January 2024 - aNb Media, Inc.

Wild Republic Honors G.B. and Kamala Pillai’s Pledge to Support Rainforest Conservation and Education – Launch Sustainable Toys at Spielwarenmesse

Wild Republic was established more than forty years ago to support its founder, G.B. Pillai and his wife, Kamala Pillai’s love for children and wildlife, a promise the company has successfully delivered on for four decades. Its diverse and creatively-designed product line of toys and stuffed animals fosters curiosity about wildlife and educates children about the wonders of nature. Today, this mission still holds true for the company, which unveiled its Rainforest plush line in support of rainforest conservation along with hundreds of new plush and playsets at Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, January 30- February 3, in Hall 1, Stand E-16.

New Toy Company Wyncor Launches, Helmed by Helena Perheentupa

Wyncor, a new global toy company established with a mission to create and deliver innovative and creative toys for its own intellectual properties and premium brands, with products that are tied closely to their content’s DNA, has officially launched. Former Mattel executive Helena Perheentupa serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. At its core, Wyncor’s mission is to offer speed and flexibility to retailers and partners, best-in-class product development for alignment with partners’ IP content, and premium quality and innovative products to consumers. Wyncor works closely with partners’ creative teams to ensure that products are a natural extension of their content, offering a rich, immersive, and fun experience for their fans. Wyncor is owned by Jstar Capital.

Join the Party! Playmobil Celebrates 50 Years of Play

The Playmobil success story began on February 2nd, 1974 at the Nuremberg Toy Fair with a knight, a native American and a construction worker. In the meantime, the cult brand has become an integral part of the lives of many children and adults. Just like 50 years ago, the Playmobil figures are still seven and a half centimeters tall and world-famous for their smiles. Over five decades, the variety of figures has grown steadily and new play worlds have been added regularly.

Hot Wheels Let’s Race to Debut on Netflix March 4

Mattel, Inc and Netflix announced that Hot Wheels Let’s Race, Mattel Television Studios’ all-new animated children’s series, will debut on Netflix globally on March 4. Released alongside series key art, the official trailer for Hot Wheels Let’s Race features the show’s theme song performed by Patrick Stump, award-winning musician, singer-songwriter, and lead vocalist for Fall Out Boy. Stump composed, recorded, and produced the theme song for Hot Wheels Let’s Race in addition to leading the composition of the score, underscore, and music cues for all episodes.

Character Arts Welcomes New Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Licensees in Advance of 60th Anniversary Celebration

Character Arts, LLC, the exclusive licensor for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all of the iconic characters from the beloved television special of the same name, announced that it has entered into licensing agreements with thirteen new companies to create and distribute a variety of must-have products featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in time for the 2024 holiday season. These licensees will join over 100 existing Rudolph licensees poised to celebrate 60 years on television with the most famous reindeer of all.

Tulipop Studios Announces Commission of Brand-New Seasonal Specials

Tulipop Studios, creator and owner of the award-winning Icelandic character-based IP, has been commissioned to produce Tulipop Seasons, three brand new 2D animated seasonal specials, by RÚV in Iceland, NRK in Norway, SVT in Sweden, DR in Denmark and Svenska YLE in Finland. The three x 30-minute episodes are aimed at children aged 4-6 and build on the success of the Tulipop franchise and its Tulipop Tales television series which has earned positive acclaim in both its domestic and international markets.

The Wiggles Appoint Luke O’Neill as New CEO to Lead Digital Transformation and Global Expansion

The Wiggles, the world’s premier children’s entertainment organization, is excited to announce the appointment of Luke O’Neill to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer. This significant move marks the beginning of a new chapter in the illustrious 30-plus year history of The Wiggles, the beloved global icons renowned for their innovative and engaging children’s edutainment content. O’Neill boasts a proven track record in accelerating growth and leading digital transformations for top-tier companies in the Real Estate, Hospitality, and Events industries. He joins The Wiggles at a time when the media industry is undergoing further disruption with fragmentation of audiences through the expanding number of digital streaming services and FAST channels. Having worked as a consultant with The Wiggles since mid-2023, O’Neill has already played a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction for the brand’s future, leading the development of a new digital strategy, while refocusing efforts in consumer product licensing and sponsorship opportunities.

Playmobil Trailblazes by Integrating Plant-based Plastic Into its Entire Playmobil Junior Toddler Portfolio

At the beginning of 2024, Playmobil converted the production of all items in its toddler portfolio from traditional, fossil-based to plant-based materials. The toddler line is also receiving a new name and a new look. Playmobil 1.2.3 is now Playmobil Junior. The playsets under the new brand are made with plastics originating from raw materials that are at least 90% plant-based. The new plant-based plastics can be traced back to materials left over from food or paper production according to the mass balance approach used in the circular economy and based on the ISCC 208 standard. For the packaging, at least 90% recycled cardboard and 100% recycled paper are used. The change to sustainable materials is also accompanied by a relaunch of the packaging design. The first play sets will be available in February 2024. The entire product range is planned to be converted by the middle of the year.

The Pokémon Company and The Wand Company Launch New Line of Mini Poké Ball Replicas

Following the release of the fan-favorite range of Die-Cast Poké Ball Replicas, The Pokémon Company International and The Wand Company will be expanding the offering to include Mini Poké Ball Replicas. The first of five versions, the Mini Poké Ball Replica, will launch beginning in February 2024. Fans will have the opportunity to further expand their collections with the Mini Great Ball, Mini Ultra Ball, Mini Cherish Ball, and Mini Premier Ball as they are released throughout 2024.