Source: GennComm/BHTB/The Toy Book

GennComm LLC and Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co. (BHTB) have buried the proverbial squishy hatchet.

The two companies kicked off the new year by reaching a “mutually satisfactory resolution” to a years-long rumble over the use of GennComm-owned memory foam in BHTB’s Squeezamals line.

At the root of the conflict were intellectual property (IP) disputes over the design, use, and ownership of patented memory foam, which was developed by inventor Jeremy Medwed under GennComm’s ImaGENNation team.

Related: Talkin’ Toys: Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Innovates Plush for Kids, Collectors, and Partners

Moving forward, GennComm has licensed its patents to BHTB on a non-exclusive basis as the involved parties state that they are “relieved to put the past behind them and are anxious to move forward with a productive on-going relationship.”

Squeezamals were honored by Learning Express with a 2018 top product award in the plush category at the retailer’s annual store owner’s convention.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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