and Disney Princess. As is the case for many children globally, the most influential platform in which the girls are learning about brands is television and cartoons or film companies. 23 of the 30 brands had been discovered this way (over 50%) – most notably, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Frozen leading the way. Of the list, 3 had been introduced thanks to toy manufacturers, and 2 had been learnt through books or comics companies. In the top favourites, Disney won the vote by a long stretch. 31% of respondents mentioned Disney – although this is perhaps expected given the vast number of licenses available through Disney and the penetration it has throughout the entertainment markets. Lego followed behind at 12%, with Barbie and Winx Club both at 11%. Compared to the last wave, there was little change in Disney’s position, while Lego went up by 8 points. In comparison, Barbie dropped by 6 points, as did Frozen. This can potentially be due to products going out of favour, new licenses or purchases not being available, other brands capturing attention more, or the girls getting bored of seeing the same brand all the time. While there have been fluctuations in these results, they do continue to top the charts and any great change is unlikely. The most owned brands were Barbie and Winx Club, with 95% of the Italian girls owning the former and 91% owning the latter. Less popular were Heidi at 14% and Spiderman, Doraemon and Tom & Jerry, all at 18%. Some way of explaining the lack of ownership of Tom & Jerry products is the fact that, although popular as a television show,

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1 Tom & Jerry 2 Doraemon 3 Spongebob Squarepants 4 Fantastic Beasts 5 Looney Tunes 6 The Smurfs 7 Cars the Movie 8 Tweety 9 Masha and the Bear 10 Uno these entertainment characters are not typically used on licensed products and therefore there is less availability for audiences. When it came to writing out wish lists – or begging parents down shopping aisles – most the girls (73%) wanted a new Barbie. This was followed by Disney Princess and Mickey Mouse at 72%, Minnie Mouse at 70% and Winx Club at 69%. Although Barbie and Disney Princess had both seen a small drop in purchase desire since the last wave, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse had both gone up quite favourably – by 26 points and 11 points respectively.The greatest change came from Lego, which had gone up by 67 points since the last wave. 67% of the girls owned Lego, making it a popular toy – and one of the only construction toys ranking at the top. There was quite a lot of potential

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11 Mario Bros 12 Mia and Me 13 Kung Fu Panda 14 Ice Age 15 Madagascar 16 Harry Potter 17 Geronimo Stilton 18 Miraculous 19 My Little Pony 20 Minions untapped demand identified, which brands could use as a means of finding the ‘next big thing’. Of the 30 brands tested, 13 stood out as having this opportunity – and leading the way was Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. This was followed by Maggie & Bianca and Paw Patrol. There was significantly less demand for Hello Kitty products, and also less interest in Uno, My Little Pony, Masha & The Bear and Barbie. The girls were most interested in the toys and games category, followed by clothing and then fashion accessories and stationery. 56% were considering purchasing Madagascar fashion accessories, while 54% were considering buying Maggie & Bianca fashion accessories. An overwhelming 90% had a strong buying interest for Uno. Also popular in toys and games and stationary was Paw Patrol. Trends are constantly changing and at

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21 Lego Friends 22 Violetta 23 Frozen 24 Minnie Mouse 25 Winx Club 26 Lego 27 Mickey Mouse 28 Disney Princess 29 Barbie 30 Penguins of Madagascar

Kidz Global, research is conducted on a regular basis globally to keep abreast of these. With such research available, it is possible to start predicting where the market is headed to, and this is something Kidz Global offers businesses as part of their consultancy process. This can help buyers identify which licenses to opt for before the wider rush, tapping into a more avid customer base.

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Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and Pitti Bimbo recently joined forces to create a brand new area at Pitti Bimbo entitledNice Licensing, devoted to fashion and licensing

At the Pitti Bimbo event this past January, the leading kids fashion trade show, twenty-four brands presented themselves to the fashion community In collaboration with the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, the point of reference for licensing players in Italy, Pitti Immagine Bimbo launched with a new space dedicated to introducing twenty-four selected licenses into the world of kids apparel. The licenses

Cristina Angelucci of BM and the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair tells us more about this new initiative.

introduced to this brand new section were linked to the world of cartoons, entertainment and brands. The event, Nice Licensing was extremely successful aimed mainly at clothing manufacturing companies, both Italian and international. This initiative is the first time ever that licensing and kids fashion have joined together to present an initiative. Pitti Bimbo is the main international trade fair dedicated

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to childrenswear. It is the go-to professional platform for the presentation of new lifestyle trends linked to children’s fashion. Subdivided into sections by sector, from the Fancy Room to Streetwear, the event that takes place in Florence twice a year (January and June) exhibits brand new collections for the upcoming season and worldwide guidelines for childrenswear are released. With the presence of the leading brands and clothing producers, this is an event not to be missed for both Italian and foreign buyers,

trend setters, designers, fashion producers and licensees, who are looking for partners in the clothing sector for their brands. In the last edition, 548 brands were present, along with 5300 international buyers and 10,000 visitors. Each edition of Pitti is characterised by a theme. The one chosen for this January event was “Cinema”. Cinema was also the graphic mood which characterised the graphics of

the properties which took part in the project. The companies which joined the first edition of this innovative project included CPLG Italy, CAA-Global Brands Group, IMG, Turner Broadcasting System Italia, Viacom Networks Italy, The Pokemon Company International, Smiley, Victoria Licensing & Marketing (Mattel), Premium Licensing (agent for King Features), Atlantic and Sanrio. Brands represented included Doraemon, Sesame Street, L.O.L Surprice, Pink Panther, Space Invaders, The Simpsons, Surfs, Keith Haring, National Geographic, National Football League, Ben 10, We Bare Bears, Shimmer and Shine, Pokemon, Smiley Original, Rubik’s, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Betty Boop, Popeye, Geronimo Stilton, Pennuti Skizzati, Hello Kitty, Mr Men and Little Miss. Licensing professionals had two days packed of business-to-business meetings with fashion key players, both Italian and International. The event was so successful that both Pitti Immagine, organizer of Pitti Bimbo, and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair are now planning ways of co-operating further in the future in order to develop the future of Nice Licensing to support the dialogue between fashion and licensing players. For more information, contact Cristina Angelucci, BM Srl Tel. +39 011 813 1579 licensing @bolognafiere.it bolognalicensing.com

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THE ITALIAN LICENSING INDUSTRY SURVEY Since 2012, PwC Italy and Licensing Italia - LIMA’s representative office in Italy - have been conducting the “Italian Licensing Industry Survey” the first survey fully dedicated to analyze the licensing industry in Italy. The Survey has four key objectives: to understand the trends and market developments in the Italian licensing market whilst identifying its characteristics; to assess the Italian licensing market through revenue levels generated by licensing activities; to allow knowledge sharing for businesses, providing an understanding of the Italian licensing market as well as assisting the market players in their development and implementation of market growth strategies; and to understand the perception of the counterfeiting phenomenon and the royalties audit management. In 2016 a total of 183 Italian licensors and licensing agencies were asked to take part in the survey, featuring over 20 different business markets, ranging from fashion and apparel to characters, sport, automotive, entertainment & media, licensing agencies, tourism, retail & consumer, leather goods, publishing, and food & beverage, toys & games, health & beauty, software & technology, etc. Data collected across these areas have been assessed and analyzed to give an insight into the type of businesses operating within the Italian licensing market and their property types and products. The Survey aims to assess the licensing market through the indicator of revenues generated by licensing activities. In order to get the most accurate measurement of the data, the focus of the survey was on licensor revenues from licensed goods, i.e., royalty income received. This is a significant departure from other licensing industry studies which focused on total retail sales of licensed

products. For each licensor, this data was collected separately for each type of property that was licensed. All responses were kept strictly confidential. The data contained in the Survey was treated separately from the name of the company surveyed. Data analysis and results of the Survey did not make any reference to individual companies to ensure anonymity. From the data collected, in relation to the Survey, equal to 55% of the total companies contacted, the following are the key trends and points : The fashion and character sectors produce the highest proportion of revenue for the Italian licensing market, accounting for 613.9 million Euros with a share of 52.8% and for 178.2 million Euros with a share of 15.3% respectively. This amounts to a total of 68.2% of royalty revenues equal to 792.1 million Euros. The automotive industry follows accounting for 101,2 million Euros with a share market of 8.7%, while apparel accounts for 86.4 million Euros with a share market of 7.4%. Consistent with the results split by product type, the most remunerative products are accessories and apparel, generating revenues of 329.3 million Euros and 248.6 million Euros respectively with a share of the royalties revenues of 28% and 21%. Next comes health & beauty which represents 11% of royalty revenues, equal to 126 million Euros. Each property type generates revenues from different product types: Fashion and apparel are largely dominated by accessories and apparel; both of which are key product types for the fashion industry; characters are dominated by apparel and merchandising; sport is dominated by sporting goods, followed by accessories and food & beverage; automotive is dominated by toys. The Italian licensing market derives 66.4% of its revenues, equal to 771.4

million Euros, from Europe, and 41.1%, equal to 477.6 million Euros, coming directly from Italy. The smallest revenue market is South America, which accounts for 4.2% of the royalty revenues. Of the companies for which the data was collected, 77.8% use anti counterfeiting tools and in particular barcodes (37.5%) holograms (25%) certificates of authenticity (16.7%) alphanumeric codes (12.5%) and radio frequency (8.3%). 22.2% of the companies surveyed consider that counterfeiting is not a issue. 100% of the companies for which data was collected, have audit clauses, but approximately 70% of the companies do not perform any audit on their licensees. However, 50% performs an audit through their internal department, and the other 50% via an external auditor.

By Roberta Nebbia, Licensing Italia LIMA Italy Representative Office roberta.nebbia @licensingitalia.it +39 02.89690434 www.licensingitalia.it

The estimated Royalties Revenue of the Italian licensing market is equal to 1.2 billion Euros.

“We see in Italy a growing interest in the licensing business” commented Roberta Nebbia, managing director Licensing Italia - LIMA Italy. “The positive trends highlighted in the Italian Licensing Industry Survey have been confirmed also by the results shown in the last LIMA Global Licensing Industry Survey.” “The data collected in the Italian Licensing Industry Survey 2017 underlines once more that the licensing industry in Italy is constantly expanding above all in the particularly Italian areas of the market such as fashion and automotive,” said Luisa Giuliana, senior manager, PwC Forensic Services. “Thanks to our extensive experience in licensing management, our group supports many companies optimising the revenues generated by licensing deals, capitalizing and protecting the IP values, managing the existing risks and maintaining, and sometimes reinforcing, their relationships with licensees,” continued Alberto Beretta, Partner at PwC Forensic Services.

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ROBOT TRAINS AND HEIDI From Mondo TV

Mondo TV are concentrating their merchandising efforts on two key properties - Robot Trains and Heidi Bienvenida.

Robot Trains began 2018 with a launch on free-to-air Italian TV, a second series on the way and many early successes for its licensing campaign. Mondo TV is clearly expecting big things from this animated action-adventure series in the Italian market – and so is a growing list of licensing partners. The series is an inventive new animation for kids, produced by South Korea’s CJ E & M, one of the leading Asian names in the production and distribution of audio-visual content. Robot Trains launched on Italian payTV channel DeA Junior on September 4, 2017. In February this year it came to free-to-air DTT channel Cartoonito. The series began airing from February 5th from Monday to Thursday in prime time at 7.40pm with second showings at 2.30pm.

This series for four-to-seven-year-old children is set in Train World. Train World is an extraordinary place, inhabited by talking trains. But some trains are even more amazing: they can turn into robots! Over 32 11-minute episodes, kids can enjoy the exciting adventures of the five stars of the series – Kay, Alf, Duck, Selly and Victor – and find out how

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Kay, the fastest train in the world, lost his memory in an accident – and how he plans to get it back. To recover his memory Kay will leave for a trip with his friends and, on the way, will have many different adventures and face many challenges. The arrival of this show on Cartoonito has been supported by an on-air campaign that began in January. Mondo TV, as distributor of the first series in a number of major territories, of which Italy is one, is working strongly to support Robot Trains and to enhance brand awareness, supported by broadcast and licensing partners. The campaign on Cartoonito began with a series of teasers in the form of animated graphics that appeared at intervals on the channel. From late January, two promos started airing: a one-minute version broadcast on the channel in selected time slots, and a shorter launch version. To add to the excitement, in the three days preceding the launch of the show, there was a static countdown on the channel. With the show now launched, on-air support has continued, with further promotions and reference to the digital activities linked to Robot Trains. Mondo is clearly committed to the show, but its backing extends beyond distribution to licensing and, for the second series, due later this year, co-production. The second season will consist of 52 episodes of 11 minutes each, all in 3D CGI. Season two introduces Rail Watch, the trusted robot train guardians of Rail World, who transform from trains to robots to protect their home and its vital energy supplies. Of course the show lends itself to licensing activity. The series has in fact

already been a great success in Korea where a very strong licensing programme has been developed in the toy, publishing, kitchenware, and food categories, as well as in a number of baby and toddler items. Mondo and various licensing partners are therefore working on creating synergies between the brand and actual or potential licensees. The key category of course is master toy partner. While Hong Kong’s Silverlit, a leading toy manufacturer with many offices around the world, is the licensee here, Silverlit Robot Train ranges will be distributed in Italy by Rocco Giocattoli, a leader in toy distribution in that country, which will distribute the Robot Trains toy line across the most important names in Italian mass-market retail as well as through the normal trade. For Rocco Giocattoli this is a major commitment, one that has inspired a comprehensive plan developed to guide Robot Trains marketing programmes over 2018, with the aim of boosting brand awareness and participation. This will include major investments in marketing and promotion as well as advertising across television and social media input throughout the year, supporting the brand throughout the first series, and then reinforcing the launch of series two in 2019. Disseminating the brand via the bestknown social media channels will be important but traditional media will be an equally strong focus for the toy range. A strong TV campaign on the main kids’ channels will tailor a different message for each channel, specific to the target audience. And in the world of retail, the Robot Trains brand will enjoy wide visibility in all Rocco Giocattoli stores with try-me areas, dedicated corners and the use of POP materials. As Gianluca Giordano, Marketing Manager, Rocco Giocattoli, says: “All these approaches are important to the overall aim: to create a narrative around the brand that makes the whole line unique, stimulating and identifiable.”

TOTAL LICENSING This is clearly going to be a very high-profile brand. The licensing programme in Italy now covers all the main categories and can already boast a number of major players on board, including Grani & Partners (for collectible Robot Trains products), Preziosi (for confectionery and snacks), La Feltrinelli (publishing), Ravensburger (puzzles and memory games), Modecor (for confectionery decorations), Villa Giocattoli (for soap bubbles), Blasetti (for notebooks) and Kimbe (for live characters and events). Stickers and trading cards from Panini, carnival costumes, party sets and summer toys produced by CIAO, and paper handkerchiefs from Cleanpaper add up to an impressively wide-ranging licensing portfolio. Visitors to the Mondo stands at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and MIPTV will no doubt be impressed to hear how much the show had achieved even before arriving on free-to-air TV. But there’s a lot more to come. Matteo Corradi, CEO of Mondo TV, said, “The enormous appeal of Robot Trains to kids has helped to position it as a highly attractive pre-school brand – and as co-producers of series two and distributors of both series we are delighted to demonstrate our commitment to this exciting new show – a show that is already enjoying great licensing success.” Heidi Bienvenida is already big in Latin America. It’s now on its way to Italy – and co-producer Mondo TV is spreading the word about this enormously appealing comedy-drama for teens to both the target audience and the licensing community. As many broadcasters are now aware, the commitment of Mondo TV to the comedy-drama for teens Heidi Bienvenida, its co-production with Alianzas Producciones, is not just demonstrated by the successful sales of the show in many Latin American markets. In fact Mondo has much more planned for its first-ever live action show. There are to be at least two series of the adventures of the happy, carefree girl who leaves her beloved mountain home to live in the big city. Series two has already been filmed and will launch

in 2019. Of course, series one is still airing – or about to be shown – in many territories. To date Heidi Bienvenida has enjoyed great success in Latin America on Nickelodeon, and is expanding into a number of regional channels in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Costa Rica and El Salvador. And Heidi’s reach is expanding. With sales to CTC LOVE and JSC First in Russia, along with Yes KidZ Israel, Heidi Bienvenida has also begun to make inroads into both the European and Middle Eastern markets. The series has been broadcast on CTC Love and Yes KidZ since late summer 2017. Heidi Bienvenida is now about to arrive in Mondo’s home market where it will be aired from April on Rai Gulp, a major name in teen programming, in the late afternoon prime time slot from Monday to Friday. This is also good news for the growing licensing campaign around the Heidi Bienvenida property, something Mondo will be highlighting on its stand at the Bologna Licensing Fair. One of the first signatories was Panini for collectibles. Expect to see Panini sticker albums and trading cards launched in September. In May, soon after the show launches in Italy, publisher Mondadori will launch a number of Heidi Bienvenida books, while Walcor’s seasonal confectionery will be on sale at Christmas 2018 and Easter 2019 among other holidays and festivals. Written by Marcela Citterio, Heidi Bienvenida reinterprets the classic children’s novel, Heidi, adding comedy, magic, romance and fashion – Heidi’s amazing hats are a regular feature of the series – with a few modern touches for an entertaining and enchanting story that appeals to the whole family. However, one of the most important (and most popular) elements of the show is its music. The first season alone has some 27 songs. Mondo is finalizing the music rights details with a major Italian music company with the aim of distributing a soundtrack CD. Not surprisingly all this activity ties in with a major marketing plan with a strong social media element – obviously essential for the target teen and tween market – which is already

under way on FaceBook, Instagram and SnapChat. Special additional Heidi content and show previews will be developed for targeted sites with high visitor numbers. However, traditional outreach is also important. Expect to see the main cast members kept busy with an interview schedule throughout April and May that supports the arrival of the show in Italy. The show’s star, Chiara Francia, will then be touring Italy in June and July, taking part in local and national communication events, press conferences, targeted interviews and appearances on TV, in the press and on the web. And of course synergy with social networks will ensure that the target audience is able to keep up with the activities of the Heidi cast every step of the way. And the growing Italian fanbase – along with visitors to Mondo’s stand at MIPTV in April – will no doubt hear more about series two. In Heidi Bienvenida season two there’s more magic, music, excitement, comedy and romance — plus vintage motorbikes, valuable watches, an amazing doll shop and, of course, more and more of Heidi’s extraordinary hats.

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RAINBOW

The Italian Dream Factory Rainbow is the global content powerhouse behind some of the world’s biggest kids brands and manages its distribution arm from HQs in Loreto and Milan, Italy. Rainbow has a global reach, with a presence in more than 100 countries, and is one of the biggest and most sophisticated animation studios in the world. Rainbow is the only production company in Italy that can manage all the production stages of animation content in-house, including 3D stereoscopic productions. This stretches from pre-production - including concept creation, script drafting, definition of characters and locations - to post-production, in terms of creation of 3D special effects, voice casting for dubbing, choice of music, and editing. Rainbow is also training the next generation of animators through the Rome-based Rainbow Academy, which manages educational classes in the field of cinematographic/theatrical animation. During 2018 Rainbow will be promoting some of the hottest brands in the world – Regal Academy, Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends, Winx and the brand new 44 Cats. Regal Academy is the hilarious show that takes our bestloved fairy tales – and turns them on their head! The action centres on Rose Cinderella – the ordinary girl who found to her amazement that her granny was actually Cinderella. In series one, Rose found herself enrolled in the Regal Academy – the school for fairytale characters – where she meets new friends Hawk SnowWhite, Travis Beast, Joy LeFrog, Astoria Rapunzel and LingLing Iron Fan. In series two, Rose returns from her summer holidays to find plenty more adventures waiting for her - a mysterious new student, a new hero teammate and the evil Snow Queen who wants to trap them all in her Snow Globes! This hugely popular show has now been sold to over 100 countries, with millions of fans tuning in every day to enjoy this thrilling, funny and totally original joy ride! Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends is the live-action phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. The show tells the extraordinary tale of Maggie - an American girl who follows her dream by winning a two-year scholarship at the Milan Fashion Academy. There she meets Bianca, a self-proclaimed Italian ‘princess’, and together they make friends with other students, who all share a passion for fashion and music. The series is so popular that three series have now been made. In the latest instalment the young friends leave

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Italy to live in America, where they face difficult choices about their future friendship and relationships. The first two series of the show reached millions, through TV broadcast in Italy, Russia, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, Poland and Benelux, and on Netflix worldwide. Series 3 is currently screening in Italy and will

broadcast in Germany from March, with other countries to follow soon. Music from the show is also a huge hit, thanks to two CDs from Sony that have sold more than 20,000 copies in Italy alone. The Moodboards – the band from the show – has also been entertaining crowds throughout Italy on a sold-out live tour starting from October 2017, with dates in many major Italian cities. Winx Club is the global phenomenon that has established itself as the biggest girls brand in the world through a signature mix of family-friendly storylines, fashionable themes and beautiful animation. Winx Club boasts over 15m viewers each day through more than 130 broadcasters worldwide. The Winx Club brand now comprises 7 TV series, 4 TV movies, 3 cinematic movies, live shows and an original series World of Winx coproduced with Netflix. The TV series has now been broadcast since 2004 and continues to reach new

markets. Series 8 is currently in production, for release in 2019. 44 Cats is a sumptuous CGI preschool animation about cats and how they see the world. The show is a great physical, character-driven comedy with strong storylines based on very powerful musical assets. Young children, both boys and girls, can easily relate to the key themes of friendship and altruism and the magical stories that promote tolerance, diversity, and offer important life-lessons, giving it huge appeal as a strong preschool series that can work in any territory across the world. These four magical properties – just like all the brands under the Rainbow umbrella - benefit from the company’s dedication to marketing and promotion. This is global in reach, but is turned into country-specific initiatives in each territory that take into account the needs of local fans and media, as well as the culture and customs of each country. The overriding aim in any territory is to supply 360 degree marketing, which includes PR and media promotions, events and co-marketing, edutainment projects and retail activities.

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News from the Italian market

CPLG in Italy report that a Pink Panther fashion collection for women is now available at Pinko stores worldwide - one of Italy’s contemporary fashion brands, in a deal brokered by CPLG’S Italian office on behalf of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The collection features the classic character on a range of stylish womenswear including jackets, trousers, sweatshirt, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and skirts. The 10-piece collection uses a mix of fabrics and embroidery including jersey, sheer mesh, fabric patches and crystal embellishments. The line is available in 180 Pinko stores worldwide in addition to over 1500 retail

outlets. A follow-up SS18 collection featuring additional apparel and accessories will be available later this month. “We’re really excited to see Pink Panther at Pinko Stores!” said Maria Gurrieri, Managing Director, CPLG Italy. “We’ve been working very closely with Pinko to develop this collection and we’re delighted with the results. Pinko is a leader in contemporary fashion, and through this collaboration we have developed a unique and original range featuring the much-loved character.” The Pinko collection is part of a wider Pink Panther licensing programme led by CPLG across Europe. Atlantyca Entertainment recently announced that is has appointed leading US-based licensing agency, Firefly Brand Management as the North American licensing agent for the Geronimo Stilton Classic and Ani-

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mated brands and all of its character spin-offs. Firefly has secured its first US-based licensing deal securing an agreement (for worldwide rights) with Hong Kong-based Craftstone Ltd Group. Craftstone is producing a toy line targeting boys and girls ages 4 to 7. Atlantyca has also announced a raft of new broadcast deals for both Geronimo Stilton and Bat Pat. This latest raft of deals included the launch of both of their series on Netflix in the US. All 78 episodes of Geronimo Stilton are now available on Netflix with different seasons set to stream on several Netflix platforms internationally. The second season is available for streaming in the US now. Cartoon Network report that Ben 10 has been central to Turner Italy’s rich licensing program since the allnew series was premiered on the free channel, Boing in June 2017, giving due focus to the Christmas 2017 sell-out of the Playmates toy line, distributed by Giochi Preziosi in Europe. Building on the popularity of the toy range, there are set to be lots of new products on the shelves for fans. These activities build on the successful Ben 10 Hero Truck Tour that visited selected Toy Center stores in Italy last October. Ben 10 was also last Autumn’s lead character on the “Boing & Cartoonito Tour. In January, Fashion Comics returned to Pitti Bimbo 86, the brainchild project of Alessandro Enriquez in collaboration with Pitti Bimbo, and the inspiration for this year’s event was the The Powerpuff Girls. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup became the stars of a mini-me capsule collection created by young brands and designers Bad Deal, Cor Sine Labe Doli, I’m Isola Marras by Efisio Marras and The Dots, all presented on the central runway. Kawaii culture coming from Japan has made its way across the whole world and has gained popularity throughout Europe. It is mostly known among young people interested in fashion and trends and Italy is, of course, one of the leading countries in fashion. Ever-popular Japanese character Hello Kitty is

going back to the top and all the current fashion collaborations launched in the last months are confirming this tendency. Prestige Italian brands as the global fashion company GCDS, the contemporary fashion brand Pinko, the major global player in the leather goods Furla and the example of Italian excellence Save My Bag, just to mention few of them, have committed on Hello Kitty and launched (or are ready to launch) apparel and accessories collections between the end of 2017 and first semester of 2018. More collaborations are coming to Italy as well as from abroad: Puma x Hello Kitty was launched (at the) beginning of February and was immediately sold-out. Social Influencers, celebrities and fashion bloggers, are widely considered authorities among their followers sharing collaborations with major fashion designers.This social media activity growth is large and has allowed digital to dramatically increase in Italy and across the whole Europe. Sanrio works with Instagram influencers from the cool and creative worlds of fashion, health and beauty, food and street style who spontaneously post content on their social media channels and blogs - taking Hello Kitty to a wider audience in a fun and authentic way.

Thanks to the impact of global fast fashion retailers such as H&M, Mango, Bershka and Zara, mentioning some, which are already onboard with Hello Kitty apparel and accessories collections, also Italian DTRs are becoming more and more perceptive to choose to partner with brands as Hello Kitty due to its values and heritage developing more fashion oriented collections and positioning products to a mid – high level. 2018 is definitely a year of brand confirmation for Hello Kitty thanks to new upcoming collaborations not only in fashion and they will

TOTAL LICENSING lead to the celebrations of Hello Kitty 45th Anniversary in 2019 next year in Italy and globally. Maurizio Distefano The evolution of Licensing (MD Licensing) is today an established fixture in the Italian market representing a large number of successful properties from such fields as television, movies, fashion and games. The company has been in existence for less than four years. Brands signed by MDL include global hits like emoji® — the iconic brand, Paddington and Angry Birds, classic brands like Tetris,

up-and–coming names like Simon’s Cat and Hamsta, and fashion and design brands such as Chic & Love and Camomilla Milano. There’s even a Southern European partnership through which MDL represents Sony Pictures in Italy (with a portfolio that includes Emoji The Movie, Peter Rabbit, Ghostbusters, Jumanji). Online strategy is an important part of the company’s approach – not just to keep ahead of trends but, where relevant, to build a social media presence for a brand. Unlike Masha and the Bear, Angry Birds came to Italy as a globally known brand. However, MDL helped Angry Birds to do better than expected in Italy when it signed the highest number of licensees for the brand in the 2015-16 timeframe for a single country.With the second Angry Birds movie on the way in 2019 the property is likely to remain a leader in the MDL portfolio for some time to come. emoji, meanwhile, is an even bigger hit in Italy for MD Licensing. emoji® — the iconic brand, as it is known, takes

the notion of tens of billions of messages sent daily and containing almost six billion icons, and brilliantly translates it into a brand with an appeal that crosses generations and genders and that has an enormous library of graphics. It’s certainly struck a chord in Italy, where MDL can boast 13 deals in 2017 alone. Victoria Licensing & Marketing, Mattel’s consumer products consultants in Italy will exhibit at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair presenting Mattel’s portfolio including Barbie which closed 2017 with double-digit growth. Flagship brands for the 2018 show include Barbie, Hot Wheels, Enchantimals, Fisher Price,Thomas and Friends, Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder. 2019 will be the year Barbie celebrates 60 years of history and inspiration for all the girls of the world.Therefore, PR events with a strong impact are currently being planned, alongside important projects in the licensing area. Hot Wheels is confirmed to be a growing brand and with the ability to adapt well and fit into different product categories. 2018 will turn out to be a special year for the brand which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. For Easter 2018 Kinder Ferrero chose Hot Wheels Kinder Gransorpresa Maxi, to encompass the beauty of Easter in one egg. Inside the children will find many Hot Wheels surprises. The partnership with Original Marines continues in 2018 for the Hot Wheel brand. A new property for Victoria Licensing is the girls’ property Enchantimals.The toy line was launched last September, based on the adventures of a group of friends that balance life between the human world and the animal world. Enchantimals and their puppy friends have a deep bond and are one with nature. They treat the forest as their home using magical skills to maintain a perfect balance of peace and harmony among all living creatures. Starbright is an independent licensing and merchandising agency able to offer a various selection of entertainment and lifestyle brands to the market. Starbright is entering 2018 with a

number of innovative licensing projects covering different properties. Starbright is celebrating the Power Rangers anniversary in 2018 with Saban. This involves new licensees and new activities. Among others, Leftloop is the newest licensee that will take events dedicated to Power Rangers around Italy in malls and city squares with costume characters, meet and greet sessions and activities inspired by the long lasting franchise. Starbright has strengthened the collaboration with Toei for the Dragon Ball saga: over 15 licensees are on board ready to launch new products in 2018. Amongst the major licensees signed to Dragon Ball are Giochi Preziosi, Grani & Partners, Sun City, Panini, Corriere dello sport and more. A new movie is in production and will be released in Japan around Christmas 2018. The new animated series Dragon Ball Super, which has over 125 episodes, is aired on all the main Turner channels: Italia1, Boing and Cartoon Network enabling full coverage for the anime. Hello Kitty has been the most iconic female brand of pop culture for the past 40 years and she still going strong. DTR and new fashion collaborations are on their way for 2018 including Puma x Hello Kitty that will celebrate the two style icons. Pantone, the world authority of colour, has conquered fans around the globe and its unique style will be present, from Summer 2018, in shops around Italy including Rinascente with a collection of colourful luggage made by Compagnia del Viaggio and new fashion bash form Coriex. The latest addition to the Starbright portfolio are the Glimmies, the characters born from the Giochi Preziosi toy line. With their distinctive feature and green style, Glimmies have conquered young girls who can experience the feeling of holding a magical creature that lights up in their hands. Following the success of the toy, Giochi Preziosi and Starbright have decided to enlarge the range of Glimmies products to other categories including back to school, publishing, magazine, stickers and seasonal products.

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Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products Enjoy Strong Winter in Italy Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) saw success across the Italian market this winter, anchored by the popularity of its strong preschool lineup, including PAW Patrol, Blaze and Shimmer and Shine, as well as the iconic evergreen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob Square Pants. In Italy in 2017, PAW Patrol established itself as the #3 property in Preschool Toys, according to NPD data (December 2017 YTD), and #11 in the total market.

PAW Patrol continues to be a major player going into 2018, thanks to excellent performance both internationally and locally. NVCP in Italy will continue to enhance their great cooperation with Spin Master, and will work on sustaining both the brand and ongoing licensing programs with the strongest players in the market. These include Gedis for sticker albums and finger puppets that rolled out from February. In addition BHR launched helmets in February and

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Benetton rolled out outerwear from march. Incom launched ice-cream in March and Ultramar Cafe will debut milk and chocolate drink pods in April. In June this year, CR group will roll out back to school ranges. In the pre-school sector, Blaze and the Monster Machines also carved out an important market position, establishing itself as #2 in Preschool Vehicles and 3rd license in the Preschool Toys category (NPD data December 2017 YTD). Shimmer & Shine, the first Viacom/ Nickelodeon property entirely dedicated to a female audience, quickly established itself as one of the key properties for NVCP, rising to #8 Licensed Dolls (NPD data December 2017 YTD) and will continue to be a major focus in the year to come. The licensing program started in September 2017 with the launch of a Mattel toy line (Master Toy) and will see the roll out of crosscategory products throughout 2018, supported by marketing and PR campaigns, as well as retail activities. The roll out will include magazines from Centauria which rolled out monthly from January together with books from Edicart. In addition, swimwear rolled out in February through Arena and Easter Eggs rolled out in March from Preziosi Food. Benetton also rolled out outerwear ranges in March and further outerwear is rolling out in March and April from UPIM. Flow packs from Mattel publishing will roll out in April and back to school products will launch from Copywrite in June. Besides kids, the Viacom Italia licensing program is also focused on meeting the needs of Millennial generation.

To do so, it relies on the strength of the MTV brand and on the cooperation with prestigious partners on various projects, such as the MTV/KIT KAT Nestlè Easter Egg/contest which rolled out in March 2018 and ranges of drink pods coffee ginseng which will roll out in April through Ultramar Cafe. In addition, an energy drink MTV Up will debut through Ultramar Cafe this Summer. About Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP): Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) oversees all merchandising and retail operations for Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world’s leading multimedia entertainment companies and home to such powerhouse brands as Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central. With a diverse portfolio spanning animation, preschool, student and youthoriented licenses, NVCP is committed to providing key partner development and innovative marketing solutions, ensuring the highest quality product offering across some of the world’s most powerful TV and entertainment properties, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

TOTAL LICENSING UK

Total Licensing magazine has teamed up with market research and insights specialists The Insights People who produce the Kids Insights and Parents Insights market intelligence. These intelligence services have become recognised as the most comprehensive and dynamic in their respective fields and are used by some of the industry’s best-known brands and agencies.The following reports are developed by the Kids Insights team who each week survey more than 400 different kids, tween and teens. By doing this Kids Insights can make the data available to organisations in “real-time”, enabling clients to analyse, interrogate and cross correlate their data to their own specific needs. Kids Insights also produce four insight-led market intelligence reports each quarter based on a sample of 5,000. The following content is based on a gender-balanced sample of 7,800 4 to 18-year olds surveyed between 1st October 2017 and 21st February 2018. For more information on Kids Insights visit www.kidsinsights.co.uk To receive a free five day trial of the Kids Insights “real time” portal email hello@kidsinsights.co.uk

Whilst there is increased media pressure for brands to develop gender neutral products, our research illustrates there are still noticeable differences between boys and girls, as boy’s ecosystems are becoming concentrat-

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ed whilst girl’s ecosystems are becoming increasingly diverse. The data shows that girls like to spend their time undertaking a much wider range of activities than boys over a typical week. For example, over a weekend, girls are more likely to be seeing their friends, attending parties, shopping, reading, doing arts and crafts, listening to music and even studying and undertaking chores. The

only activity boys are more likely than girls to be doing over the week is playing video games or with toys. When it comes to hobbies a similar pattern emerges, with football and gaming making up the favourite hobbies of half all teenage boys, showing again that they have a relatively narrow range of interests compared to girls.

On a normal weekend, which of these activities do you do? (Net difference) Shopping Art/Craft Music Chores Parties Reading Online Studying Friends TV Shows Toys/Games Video Games

Girls Boys

TOTAL LICENSING When it comes to pocket money expenditure, our data also shows boys have a more concentrated range of interests, with their spend focused predominately on video games, compared to girls whose spend is more evenly spread across various activities and interests. The ‘Pocket Money Spending’ graph illustrates the difference in net spend of boys and girls across the most popular activities and interests. Focusing specifically on children and their spend on licensed products, which relate to their favourite films, this trend continues. We see that girls spend is distributed across various product area, whilst boys spend is heavily concentrated on toys and video games.

Top 10 Favourite Hobbies (boys)

Top 10 Favourite Hobbies (girls)

Pocket Money Spending (Net difference) Books

The graph ‘have you bought any of the following, which relate to your favourite films’ further illustrates the difference.

Food and snacks

The potential ramifications are significant. With girls demonstrating a broader range of interests, properties could have to work harder to build an interlinked ecosystem to keep them engaged. Due to the nature of boys narrowing interests, they are potentially less likely to leave the house and engage in face to face interaction with others, with boys even now stating that YouTube is one of their favourite hobbies!

Cinema

Could this mean that boys are going to become increasingly sheltered and struggle to develop a more diverse range of skills due to their limited experiences? Whilst girls on the other hand develop a far broader range of interests, skills and knowledge, which could enhance their ability to learn and grow. Either way the differences are likely to have implications on how brands develop ecosystems to attract and engage children.

Friends

Video Games

Girls Boys Have you bought any of the following, which relate to your favourite films (Net difference) Video Games Toys Food Tickets Toiletries Clothes Books

Girls Boys

Recently, a pair of feuding YouTubers took their rivalry to the boxing ring, KSI and Joe Weller, with almost 10,000 fans attending the event and 1.6 million following the action on YouTube. The reported screen audience of 1.6m viewers meant that the fight drew a large viewing than the last FA Cup final, and further emphasizes the new and somewhat unconventional opportunities to brands, retailers and the licensing industry.

To receive a free copy of the 2018 Future Forecast report by Kids Insights visit www.kidsinsights.co.uk/ futureforecast For a free trial to see how your property is performing or the behaviours of your target demographic visit www.kidsinsights.co.uk/ totallicensing

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Roundtable on the Japanese market Organised by Roger Berman of Tokyo-based Zenworks, a Roundtable on the Japanese market took place recently involving a number of participants in Japan and Becky Ash from Total Licensing in the UK. The outcome of the discussions make interesting reading. Akira Imai, Manager, International Licensing, Rights Business Division, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd

Harutoshi Saito, Creative Director, FuRyu Corporation

Kenichi Umetsu, Marketing Research Department, Marketing Division, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd

Kyoko Endo, Licensing Expert, FuRyu Corporation

Shoko Ogura, General Manager, PERSONS Design Studio

Facilitated by Roger Berman, President, ZenWorks

What are the main trends in Japan you see at the moment?

and works on multiple platforms. The characters are enormously popular in many parts of Asia.

A very popular trend is nostalgia, and ‘old school’. Retro is really strong, both for adults and for children, with evergreen properties taking the lead. Another ongoing trend is, of course, Japanese properties themselves. These always remain very popular. Big international brands are making a comeback - such as Kate Spade, and Adidas.

If you were to buy a licensed product, would you be more likely to purchase this online, in a retail store or at a supermarket?

And heritage brands are very big in Japan, as they speak to the Japanese consumer with their values and concepts, such as anything with a Royal Warrant.

How popular are Japanese characters as compared to international characters - and the same for TV shows and movies? And what type of international characters and movies work/are popular in the Japanese market? Home-grown brands are very popular, of course, in Japan. Perhaps some of these are not known by the rest of the world, but in Japan they are huge. Manga of course is strong, and things like J-Pop. Cosplay of favourite characters is also very big in Japan. In terms of international offerings, Minions and Finding Dory have both been extremely popular. Of course, Disney as a whole is big in Japan. Harry Potter has been huge, and Peanuts remains strong. We would say that Japan is ‘late’ to catch up on international trends and brands, in general. Another property that is very popular is LINE Friends. These are from the messaging app which now has over 700 millions users worldwide

Both. Retail is still relatively strong, but online is of course growing.

How do you think the retail market is at the moment, and is the economy still relatively strong to the rest of the world? The retail market wavers, but again, this is a mixture of physical shops and online. Japan is an important player in the international retail market, and the luxury goods market is extremely strong. Japanese people appreciate high quality goods and excellent service - but the retail market can be very polarised, from those purchasing top, exclusive brands, to the mass market buyers. To attract customers, and keep brand awareness high, it is very popular for there to be in-store events at retail. Online shopping is growing as the number of working women increases, and therefore have less time to go shopping for the family. There are also technological advances in the arena, such as Virtual Realty and Augmented Reality, offering customers a sophisticated service, and allowing consumers, like much of the rest of the world, instant access to goods they want. In terms of the overall economy, it is stable, but consumer growth has actually slowed down. Inflation is rising.

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Japan’s largest! 300 Exhibitors and 1,000 Properties

8th LICENSING JAPAN Character & Brand Licensing Trade Show LICENSING JAPAN moves its show dates from June to April. Show Dates: Apr. 4 (Wed) – 6 (Fri), 2018

For the eighth year running, Reed Exhibitions Japan is organising LICENSING JAPAN - Japan’s largest licensing trade show - from April 4 to 6, 2018 at Tokyo Big Sight. The show continues to grow and the upcoming event is expected to welcome a record number of 300 exhibitors. At the heart of the show there is a huge variety of different properties - not only characters but also brands, sports and design which will come together from all over the world. LICENSING JAPAN will, without doubt, be the best platform for those who are seeking out new properties and are involved in or planning to launch into Japan in particular, and Asian market in general. To give readers a taste of the show, here are a few of the properties that will be on show at the 8th LICENSING JAPAN. Please visit the website for full property and company details.

Major Animation/Game Characters

ONE PIECE and DRAGONBALL Z

RILAKKUMA and THE POWERPUFF GIRLS

Both properties are loved across different generations, not only in Japan but throughout the rest of the world. TOEI ANIMATION INC

Rilakkuma is a character that is much admired by a wide range of target audiences. GREEN CAMEL CO. LTD.

YOKAI WATCH Yo-Kau Watch is one of the most popular characters that have come out of the 2010s. BIGFACE CO. LTD.

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WHERE’S WALLY, BARBAPAPA and CARE BEARS STYLINGLIFE HOLDINGS INC.

TOTAL LICENSING

STREETFIGHTER and MONSTER HUNTER

POKEMON

Capcom’s best-known video game series.

On the lookout for new licensing partners.

CAPCOM.CO.LTD.

SHOGAKUKAN PRODUCTION CO.

Brand and Art

KABUKI and KUMADORI Makeup

KEITH HARING and JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT

An example of Japanese traditional culture, KABUKI is exhibiting for the first time. SHOCHIKU CO. LTD

Both are artists that led the way in 1980s USA.

IICAMO

HAIBARA DESIGN

A company that specialises in textiles with a history of over 120 years has joined the unique iicamo project. TAMARAKOMA CO. LTD.

ITOCHU FASHION SYSTEM CO. LTD.

A company founded in 1806 that specialises in traditional Japanese paper. HAIBARA CO. LTD

Register now for free exhibition ticket to visit the show. www.licensing-japan.jp Secure on-sight meetings with Matching System (Free of Charge). http://www.licensing-japan.jp/en/inv/matching/ Organiser: Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd. LICENSING JAPAN Show Management TEL: +81-3-3349-8507 Mail to: visitor-eng.licensing@reedexpo.co.jp Website: www.licensing-japan.jp/en/ 122

TOTAL LICENSING Tokyo-based Sony Creative Products Inc. (SCP), which manages licensing in the Japanese market for Pingu on behalf of Mattel Inc, report a major Pingu-themed event in collaboration with licensee Mitsui Fudosan Retail Management Co, Ltd. Talking place soon after the successful launch of the new, entirely Japanesemade and produced computer-animated TV series Pingu In The City, the event – called Enjoy Shop-Pingu at LaLaport Fujimi – transformed one of Japan’s best-known and biggest shopping malls and attracted an enthusiastic response since its launch in late January. It continued for over a month. As well as displays based on Pingu and his friends appearing throughout the mall, a large number of in-store campaigns and competitions took place. The Mitsui Shopping Park Lalaport Fujimi is a major shopping centre with 293 shops ranging from department stores, apparel shops, and outdoor shops to movie theatres and much more. This is the latest collaboration between Sony Creative Products and a major retail name featuring Pingu, which has been a favourite of millions of children for over 30 years. Late last year a successful Pingu-themed café opened at Village Vanguard Cafe Shinjuku, Tokyo, offering décor and a special menu inspired by the penguin and his friends. The opening of the café came hard on the heels of the launch of the new, entirely Japanese-made and produced computer-animated TV series Pingu In The City on the NHK ETV channel – which is owned by Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK. Following the debut of the V&A brand by ZenWorks and Brandog at Licensing Expo Japan last year, discussions for new licenses have been proceeding smoothly. While details are yet to be fully divulged, new V&A inspired product ranges for clothing accessories and fitness-related products are expected to be launched this spring. Furthermore, the V&A will once again exhibit at Licensing Expo Japan 2018. V&A Licensing has had a long and ac-

tive presence in Japan. Licensees consist of Arakawa for nightwear, East for museum products, Itochu for LeSportsac, Kuwayama for jewelry, Nikko for table ceramics, Romance Kosugi for bedlinen, Salonge for home textiles and aprons, People Tree (Fair Trade Japan) for apparel and fashion accessories, and Moda Japan for imported quilting fabrics. Also, the V&A was responsible for the planning and curation of the hugely successful David Bowie exhibition that took place in Tokyo in 2017; Sony Music Communications was the licensee for the exhibition products. From this core base of licensees, ZenWorks and Brandog are currently targeting an expansion of the licensing program into new categories including apparel, home interior, personal fashion accessories, home decoration, stationery, and aroma goods. Marking its 5th anniversary this year, AnimeJapan 2018 will host the biggest number of exhibitors ever

with 241 companies and organizations from Japan and overseas exhibiting and a total number of 1003 exhibition units The main area has 162 exhibitors and 892 business units whilst the Business Area has 65 exhibitors and 76 units whilst the Family Anime Festa

has 14 companies and 35 units. AnimeJapan 2018 will take place at Tokyo Big Sight over 4 days in March with exclusive business days on 22 and 23 March and public days on 24 and 25 March. Building on the success of AnimeJapan 2017 which attracted a total of 145,454 visitors AnimeJapan is preparing various anniversary projects, such as opening the all the stages to the public and increasing the number of stages to 5. In addition, there will be special anniversary characters and an AnimeJapan Broadcast booth. CAA-GBG began representing Hershey’s licensing program in 2012, since when the brand has become popular in the Japanese market.

Three kinds of Hershey’s multi packed ice cream are amongst the best selling products in the market. In addition to the standard items, CAA-GBG have been introducing innovative new products most recently a Japanese green tea and brown sugar syrup flavored ice cream which launched in February. Hershey’s chilled dessert is also popular with Japanese consumers. 14S skus were launched in January 2018 and 750,000 pieces were sold in 1 week and over 2 million pieces in 1 month! Hershey’s donut and rice cakes were launched in end of November 2017. The donut was ranked as one of the highest selling new products in CVS in the northern region of Japan. A new flavored donut will be launched in Spring 2018. CAA-GBG also report that Jelly Belly

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TOTAL LICENSING apparel products with WEGO (Ding and WC) were launched in early summer 2017. The new Autumn collection is currently in the Japanese market. Finally, CAA-GBG signed to represent Playboy last year as a global agent. Playboy was established as a media & lifestyle brand in 1953 and celebrates its 65th anniversary this year. The first collaboration has been with Tokyo brand Evris whose Street Girl brand launched last Fall. The unisex jersey was sold out immediately and a second collaboration launched in February. In addition, a license with the jewelry brand Bill Wall Leather born in Malibu, California were launched last November, produced by Beams. HappWhy report that Peter Draw, the creator of Ai at HappWhy Brands, hopes to collaborate with brands to create various touchpoints to spread Ai’s message. This message of love, hope, and compassion will hopefully connect with children in Japan, and eventually with children around the globe. The first partner, Dwarf Inc will produce a stop-motion animation short film on Ai. Peter chose the stop-motion format in his first collaboration because like the stop-motion technique, real life also experiences many ‘stops’ or disruptions, beset with challenges. Peter hopes to convey the message to children that despite difficulties they face in their lives, the most important thing they can do is to persevere and to keep moving forward. They are also planning a merchandising programme based on Ai. Derived and inspired by Chinese characters where each character generally has four main tones or sounds, Ai comes from the first sound Ai which represents ‘Sorrow’ or ‘Sadness’. The fourth sound of Ai translates to ‘Love’. In June 2018, Peter will release the Ai stop-motion animation short film at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. At the same event, he will also announce a global ‘Ai Movement’ which will bring Ai’s sensorial and tactile experience to children in different cities around the globe.

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name, Tezuka Productions, has been developing a number of projects since late 2017, and which are set to be completed by November 2019. One of the major initiatives is Go Astro Boy Go!, a new animation series aimed at pre-schoolers. The production is a 52 x 11 minute series and is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

With new TV distribution, toys and tournaments in the works, the year is already off to an explosive start for Beyblade Burst, the Beyblade actionpacked new generation. Thanks to Sunrights Inc the New York Citybased entertainment rights management company that directly manages Beyblade Burst in all territories outside of Asia, fans will have even more ways to enjoy and interact with the brand. To start, Beyblade Burst fans can now watch the animated TV series in several new regions around the world. Episodes from the first season began airing on the Netherlands’ B.O.Z. in February and Belgium’s Nickelodeon in March and will debut on Belgium’s Kadet In April. Meanwhile, Beyblade Burst Evolution, the series’ second season, began airing on Canada’s Teletoon November 4th, the US’s Disney XD in December, Australia’s 9Go! in January and is set to premiere on Israel’s Nickelodeon and France’s Canal J in March. The Beyblade Burst TV series is supported by a robust licensing program – some 34 active licensees that also continue to expand the brand’s reach globally in most major categories with merchandise hitting the shelves throughout the year. “We were pleased to sign a new agreement with one of the EU’s leaders in licensed clothing, Van Der Erve, for a line of Beyblade Burst daywear, nightwear, underwear, accessories, swimwear and socks to roll out in the Benelux region,” said Natasha Gross, Director of TV, Sales & Licensing of Sunrights Inc. To mark the 90th Anniversary of Osamu Tezuka’s birth, the production house he founded and that carries his

Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of Godzilla, the Guinness world record holder for the longest continuously running movie franchise, has reverted to handling the merchandising rights of its beloved monster. Toho plans to actively license out the merchandising rights into the global market, looking ahead to the March 2019 release of the second feature film Godzilla, with more to come in the franchise. As a first step, Toho will have a booth at Licensing Expo (Las Vegas) in May, in order to hold meetings with potential licensees. Benesse Corporation’s leading Japanese preschool character, Shimajiro, is set to travel all over Japan as part of a traveling indoor theme park experience called Shimajiro Play Park. The initiative takes place during Shimajiro’s 30th anniversary. Drawing on themes from Kodomo Challenge, Benesse’s premier preschooler educational material sub-

TOTAL LICENSING scription brand, Shimajiro Play Park will be a special place for young children to play, experience and learn. Activity spaces within the park will include areas for intellectual development play using numbers and words, social skills development through role play, general physical activity and finger dexterity training. All these activities reflect the core learning values of Shimajiro and Kodomo Challenge. During 2018, Shimajiro Play Park is currently scheduled to travel to eight department stores and recreational park venues nationwide, beginning in

March. The entire Shimajiro Play Park project is set to run for three years. Shimajiro is the lead character in Kodomo Challenge, which celebrates its thirtieth anniversary in April. As well as the educational materials subscription service, Kodomo Challenge and Shimajiro encompass TV programming, movies, live concerts and merchandise licensing, targeting children ages 0 to 6 and their parents. Beyond Japan, Kodomo Challenge has been rolled out in China including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. The TV series also airs in Indonesia. Benesse Corporation will exhibit at the upcoming Licensing Japan 2018. HoriPro report that their property Fruity Samurai has well over million fans in Japan. It has been repeatedly broadcast due to popular demand via cable and satellite by Kids Station which has 8 million pay subscribers in Japan. The series surrounds the adventures of a group of samurais who have trained to perfect their techniques of swordsmanship. Green Apple, Red Apple, etc. are the fruit-headed samurais

who match swords against each other. Subtle movements and surprise twists within each episode bring fun to audiences of all ages. The series comprises 13 x 3 minute episodes of digital animation and there is no spoken dialogue. The episodes are available to watch on TV in Central/South Americas, Korea, and on Taiwan’s Eva Airways. Japanese production studio, Blast (www.blast.jp), has announced its science-fiction series, Blader, is being prepared for internet distribution. Blader is a story that revolves around an adolescent who has been chosen to operate Blader, a superhero robot. In the narrative, Blader confronts an enemy artificial intelligence that sets out to plot acts of revenge on human beings. Blast’s making of Blader mainly encompasses digital-based technologies with the production using a technique called Visual Localization that allows for easy substitution of language and actors, according to the country where the series will be distributed. The Japanese version was created using this system. Pilots of the English and Chinese versions have been

completed and Blast are now looking for partners to further develop the series internationally. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2019, Blast is a well-established Japanese entertainment studio primarily creating original live-action character productions including movies, TV programs, commercials and special effects. Super Planning, the multi-faceted Japanese producer of life accessory products, including its award-winning best selling tote bag brand Rootnote, is celebrating its original Japanese character, Mr Friendly that celebrates its birthday in April. Super Planning is also delighted at the success of their Mr Friendly cafe in the trendy Daikanyama area of Tokyo. One particular item on the cafe menu has proved not just a hit with cafe visitors, but has also been hot on social media. The cafe’s pancakes, one shaped as a group of Mr Friendly’s and another which has the purchaser’s name put onto it, have been winners with Instagram users. Mr Friendly’s goal is to continually deliver happiness all over the world. Through the cafe, a wide selection of character goods, and other branding activities, he is achieving that goal and bringing smiles to fans every day..

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TV TOKYO TO EXHIBIT IN JAPAN AND USA

TV TOKYO Communications Corporation (TXCOM), a subsidiary of major TV network broadcaster holding company, TV TOKYO Holdings Corporation, will exhibit Kanahei’s Small animals at two major licensing trade shows in order to expand its licensing programs in Japan and global markets.

Kicking off the trade show presence, Kanahei’s Small animals will exhibit at Licensing Japan in Tokyo (April 4-6, Tokyo Big Sight, http://www.licensing-japan. jp/en/) to address the Japanese and Asian regional audience where it is already a huge success. Following this, Kanahei’s Small animals will make its debut on the North American stage as part of the Japan Pavilion at Licensing Expo, Las Vegas (22-24 May, Mandalay Bay, www.licensingexpo.com/). Given the huge success of Japanese characters in North and Latin American markets in recent years, the aim is to introduce the strong track record of Kanahei’s Small animals to Licensing Expo visitors and develop new licensing agent and potential licensee relationships throughout the region.

The booths will showcase licenses across merchandising, advertising, promotions and events so visitors can experience the world of Kanahei’s Small animals firsthand.

digital content associated with TV programs and major character properties including Peanuts and Dick Bruna’s Miffy. Its operations also encompasses cross-media advertising, digital content distribution, and e-commerce. Experiential Licensing Kanahei’s Yurutto Town (Kanahei’s Relaxing Town) is a large-scale special exhibition that will travel around Tokyo, Taiwan and other countries and regions. The exhibition is filled with Kanahei’s original characters and fantastic ideas. Multitudes of fans will be delighted to meet so many characters and to immerse themselves in the world of Kanahei’s creations. Key dates include Tokyo, Japan.The exhibition ran from 22 December 2016 to 9 January 2017 and visitor numbers topped 25,000 generating sales of JP¥115,000,000 (approximately US$1,237,000). From 30 December 2017 until 25 March 2018 the exhibition is in Taipei, Taiwan where more than 70,000 visitors are expected at the event. Further dates include Kyoto, Japan from 25 April to 7 May 2018, Kaohsiung, Taiwan from June to September 2018 and Sendai, Japan from December 2018.

Kanahei’s Small animals spinoff character, Piske & Usagi

Kanahei’s Small animals official website: http://kanaheis-smallanimals.jp/ Corporate website: http://www.txcom.jp/eng/ E-mail : ovs@txcom.jp

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In early January, Kanahei’s Small animals was part of the Japan Pavilion at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show, where it was well received by Asian visitors already familiar with the property and which generated substantial licensing business enquiries. TV TOKYO Communications Corporation is the merchandising and advertising licensing representative of artist Kanahei’s Small animals series including her masterpiece “Piske & Usagi“. TV TOKYO Communications Corporation, is a 100% subsidiary of TV TOKYO Holdings Corporation, a major terrestrial Japanese broadcaster. TXCOM distributes content worldwide and runs one of the largest membership services in Japan. TXCOM also develops and produces

Kanahei’s Yarutto Town event poster for Taipei,Taiwan The exhibition Kanahei’s Yurutto Town (Kanahei’s Relaxing Town) has been produced in collaboration with Dr. Yoichi Ochiai, a Japanese media artist, who created a short movie col-

laborative work at Yurutto Town. The movie (YouTube: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=6n8OsokydAs) is a type of work called Zoetrograph, and is a combination of the terms “Zoetrope” and “Kinematograph”. This media instrument transforms 3D animated characters into 2D animation in Magic Lantern software and after that is then re-converted back to 3D animated characters. This work exists as part of Yoichi Ochiai’s long consideration of image and matter. LINE Stickers Kanahei’s Small animals series won the social messaging service LINE Creators Stamp Awards Grand Prix 2016 and previously was runner up in 2014 and 2015. There are more than 6,100,000 cumulative paid sticker downloads. The number of Kanahei SNS followers (as of 18 February 2018) are LINE 6,122,483; Twitter 358,738; Instagram 115,000 and Facebook 116,424 About Kanahei Kanahei is a Japanese illustrator who was seventeen years old when she started drawing digital pictures, uploading the creations onto her website and offering them for free download. Her website has since attracted a great number of visitors. When she was eighteen, and still a high school student, Kanahei made her professional drawing debut in the famous Japanese teens magazine, Seventeen. Kanahei has expanded her creations to include wallpapers, 3D computer graphics, and flash animations for mobile phones. Her unique illustrations and manga are very popular in Japan, China and throughout Asian countries. Licensing: Kanahei’s Small animals series TV TOKYO Communications Corporation (TXCOM) is the merchandising and advertising licensing representative of the Kanahei’s Small animals series include her masterpiece Piske & Usagi. The properties are targeted at men and women between the ages of 16 and 34.

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Japan Content Showcase (JCS) 2017 - A multi-content market featuring Music, Film, TV & Animation in Asia Japan Content Showcase (JCS) is the largest multi-content market in Asia, featuring music, TV, film and animation. JCS2017 was held for the 6th year in 2017 as a joint market with TIFFCOM (the affiliated market to the Tokyo International Film Festival), Tokyo International Music Market (TIMM) and Tokyo International Anime Festival (TIAF) There were more than 7798 business meetings held during JCS2017 and the total value of deals was $60,050,000. A record number of 19,549 people participated over the 4-day event (excluding the TIMM Showcase Live). All in all, JCS2017 brought together a rich array of music, film, animation, and genre-bending content over four days, successfully achieving its twin goals of spreading Japanese content information overseas and encouraging networking among key industry players. In total, 371 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions, and 1,549 buyers from 48 countries and regions registered. There was a significant increase in overseas buyers this year - there were 1,022 foreign registrations which was an increase of more than 10% from last year. The number of nonJapanese Asian buyers increased by 6%, North Americans by 13%, South Americans by 44%, and Europeans by 49%. The number of Middle Eastern buyers doubled, and there were more than five times the number of Russian buyers compared with last year.

Contact Japan Content Showcase Organizer’s Office http://www.jcs.tokyo/en/ inquiry@tiffcom.jp +81-3-6226-3020

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French buyers were up 70%, Italians 60%, British 75%, and Germans 50%. JCS2017 offered new services such as the Business Matching Sessions, IP/ Book Adaptation Symbols on the exhibition booths, a Mini Stage for the purpose of PR and the pitching of exhibitors, and this too created the higher business results. Business matching was a new service offered by the organizers this year. Meetings were arranged between 22 sellers and 59 buyers, and a total of 179 business meetings were set up. Exhibitor booths dealing in intellectual property and book adaptation rights were marked with a special symbol in the market guidebook and at their own booths so they could be found easily by participants.Various PR events for JCS2017 visitors were also organised by exhibitors.

A total of 28 popular and engaging seminars on a variety of topics (IP business, international co-production, anime songs and the latest music markets, the Chinese market, virtual reality, and more) were held across both venues. Many pitching sessions and bizmatching events were held and the venue was full of enthusiastic participants who are looking for business partners. In the press and industry screening session, 22 films including the official selections of the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival were screened. In addition, the TIMM collaboration created live concerts by 19 artists which took place over three consecutive days, and 5 groups of international artists participated in the “international showcase” during the three days at the Shibuya venue, while Ikebukuro hosted numerous lively events at the Sunshine City Fountain Plaza and the Tsutaya Ikebukuro AK event space. These events attracted a lot of attention. JCS2017 is a place where content and business is created. New business exhibitors such as talent agents also participated. A variety of content beyond genres gathered together and information from Asia was distributed to the world, and the networking of stakeholders accelerated. In brief, JCS2017 was a very efficient and positive marketplace for all the industry participants from all over the world.

Legally Speaking

TOTAL LICENSING

TRADEMARK PROTECTION FOR MERCHANDISING PROPERTIES By: Gregory J. Battersby and Edmund J. Ferdinand

Basics of Licensing series

LICEN$IN

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There has perhaps never been a more exciting time than now for those involved with the business of licensing intel- lectual property rights. Even in a soft economy, people F O S IC everywhere continue to emS A B $ING LICEN brace forms of entertainment across every genre and to identify strongly with the branded products that express their lifestyles. Moreover, with new digital technologies making it possible to reach a consumer base that seemingly grows by the day, the overall profit generating potential of brand-extension and merchandising activity remains anyone’s guess. According to one industry survey, last year alone, sales of licensed products in the U.S. and Canada topped $109 billion. For the entrepreneur seeking to take advantage of this lucrative marketplace, however, navigating its ever-evolving landscape absolutely requires a sound grasp of the business and legal principles that are the bedrock of every successful licensing program; hence, the Basics of Licensing book series. The series began with the original Basics of Licensing (revised and updated), was followed by the sequel Basics of Licensing: Licensee Edition and continued with the Basics of Licensing: International Edition. Each book has been developed in cooperation and with full endorsement from the International Licensing Industry Merchandiser’s Association (LIMA). To order copies, visit basicsoflicensing.com Include

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Trademark protection extends to any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination, that is used to identify and distinguish an individual’s goods from those of another and to indicate the source or origin of such goods. The advantage of trademark protection over copyright protection is that such protection lasts for so long as you or your licensee continue to use the trademark. While trademark rights are acquired in the United States upon the first use of the mark, this is not the case in some other countries. Registration of the mark is always advisable and, in some countries, essential to obtaining protection. Registration of a mark in the United States provides certain procedural and substantive advantages for the owner, including a right to bring suit in federal court for trademark infringement and the establishment of constructive notice of the owner’s claim in the mark. A trademark registration will also permit the owner to record the registration with the U.S. Customs Service to stop the importation of infringing and counterfeit products at the border. Most licensees will demand that the licensor register the mark for the goods or services it will be selling under the license or, at the very least, have applied to register the mark since they want as much protection as the property owner can provide against unauthorized competition. The requirements for obtaining a trademark registration in the United States are straightforward. In order to be registered, the mark must be distinctive, i.e., it must distinguish or be capable of distinguishing the owner’s products or services over that of another. That means that the mark cannot be merely descriptive of the goods or services for which registration is being sought, nor can it be a generic reference to the product or service. For example, Winnie the Pooh is potentially registrable for a coffee mug since it is neither the name of the product nor does it describe the product. If, however, one sought to register the words Blue Mug for

a blue coffee mug, it would probably be refused registration because it would be considered descriptive of the product, i.e., a blue mug. A trademark applicant must be the first party to have used that mark for the subject product or service and he cannot be aware of any other uses of the mark that might be confusingly similar to its mark and use. Thus, if XYZ Company applied to register Winnie the Pooh for a plush bear based on very recent use, that application would undoubtedly be rejected on the grounds of Disney’s earlier use and registration(s). Trademark applications can be filed with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”) in one of two ways, as: (1) a use-based application, relying on the applicant’s actual use of the mark in interstate commerce; or (2) an intent-to-use application, based on the applicant’s bona fide intention to use the mark in interstate commerce. Acceptable use of a trademark can be established either by the owner or its licensee. For a use-based application, the applicant must state the date that the mark was first used on the goods, in both intrastate and interstate commerce, and provide specimens showing how the mark was actually applied to the goods or used in conjunction with the services for which registration is sought. In each type of application, the applicant must identify the mark to be registered and the goods or services on which the mark has or will be used. The USPTO divides all types of goods and services into 45 different classes and an applicant must select one or more of them for which registration is being sought. Trademark applications can be filed either by a paper filing or an electronic filing. The USPTO filing fee for a paper trademark application ranges from $225 to $400 per class depending upon the filing method. Both types of applications are prosecuted by the PTO in the same manner. Trademark laws vary from country to country so it’s a good idea to consult with local trademark counsel to make sure that you have fully complied with local law.

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FROM E-SPORTS to CANNABIS... The breadth and velocity of the licensing business will be on full display during the wide-ranging Licensing University collection of seminars, presentations and small-group roundtable discussions that LIMA has scheduled surrounding Licensing Expo Las Vegas. There will be some notable changes to the program for 2018. Seminars will be more concise, and we’ve integrated several shorter, single-case-study presentations into the broader list of panels and seminars. One exciting innovation will be the staging of a few sessions in a specially designed theater on the Expo floor. One of the sessions planned for that venue is “Unique Challenges of Branding and Licensing in the Growing Cannabis Industry.” Attorney David Schnider of Nolan Heimann LLP will lead a panel or executives already involved in this growth business, with 29 states having already legalized medical cannabis and 7 states allowing recreational use. As he points out, “Sales in Washington and Colorado are over $1 Billion a year and California has just created the biggest legal market in the country. As the cannabis market grows in these states, branding will become the key differentiating factor for most products. But the products remain illegal at the federal level, presenting unique challenges for brand protection and licensing. This session examines the rise of branding in cannabis, the unique challenges in protecting and licensing cannabis brands, and some examples of how cannabis companies are dealing with those challenges.” That’s a subject that didn’t exist for the licensing business in a meaningful way three years ago, but indicative of the industry’s ever-changing nature. Another topic to be covered during Licensing University is the fast rising e-Sports business. A seminar entitled “Trendwatch: What’s the eSports

Opportunity?.” The eSports business is growing exponentially, with some projecting it will reach the $1 billion mark by 2020. Owners of major traditional sports teams are investing in franchises, and business models are rapidly evolving. What’s the licensing opportunity? Panelists will include Daniel Siegel, Head of eSports for Blizzard Entertainment (which operates the Overwatch League) and Blake Davidson, VP Licensing and Consumer Products for NASCAR, which has been involved with iRacing.com for nearly a decade. Even as the underpinnings of how the licensing business functions evolve, the two Licensing U. examples we’ve already mentioned emphasize the fact that the nature of the business is all about change, and the ability of everyone in licensing to create, recognize, market and sell the latest and greatest. “Trend-Spotting and Innovation: How Do You Search for ‘New’?” will

“Sales (of cannabis) in Washington and Colorado are over $1 billion a year and California has just created the biggest legal market in the country.”

examine how savvy executives go about staying ahead of the curve, to spot “new” before it happens. Panelists at this session, to be led by Genna Rosenberg, CEO of GennComm, will

By Martin Brochstein SVP Industry Relations and Information International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association www.licensing.org

give insights about how they look for trends, and also how to instill in a company a culture that encourages everyone to create new product ideas. Many of those ideas and creations will come from from smaller creators, and many of the product innovations will come from smaller manufacturers. But it can be difficult for smaller companies to break into the licensing business. “Navigating Licensing as a Small Manufacturer,” will be led by Steve Rollins of Rock’Em Apparel, who will discuss this scenario: “You’re a manufacturer, or you’ve got a service that you just know would work well with a big brand, a sports league, a big entertainment property. How do you break through to get in front of that brand owner? What’s the pitch? How do you expand your presence and grow your license base in the constant uphill battle of being taken seriously as a small business? What other issues will you need to confront?” These are only a few of the topics to be covered in Licensing University, which also will include a vast array of “Basics” courses aimed at bringing newcomers in the business up to speed on various facets of the business. We’ll also include a full-slate of the popular Wednesday morning smallgroup Roundtables, which give Licensing U. participants up-close-andpersonal discussion with experts and peers about an array of topics.

For more information, go to www.licensingexpo.com. Take advantage of this golden opportunity to expand your (and your staff’s) business knowledge and set yourself up for licensing success.

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Emerging Retailing Models in Licensing: Pop-up Stores

By Utku Tansel, Head of Licensing Euromonitor www.euromonitor.com

Overall, pop-up stores bode well with Licensing as there is usually an element of temporality when there is a licensed property, since some franchises are perennial while some are just a flash in a pan. Especially for movie tie-in properties, time frames for licensed products inherently have different cycles and it may take weeks to get licensed merchandise to store using classic or traditional distribution platforms.With pop-up stores, however, all that is needed is a product and a suitable location. Combined with the prerequisite of flexibility and the spontaneous nature of some licenses, pop-up stores present many opportunities.

licensors, licensees and retailers to have a short-term presence in popular high consumer density areas, such as malls, without locking them into annual rental agreements helping them to avoid high costs. Moreover, they can create a buzz around the franchise helping them to stand out from rest of the licences in today’s crowded market place. Not only are they perfect environments for testing and establishing new licences, they can also be used to reinvigorate established franchises. They could also present a new platform for lifestyle franchises which may have difficulties securing a shelf space for their merchandise in other established channels.

Pop-ups can act as billboards for the franchise enabling licensors to communicate the brand story directly with consumers. According an interview with Paul Gitter, SVP at Disney Consumer Products, published in License! Global Magazine, “Pop-ups allow you to fully brand the experience and to have more control over how products are presented. Pop-up environments are usually focused less on a large inventory of products and more on highlighting select items, which helps create a heightened sense of demand and urgency to buy.”

Pop-up stores is now a legitimate retail channel thanks to its advantages, and an increasing number of licensors are experimenting with the platform.

The power of pop-up Pop-ups offers an opportunity for

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As was highlighted by in an interview with LIMA, “pop-up stores are here to stay. They are exciting and the public likes them”. These stores are exploiting the opportunity presented to them whether they are opening just during a craze, such as a movie launch, or gifting season.

Licensors embrace the pop-up store format like never before In October 2016, Disney, the world’s largest licensor, opened a pop-up

store in Newcastle’s (UK), Eldon Square Shopping Centre just in time for the crucial Christmas shopping period selling a wide range of Mickey Mouse, Star Wars, Marvel and Frozen products, alongside an exclusive range of seasonal products. Aiming to create a buzz around its franchises, Disney also included sections in its store where customers were able to have their photos taken with a Hulk figure and a Princess throne. It was reported that Disney Europe opened nine pop-up stores across the UK over the 2016 Christmas season. If set up and managed well, pop-up stores provide a unique and exciting experience to connect with fans. For many consumers, it is almost like attending a special and exclusive event. NBA teamed up with US department store Bloomingdale’s in January 2015 to open basketball-inspired, in-store pop-up shops across 16 select locations to celebrate the 64th NBA AllStar Game. According to Global Licence! Top 150 Global Licensors 2017 study, The National Basketball Association is the world’s 21st biggest licensor with USD3.2 billion in total retail sales of licensed merchandise in 2016. In celebration of its updated Powerpuff Yourself fan engagement campaign, Cartoon Network, which owns Ben

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10 and The Powerpuff Girls licences, opened a weekend pop-up shop in New York in October 2016. The Powfactor Shop featured exclusive and limited edition merchandise where fans experienced the new Powerpuff Yourself maker and were able to print their personally created designs on products, including t-shirts, mugs and bags. According to Global Licence! Top 150 Global Licensors 2017 report, CN is the world’s 31st largest licensor with USD2.1 billion in total retail sales of licensed merchandise in 2016.

A brand cannot possibly open popup stores constantly. Otherwise, the novelty factor would be lost, which is one of the key USPs. Additionally, franchises cannot nurture a relationship with retailers if they tilt the balance too much towards stand-alone pop-up store format.Yet, it should also be noted that if they opt to launch a limited-time shop within a section of an existing retailer, this could well help to start a long-standing relationship which would potentially benefit all parties.

In May 2016, Smiley opened a pop-up store at the Galeries Lafayette Beijing mall, showcasing licensed bags, cushions, hats, mugs, sunglasses and plush toys.

Furthermore, some experts believe that the pop-up store formula is more suitable for franchises that target adults/grown-ups in licensing. As for pre-school properties, however, a number of licensors aim to create the experience impact or the buzz through events and tours rather than forming shops.

But, be aware… Pop-ups could also be a poisoned chalice. One of the tricky questions is, who will be running the stores? Also, some balancing might be needed.

It could also be argued that these marketing strategies co-exist well. Events

Disney Pop-up Store in Newcastle, UK Source: www.chroniclelive.co.uk

and tours could be seen as key for sustaining and growing a fan base for franchises, particularly in the pre-school arena. Yet, if they are to be supported by the pop-up platform in retail, the return could potentially be greater. Finally, since pop-ups are a reflection of the brand, there should be high quality in execution. There is no one ‘fit all’ solution globally. They need to be customised in accordance with a country’s economic environment.

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Bologna Licensing Trade Fair Bologna Children’s Bookfair Kazachok Licensing Forum Licensing Japan MIP.TV London Book Fair Cartoons on the Bay Licensing Expo Japan Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards Surtex Licensing Expo Children’s Media Conference Licensing Expo China Autumn Fair The Licensing Awards Brand Licensing Expo Frankfurt Book Fair MIP Junior MIPCOM China Licensing Expo

March 26 - 28 March 26 - 29 April 4 - 5 April 4 - 6 April 9 - 12 April 10 - 12 April 12 - 14 April 25 - 27 April 26 May 20 - 22 May 22 - 24 July 3 - 5 July 25 - 27 Sept 2 - 5 Sept 11 Oct 9 - 11 Oct 10 - 14 Oct 13 - 14 Oct 15 - 18 Oct 16 - 18

www.bolognalicensing.com www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it.com www.kazachok.com www.licensing-japan.jp/en www.miptv.com www.londonbookfair.co.uk www.cartoonsbay.com www.licensingexpojapan.com/en/ www.brandlicensingawards.co.uk www.surtex.com www.licensingexpo.com www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/ www.licensingexpochina.com/ www.autumnfair.com www.thelicensingawards.co.uk www.brandlicensing.eu www.buchmesse.de www.mipcom.com/mipjunior www.mipcom.com www.chinalicensingexpo.com/en/

SUMMER 2018/LICENSING EXPO ISSUE Key features: Licensing Expo 2018 Preview, Licensing in the USA, Latin America, Spain and Korea Future of Licensing Roundtable and much more... Deadlines: Editorial 12 APRIL • Advertising 28 APRIL Contact:s: Editorial: Becky Ash. becky@totallicensing.com Advertising: Jerry Wooldridge. jerry@totallicensing.com

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4K Media ..............................................................................3

Mondo TV ............................................................................1

Bulldog Licensing.................................................................5

Monster Entertainment.....................................................9

China Licensing Expo.................................................... 135

Moose Toys/Merchantwise .................................. TLA 13

eOne Entertainment................................................ TLA 9

Nickelodeon Viacom......................................... 136, TLA 1

Howard Robinson.................................................. TLA 23

Paramount Pictures/Merchantwise.................... TLA 16

Kazachok............................................................................ 21

Rainbow SpA........................................................................2

Korea Character Fair.................................................... 115

Redan Publishing............................................................... 25

Licensing Awards.................................................................7

Surtex............................................................................... 118

Licensing Japan................................................................ 121

Tiffcom............................................................................. 129

LIMA.......................................................................... TLA 68

TV Tokyo.......................................................................... 126

Little Brother Books....................................................... 27

Universal Brand Development........................... TLA 2, 3

Merchantwise........................................................... TLA 11

Warner Bros Consumer Products........................ TLA 5

Millimages/Merchantwise...................................... TLA 19

ZenWorks....................................................................... 125

MIP TV................................................................................ 11

List correct at time of going to press.