BBC Studios, distributor and licensor for the international preschool hit Bluey, is again adding to its growing list of licensing partners with inventive new products to meet strong consumer demand for more ways for kids to fully immerse themselves in the world of Bluey. The announcement comes in the lead up to the new Bluey giant character balloon debuting at the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Award-winning global independent animation studio ZAG has prevented counterfeit Miraculous products valued at $113 million+ from entering the global marketplace in the twelve months since establishing a zero-tolerance anti-piracy department. The announcement was made by Jeremy Zag, Founder and CEO, ZAG.
Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation has secured a wave of new international broadcast deals for its hit CGI preschool comedy Oggy Oggy (156 x 7’) following the success of the show’s first season on Netflix since it debuted globally in August 2021. The new broadcast partners for Oggy Oggy include Clan/RTVE (Spain), RTS (French-speaking Switzerland), Hop! (Israel), Sony YAY! (India), Daekyo TV (South Korea) and E-Junior (UEA).
Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s educational media organization behind multiple well-loved, Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, has named Mallory Mbalia to the newly created position of Director of Learning and Education. In her new role, Mbalia will work to expand the company’s “neighborhood” of educational partners and advisors as well as collaborate with its production; marketing, communications, and engagement; fundraising; and licensing teams. She reports to President & CEO Paul Siefken.
Make-A-Fort has announced a partnership with Minecraft, one of the most popular games in the world, and a major source of joy for millions of players. Since Minecraft was released, people of all ages have happily spent hours gathering, crafting and building with friends. This holiday season kids can finally walk and crawl inside a Minecraft Explorer Kit available for order now in the US and Canada at https://www.makeafort.fun/.
Following the success of Monster High The Movie, Nickelodeon and Mattel Television announced that they have greenlit a sequel to the live-action movie musical. Based on the iconic Mattel franchise about the children of famous monsters and creatures, the feature-length TV movie will begin production in January in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and will air on Nickelodeon and stream on Paramount+ in 2023.
Mattel, Incorporated announced that it has renewed its licensing partnership with The Pokémon Company International in the building sets category. Through the agreement, Mattel will continue to produce its popular Pokémon toys and building sets under its MEGA property. As a partner to The Pokémon Company International and by way of its MEGA brand, Mattel has over the years produced buildable characters, playsets, building blocks and sets featuring some of the most popular Pokémon in the beloved entertainment franchise, such as Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Gyarados, and Eevee. Following a strong response from consumers, the continued partnership between Mattel and The Pokémon Company International means they can create new MEGA products for Pokémon fans for years to come.
Just in time for a season of indoor crafts and activities, PlayMonster announces the launch of their newest Crafty Cakes and Little Knitty Bittys brands for families looking to create fantastic decorative cake designs, or adorable yarn outfits for an animal friend! Whatever your crafting interests, if you love adorable crafts, you’ll love these! Crafty Cakes and Little Knitty Bittys are set to introduce a world of exciting activities that are ready for your holiday wishlist. “We understand parents are always on the lookout for products that can bring new and engaging experiences to their children,” says Lisa Wuennemann, global VP marketing communications at PlayMonster. “With Crafty Cakes and Little Knitty Bittys, we’re excited to see children spend time away from a screen and try out these new activities.”
HGTV Home, a member of the Warner Bros Discovery family of brands, has debuted its first full range of holiday décor in collaboration with National Tree Company, an industry leader in seasonal holiday décor. Available now just in time for the 2022 holiday season, the HGTV Home Collection includes an assortment of on-trend holiday products inspired by popular holiday themes that can be mixed and matched to suit every type of household. Offering over 300 quality, on-trend holiday décor products including artificial greenery such as trees and wreaths, stockings, ornaments, candles, tabletop décor, holiday textiles, and more, the new HGTV Home Collection line includes everything consumers need to decorate for the holidays. The line does not represent a single design aesthetic but instead celebrates eight distinct trend collections – “Cozy Winter,” “Christmas by the Sea,” “Black Tie Christmas,” “Boho Flair,” “Holiday Romance,” “Swiss Chic,” “Nostalgic Tradition,” and “Champagne Wishes” – that will appeal to all styles so there is truly something for every household. Home decorators can select décor from their favorite trend collection or across multiple to create a holiday home style all their own.