September 2023 - Page 9 of 13

MGA Entertainment Appoints MEABRANDS as Licensing Agent for MENA

MGA Entertainment, one of the largest and fastest growing toy and entertainment companies in the world, has appointed MEABRANDS as its licensing agent in select categories to continue the momentum of its portfolio of brands in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Under the agreement, MEABRANDS will represent L.O.L. Surprise!, Little Tikes, Bratz and Rainbow High licensing for the MENA region in mainly the Food & Beverage and Promotional categories.

Legendary Entertainment Unveils ‘Monopoly: Dune’ Pre-Order

Legendary Entertainment (“Legendary”), a global media company, is pleased to announce the pre-order availability of Monopoly: Dune, the latest addition to their diverse collection of merchandise. Monopoly: Dune, an exciting blend of strategy and intrigue, invites players to immerse themselves in the captivating universe of Frank Herbert’s epic science fiction masterpiece. This highly anticipated board game is now available for pre-order on shop.legendary.com and will be available at retailers nationwide by the end of the month.

WildBrain Teletubbies Give ‘BigHugs!’ to New Licensing and Content Partners Around the World

WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, is continuing to deliver new and colorful ways for fans of its perennially popular Teletubbies to engage with the much-loved franchise around the world. New licensing partnerships and content deals expand the brand into additional categories, with growth in the digital space and fresh promotional activations in key markets. Highlights include a brand-new e-commerce site, new apparel ranges from Dolls Kill, multiple fan-focused activations, location-based events in China and a previously announced global partnership with leading lifestyle retailer MINISO.

Zigazoo Kids Marks Their 100th Celebrity Reading with Shark Tank’s Daymond John

Zigazoo Kids, the world’s largest kid-safe social media platform for Generation Alpha that has prominent investors including Jimmy Kimmel, Serena Williams, Charli and Dixie D’Amelio and the NBA, is marking a major milestone for its Celebrity Reads literacy program. As the 100th celebrity to make a special visit to the platform to read a book to Zigazoo users, Shark Tank personality, entrepreneur, and investor Daymond John will read his recently released children’s book, Little Daymond Learns to Earn (Random House Children’s Books). Zigazoo Kids initially launched the Celebrity Reads program in July 2021 with the purpose of encouraging kids to read, especially during summer months when kids are out of school and don’t have as much opportunity to hone their reading skills. Since launch, a number of popular celebrities have participated in the program including Kristin Chenoweth, Karamo Brown, Elizabeth Olsen, Camila McConaughey, Kel Mitchell, Holly Robinson Peete, Bethany Hamilton, Diane Kruger, and Max Greenfield.

Intersell Launches New Edition of Inspiring Children’s Toy ‘Lil Wish Lanterns Surprise!’

Intersell, New Jersey-based toy creators, are excited to announce the launch of their newest product, Lil Wish Lanterns Surprise! This exciting new toy incites anticipation to reveal which magical Wishimal comes with your lantern! Lil Wish Lanterns Surprise! starter packs include a uniquely-designed lantern. Once the surprise Wishimal is revealed, it is placed inside the lantern. Then pull the charm to make the magic happen! They are compatible with all of the Wishimals and have two light modes: wishing mode and nightlight mode. The lanterns also have an auto shut-off feature

TTPM Kicks off the Holiday Season with the 2023 Most Wanted List

TTPM, the leading video product reviewer for toys, baby gear & pet gear, unveiled their Most Wanted List of the hottest toys for the 2023 holiday season at their annual TTPM 2023 Holiday Showcase event, held in New York City. The list is divided into four categories to select the hottest products in Entertainment, Learning and Active Play, Role Play, and Specialty Trailblazers. “We put this list together as we do every year, testing and playing with hundreds of toys to determine which ones deserve a spot on our Most Wanted list,” said Jim Silver, CEO of TTPM. “This year’s list highlights toys based on entertainment properties and those that encourage both learning and active play and role play and imaginative play. We’ve also expanded our list, identifying ten toys that are specialty trailblazers that consumers may not be aware of. Our goal is to help parents find the right toy for their child and this year’s list is a perfect place to start.”

Jurassic World Alive Collaborates with Mattel

Blockbuster geo-location and AR-based mobile game Jurassic World Alive and Mattel have partnered for an in-game collaboration featuring Mattel’s Jurassic Park ’93 Classic Action Figure Collection starring the iconic hero, the T. rex, as originally seen 30 years ago in the epic 1993 Jurassic Park film from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. Jurassic World Alive players can now digitally collect the famous Mattel T. rex action figure in-game, tapping into the nostalgic memories of the toys inspired by the classic film. Downloaded over 33 million times and played for over 2.3 billion minutes, Jurassic World Alive is based on the world’s most recognized and iconic film franchises, Jurassic World. The game continues to mark new milestones as a category leader and is celebrating with new partnerships and giveaways sure to be enjoyed by Jurassic World fans worldwide.

POP MART Announces Opening of First Permanent US Store at American Dream Mall in NJ

POP MART, the renowned designer toy and entertainment brand that has taken Asia by storm, is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated grand opening of its first permanent location in the United States. Following the successful operation of over 400 stores, 2000 Robo Shops, and a vast network of distributors across 84 countries and regions, POP MART is expanding its presence in the United States with a permanent location in the prestigious American Dream mall in New Jersey. Known for iconic designer toy characters like Molly, Hirono, The Monsters, SKULLPANDA and many others, POP MART has gained a devoted following worldwide. With the opening of its first permanent store in the US, fans and collectors will now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an unparalleled retail experience, featuring an extensive range of exclusive releases, limited editions, and unexpected collaborations.

Events News

14th Annual Blue Plate Media Lounge at New York Toy Fair on Monday, October 2, 2023

The 14th Annual Blue Plate Media Lounge, at New York Toy Fair, sponsored by Blue Plate Media Services, in association with Toy Association, will be available free to all Toy Association exhibitors and Show attendees, on Monday, October 2nd, Room 1D05, at New York Toy Fair. This highly anticipated educational lounge, commemorating its consecutive 14th Year, will provide a series of timely, informative Media Intelligence Sessions in Room 1D05, lower level Javits, from 9AM – 4PM.