Licensing Expo is just around the corner, with doors to the trade show opening tomorrow. The event is expected to give attendees a look at numerous product previews, including the launch of a new offering from Super Impulse: The Zumbies.
Sharpe Matrix Licensing is the exclusive representative for The Zumbies. The agency will attend Licensing Expo, granting visitors a sneak peek into the brand ahead of its fall launch.
The huge buzz around collectible creepy cute Zombie mini-dolls will help drive the trendy tween marketplace for all creepy stringy merchandise being licensed this year, including stringy Zombie necklaces, creepy stringy backpacks and slippers, and all things with a very tactile creepy stringiness that bring their owners Good JuJu!
Stephen Stanley, Co-President of Sharpe Matrix Licensing
The Zumbies Walking Thread dolls are collectible string dolls offering “lucky juju” to their owners. Each doll comes with a trading card outlining the story of the doll’s demise. The brand aims to tap into the popularity of zombies, as well as the current trend of creepy and cute products within the tween and teen market.
“Super Impulse recognizes the importance of this cute and creepy trend, and we are bringing the only cute and creepy (and collectible) zombies to market this fall, with further limited editions of The Zumbies string dolls to hit market next year,” says Alan Dorfman, President of Super Impulse.
Sharpe Matrix Licensing will showcase The Zumbies at Booth No. A-126. Licensing Expo will run from May 21-23 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Licensing Expo attendees can visit The Toy Book and The Pop Insider in Booth. No. G234 to pick up copies of our new issues — while supplies last — and discuss opportunities with our brands.
IMG has entered into an exclusive global multiyear deal to represent McDonald’s.
The deal aims to help McDonald’s grow its global licensing program. IMG will work closely with McDonald’s, drawing inspiration from its brand to develop various licensed products and experiences for consumers worldwide.
McDonald’s is at its best when we invite our fans to make the brand their own. IMG has an incredible reputation in the licensing industry. We have only begun to scratch the surface with our licensing and cannot wait to see the places we will go with IMG at the helm.
— Jennifer DelVecchio, Senior Director, Global Alliances, McDonald’s
McDonald’s serves 65 million customers daily with 40,00 locations across 100 countries.
“Few brands can claim to truly shape culture the way McDonald’s does. With an unmatched presence across media, music, sports, fashion, and more, McDonald’s is deeply woven into our social fabric,” says Ricky Yoselevitz, Senior Vice President of Licensing, IMG. “From buzzy fashion ranges to one-of-a-kind collaborations, every launch is sure to resonate with global audiences in a way that only McDonald’s can.”
With Licensing Expo opening its doors tomorrow in Las Vegas, Hasbro is kicking off the show with reveals for some of its top brands, including My Little Pony, Transformers, Peppa Pig, and more.
For North America, Hasbro has inked a licensing agreement with Tara Toy for Furby-themed arts and crafts kits that come with paints, pompoms, jewelry, and more. This collaboration, which is set to launch next year, follows the launch of Tara Toy lines for Peppa Pig and My Little Pony. Hasbro is also collaborating with TeeTurtle for plush toys from Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, My Little Pony, and Transformers.
Hasbro and Dinosaw are launching My Little Pony surprise toys in China. | Source: Hasbro
In China, Hasbro is collaborating with Dinosaw and Reesee for My Little Pony. The Dinosaw collaboration will include surprise toys that feature miniature versions of the characters from My Little Pony: Make Your Mark. The Reesee collaboration launches this month with a plush line featuring the Mane 6 and includes bags, clothes hangers, dolls, and more.
Finally, Hasbro is teaming up with HTI for the EMEA region for new Peppa Pig toys, including Peppa Pig’s Tumbling Tower (£19.99) and Peppa Pig Modelling Sand (£0.85-12.85).
Hidden Pigeon Co. (HPC) has added two new members to its team, Tori Cook and Paula Allen, as it expands author Mo Willems’ character brands. Tori Cook will serve as Senior Vice President, Franchise Management and Paula Allen will fill the role of Publishing Consultant. Allen and Cook will report to HPC CEO Karen K. Miller.
In her new position, Cook will lead and develop HPC’s short- and long-term strategy on a global scale. She will also spearhead the growth of the company’s consumer products programs and identify, evaluate, plan, and pursue franchise opportunities within publishing, digital and social media, consumer products, gaming, content development, and live events.
Cook and Allen will expand Mo Willems’ reach. | Source: Mo Willems
Cook has extensive experience in franchise and brand management, retail development, marketing, and consumer products. Before she joined HPC, Cook served as Spin Master’s Vice President, Global Brand Management and Marketing, where she led design teams and the brand marking in the Wheels and Action product development and business strategy areas.
Prior to her position at Spin Master, Cook served as Vice President, Global Franchise Marketing, Retail Development and Location-based Entertainment at Mattel; Senior Vice President, Consumer Products (Licensing, Retail development and Marketing, Creative, Product Development at Saban Brands; and Vice President, Retail and Business Development at Sanrio.
“There are so many opportunities to share Mo Willems’s wonderful and beloved characters with his large and loyal fan base, who already know and love The Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie, and Knuffle Bunny, and to introduce them to new fans,” Cook says. “I look forward to helping to drive the growth of these enduring brands in creative new ways.”
Paula Allen will fill a Publishing Consultant role. | Source: Hidden Pigeon Co.
In her new role as Publishing Consultant, Allen will broaden the Mo Willems universe in the licensed format while building on the author’s work with Union Square & Co., HPC’s publishing partner. Allen has more than 30 years of publishing experience. She founded the consultancy Screenland Literary Associates and has been providing literary services to authors and screenplay writers while helping businesses develop intellectual properties and expand overseas.
Before she founded Screenland Literary Associates, Allen served as Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Global Publishing, DVDS, and Stationery at Nickelodeon Consumer Products, where she retooled and merged the international and domestic publishing business units into one organization. Prior to joining Nickelodeon Allen was Vice President, Global Publishing at Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Merchandise Manager, Juvenile and Speciality Business at Barnes & Noble.
“Mo Willems has brought such brilliantly engaging stories to life for generations of young and young at heart readers and I look forward to working with Karen, Tori, and the whole HPC team to develop even more ways for consumers everywhere to engage with these book-based brands,” Allen says.
“Tori and Paula are recognized leaders in their respective fields and fantastic additions to our growing team of exceptional talent,” Miller says. “We are delighted to have both of these outstanding professionals onboard to help us extend our unique IP to an even broader audience of kids and ‘former kids’ across multiple platforms and merchandise categories throughout the U.S. and around the world.”
Ahead of Licensing Expo in Las Vegas next week, Pop Mart is unveiling a new location tomorrow, May 18, at the Fashion Show Las Vegas Shopping Mall.
The store will carry the limited-edition, Las Vegas-exclusive Labubu Winner Figure along with the U.S.-exclusive Hirono Banger figure, the Duckoo Turntable figurine, the Peach Riot Street Style figurines, and the Hands in Factory Tired Day Mossy figurine. At the grand opening, shoppers can get free gifts with purchase, including a Molly Anniversary Album when they spend $59, a Zsiga shoulder tote bag if they spend $99, and a Zsiga jewelry box if they spend $199 in store.
The opening allows Pop Mart to introduce new shoppers to designer toys, and engage with even more of our loyal fans and collectors across the country. The Las Vegas Strip is known for being home to a variety of pop culture iconography, and Pop Mart is excited to become a part of the local entertainment and shopping scene.
— Larry Lu, Head of Pop Mart North America
The Fashion Show Las Vegas Shopping Mall location is Pop Mart’s eighth permanent store in the U.S.
Addo Play has agreed with Libertas Brands to hand over licensing rights of the ugly cute Fuggler plush brand to ZURU.
The Fuggler brand has continued to evolve since Addo Play originally secured licensing rights in 2021. Addo Play has developed and launched more than 200 Fuggler monster variants, including licensed offerings such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants Fuggler toys, marking the first brand collaborations for Fuggler.
We commend Addo Play for the world class job they have done in building Fuggler. We are delighted to acquire the licensing rights and are committed to leveraging our resources and creativity to further enrich the Fuggler experience for fans everywhere.
Nick Mowbray Co-Founder and CEO of ZURU
“On behalf of everyone here at Addo Play, we would like to extend our thanks to our customers and distributors — in particular to our manufacturing partner and to ToyMonster for doing such an incredible job. And best wishes to ZURU, we look forward to seeing all the great achievements and milestones to come on their Fuggler journey,” says David Martin CEO and Co-Founder, Addo Play.
The transition to ZURU will start this fall. The company aims to continue the trend of brand expansion, with plans for several new products as well as an increased presence in worldwide markets.
“ZURU’s dedication to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with the spirit of Fuggler, and we are excited to see the brand flourish even more under their stewardship,” says Mark Kingston, Co-Founder and CEO of Libertas Brands.
Fuggler is a trademark of Spin Master licensed to Libertas Brands.
Samko & Miko Toy Warehouse, formerly based in Ontario, has filed for bankruptcy. Dodick Landau has been appointed as Trustee for the bankruptcy proceedings.
Samko & Miko got its start more than 60 years ago. The company was known for its seasonal warehouse sales and traveling pop-up stores offering discount toys to Canadian markets. Danbury Global and A.D. Hennick & Associates are liquidating the remaining inventory through an online auction opening to the public today.
There is over $850,000 at retail of brand-new toys, games and books to be sold in one day.
— Jon Ordon, CEO of Danbury Global
The auction will run from May 16-23 and features an extensive selection of products across numerous categories, including outdoor activity toys; baby and toddler products; action figures; animals; trucks; blocks; dolls; arts and crafts; board games; books; and more. The products available come from well-known titans in the toy industry such as Mattel, Hasbro, Crayola, and others.
Additional information about the auction can be found on the official webpage. All items are being sold without reserves, so the highest bidder will take all. “With well over 40,000 toys and 20,000 books, this is a great opportunity to stock up with gifts for your kids, or to buy items for resale,” says Alex Hennick, President of A.D. Hennick & Associates.
Global entertainment company Boat Rocker has named Firefly Brand Management as its U.S. licensing agency.
Firefly Brand Management will represent several of Boat Rocker’s scripted and classic brands, including Orphan Black, Orphan Black: Echoes, Beacon 23, Big Comfy Couch, Danger Mouse, Rainbow, and Count DuckulaI. Firefly will also have a growing list of additional brands to represent through new IP and Boat Rocker’s back catalog.
We’re delighted to team up with Firefly and know our properties are going to be in the best hands. With great connections across licensing and retail, they have built up an excellent business with both well-known brands and also in developing niche IP.
Kate Schlomann, Executive Vice President, Head of Content Marketing, Brand Partnerships & Communications, Boat Rocker
Boat Rocker’s licensing expansion doesn’t stop with Firefly. The company has also appointed Kirsty Guthrie of KJG to manage and seek new partners within the UK and Europe for science fiction brands such as Orphan Black and Orphan Black: Echoes and Beacon 23; kids brands such as Dino Ranch, The Next Step; and classics including Danger Mouse and Rainbow.
Boat Rocker’s offerings span various genres. The company has an animation studio as well as talent management through Untitled Entertainment.
Firefly has seen previous success promoting entertainment properties such as Bob Ross, Paul Frank, and Emily the Strange.
“[Boat Rocker has] an extraordinarily wide range of entertainment properties that lend themselves to multiple categories, and we are excited to have the opportunity to represent them,” says Cynthia Modders, Firefly’s Founder.
Paramount Pictures and Build-A-Bear Workshop teamed up in celebration of the upcoming feature film IF, directed by John Krasinski.
IF fans will discover an array of exclusive merchandise and outfits inspired by the movie at workshops nationwide. From the IF Blue Plush, and the IF “We’re Always Here” T-Shirt, available both individually and as part of the Happy Hugs Teddy Bear IF Gift Set, to the cozy IF PJ Sleeper, also available in the Pawlette Plush IF Gift Set, there’s something to delight every fan.
In addition, starting May 16, select Build-A-Bear Workshop locations in Culver City, California; American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Blue Water in the UK will transport visitors to the fantasy world of IF.
In these stores, guests will also encounter a heartwarming message encapsulating the essence of IF: “Imaginary Friends Made Here.” This resonant phrase mirrors the film’s central themes of friendship and wonder, setting the stage for a magical journey.
IF, directed by John Krasinski, will be in theaters May 17.
As part of this nationwide celebration, Build-A-Bear Workshops will host an extra-special Heart Ceremony, personally crafted by Krasinski. This unique experience allows guests to select a satin heart, make a wish, and witness the enchanting moment as their new furry friend springs to life before their eyes.
Kids can also continue to experience the magic of the movie after the end credits by visiting Build-A-Bear Workshop locations or buildabear.com
Hasbro has promoted Casey Collins to President of Global Licensed Consumer Products (LCP) and Partnerships/Alliances, effective immediately.
In his new position, Collins will spearhead the management of Hasbro’s strategic partnerships with various partnerships, including Frito-Lay, LEGO, McDonald’s, Mattel, Miniso, NBCUniversal, Netflix, and more. He will also oversee the company’s global LCP business.
Harbro looks to further its position as the partner of choice for top licensors and retailers worldwide. With Collins in his new position, the company aims to leverage its extensive network of partnerships to drive growth and innovation across key categories.
