The Pokémon Company International has announced that its official e-commerce arm, Pokémon Center, will soon be expanding to Australia and New Zealand, offering Trainers in these markets another way to access premium Pokémon merchandise. Currently available in the US, Canada and the UK, Pokémon Center is the premier online destination for Pokémon products, with something for Trainers of all types and ages.
The buzz is getting louder each day for The Toy Association’s LA Fall Preview, including the marquee networking event taking place on Tuesday, September 10. All toy industry professionals are invited to attend and encouraged to register. (Registration is complimentary but must be completed in advance.) Held on the second day of the Association’s dedicated market week (September 9 to 13), the LA Fall Preview Networking Party will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Otis College of Art and Design, home of one of the nation’s leading Toy Design programs. Anyone who is involved in the toy industry and will be in LA during that time is invited to attend.
King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters, has announced a feast-worthy lineup of upcoming book releases for Cuphead fans from Dark Horse Books, including the new graphic novel, Cuphead Volume 3: Colorful Crack-Ups & Chaos, and two art books titled The Art of The Cuphead Show and The Art of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course. The announcement includes the official cover reveals for both The Art of The Cuphead Show and The Art of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course.
Cloudco Entertainment, the proud owner of the iconic Care Bears brand, is excited to announce a vibrant array of new licensee partnerships that extend the reach of the beloved Care Bears and their inspiring message of sharing and caring. This year, CloudCo is delighted to introduce new licensee collaborations across multiple categories, propelling the Care Bears universe into new and exciting territories. For fashion-forward fans, our partnerships with Jacmel and Hybrid bring an innovative range of Care Bears apparel and accessories. In addition, Accutime are set to launch a stylish collection of timepieces and accessories, while Accessory Innovations, Fast Forward, Pan Oceanic, and Sun-Staches will provide trendy bags, backpacks, sunglasses, and headwear. Spirit Jersey rounds out our apparel offerings with exclusive designs that capture the essence of Care Bears cheer.
Bulldog Licensing, one of the licensing industry’s leading agencies, showcased a range of its plans for the year at Las Vegas Licensing Expo 2024. Bulldog will again be promoting a show-stopping selection of brands, headlined by the world-renowned classic property Care BearsÔ, toy phenomenon Magic Mixies, the iconic Me to You character brand, evergreen hit Sesame Street, the much-loved, classic crime-fighting franchise Totally Spies, the iconic comedy character Mr Bean and one of the most successful children’s publishing brands of the past 25 years, That’s Not My….
Penguin Ventures, the consumer products and experiences team at Penguin Random House Children’s UK, has announced their renewed long-term agency agreement with Sony Creative Products (SCP) in Japan for The World of Peter Rabbit, on behalf of brand owner and Beatrix Potter’s original publisher Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. The new six-year agreement will see Penguin Ventures and SCP focus on driving consumer products and licensing growth with additional investment in local Peter Rabbit brand activity. The long-term partnership between Penguin Ventures and SCP has seen significant year on year growth, delivering a 142% net increase in 2023 – reinforcing Japan as the largest market outside of the UK for Peter Rabbit.