LOL Surprise Shoutouts
News
New L.O.L. Surprise! Shoutouts Delivers Personalized Video Stories from Children’s Favorite Characters

MGA Entertainment, Inc, one of the world’s fastest growing and largest privately held toy and entertainment companies, and creator of global sensation L.O.L. Surprise!, has partnered with Aquifer, an instant animation technology startup, to launch L.O.L. Surprise! Shoutouts, personalized, animated video shorts from fan-favorite characters for anyone to experience. To celebrate the launch, the site will offer special Valentine’s Day video shoutouts shorts for a limited time to customize for friends, schoolmates, and family.

NY NOW 2023 2024 100th Anniversary
Events News
NY NOW & Bulletin Announce 2023 Winter Market: The NY NOW of the Future, with New PLAY USA Toy Destination

The NY NOW Winter 2023 Market returns to the Jacob Javits Center in NYC on February 5-8, 2023 – With an exciting visual rebranding, a reorganized show floor, modern activations from top-tier brands, an elevated food + beverage experience, and tech-powered activations, this Winter Market will be the gift + home event that NYC knows and loves, but bigger, better, and more grounded in what the future holds for the industry. Leading the charge behind this season’s innovative market approach (and future Markets to come) is the recently acquired online wholesale marketplace Bulletin.

PlayMonster Logo Tim Kilpin Global Magnatab Minis
News You're Hired
PlayMonster Appoints Steve Adolph as Chief Executive Officer

Leading international toy and game company PlayMonster Group LLC announced that Tim Kilpin will transition to the newly created role of Executive Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors, focusing on long-term opportunities and partnerships and leading the search for acquisitions. Sitting President, Steve Adolph has now been appointed to Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Candlelight Warner Bros
Events News
‘Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros’ Celebrates a Century of Iconic Classics

In celebration of Warner Bros Studios’ 100th anniversary, Warner Bros Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and Fever, the leading entertainment discovery platform, are proud to launch Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros, a commemorative international concert series coming to 100 cities worldwide. Part of the company’s global centennial campaign, the series will feature music from award-winning films and unforgettable television shows from the Warner Bros. library in a one-of-a-kind musical experience taking place in majestic venues, noted for their historic nature or unique character, from iconic cathedrals, theatres, museums and gardens, with breathtaking candlelit settings. The concert series will kick off in April and run through December 2023.

Popeye Lefties 1024 x 780
Licensing News
Popeye and Lefties Team Up for Affordable and Inclusive Apparel Collection

Popeye the Sailor Man and Lefties, international leader of affordable and inclusive clothing, have teamed up for an apparel collection featuring the iconic character. The exclusive collection began rolling out designs worldwide this past Fall including T-shirts, shorts, tops, sweatshirts, socks, pajamas, and jogger pants for both men and women. The colorful graphics utilized throughout the collection are inspired by Popeye’s qualities of strength and heroism, and feature the Popeye cast of characters including the Sailor Man himself and his longtime rival, Brutus.

Scarlet & Violet Pokemon Trading Card Game TCG
Gaming News
New Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet Brings Back Pokémon ex Mechanic, Introduces Tera Pokémon

The Pokémon Company International revealed more details about the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG): Scarlet & Violet expansion, launching worldwide beginning on March 31, 2023. The new expansion will adopt an updated take on Pokémon ex, a gameplay mechanic featuring Pokémon with high HP as well as powerful attacks and Abilities. Unlike Pokémon-EX from the Black & White and XY Series, which were all Basic Pokémon, the Pokémon ex in the Scarlet & Violet Series can be Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2. Though powerful, Pokémon ex give up two Prize cards when Knocked Out.

Phineas and Ferb
Entertainment News You're Hired
Disney and Dan Povenmire Sign Deal for 40 New ‘Phineas and Ferb’ Episodes and Season 2 of ‘Hamster & Gretel’

Dan Povenmire, co-creator and executive producer of the global super-hit Phineas and Ferb, has entered into a new overall deal with Disney Branded Television which includes production of 40 all-new episodes of Phineas and Ferb, a second season renewal of the animated superhero series Hamster & Gretel and the development of live-action projects. Phineas and Ferb is a five-time Emmy Award-winner and the most successful animated series for Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 in Disney Television Animation history. Since its premiere, Hamster & Gretel ties as the #1 cable series among Kids age 6-11 delivery.

Disney Shows
Entertainment News
Disney Announces Season 2 Firebuds, SuperKitties, and Pupstruction

On the heels of a record-breaking year where Disney Junior ranked as 2022’s #1 TV Network among Kids 2-5 overall and retained its standing as the #1 Preschool Network for the last 10 years (every year since its launch), Disney Branded Television has ordered second seasons of its newest animated series Firebuds and SuperKitties, as well as an early season two renewal for upcoming series Pupstruction. The announcement was made by Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, during the Disney Branded Television presentation at the 2023 Winter Television Critics Association taking place at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, California.

Bulldog Licensing expo 2024
News You're Hired
Bulldog Appoints Alex Salisbury as Senior Licensing Manager and Promotes Sophie Yates to Brand Manager

Bulldog Licensing, one of the licensing industry’s leading agencies, has welcomed Alex Salisbury to its team as Senior Licensing Manager, covering categories such as Publishing and Toys for all brands. Alex Salisbury joins Bulldog fresh from a three-month trip travelling around Southeast Asia. Before her well-earned break, she had been at Paramount since 2017, where she held roles as Retail Licensing Manager (UK and Eire), Senior Category Manager (Hardlines, UK and Eire) and Senior Category Manager (Toys, EMEA and ANZ, part of the Global Toy Team). Prior to that, Alex’s roles at Wicked and Mattel ensure that she has a wealth of experience to bring to her new role at Bulldog.