Jakks’ Tollytoys Signs Deal with Baby Genius
Jakks Pacific’s Tollytots division has signed a five-year worldwide master toy licensing agreement with Pacific Entertainment Corporation for Baby Genius.
The new toy line will cover a broad range of exclusive categories including learning and developmental toys, most plush toys, and musical toys, as well as several other non-exclusive categories.
Cartoon Network Signs Rubies for Generator Rex Costumes
Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the licensing and merchandising arm of Cartoon Network, announced a partnership with Rubies Costumes for Generator Rex. The costume line will feature kids costumes at all tiers of retail for Halloween 2011.
The series follows Rex, a 15-year-old typical teenager with abnormal powers including the ability to make his fists the size of boulders, sprout a jet pack out of his back, and turn his legs into a lightning-fast motorcycle, among other talents. He uses his superhuman abilities to help fight mutant creatures known as E.V.O.s (Exponentially Variegated Organism).
CAA Signs Thomas Kinkade
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is expanding its relationship with painter Thomas Kinkade, and the Thomas Kinkade Company, to include licensing representation. CAA currently creates opportunities for the Thomas Kinkade brand and its related intellectual property in all areas of entertainment, including motion pictures, television, and digital media. Now, CAA Licensing, a division of CAA, will assume management of the company’s existing portfolio of licensees, in addition to developing and executing new licensing opportunities across an array of product categories, including arts and crafts, children’s, food and beverage, gifts and collectibles, home entertainment, and home furnishings, among others. CAA Licensing will also access the agency’s global network of licensing partners to extend the brand into the international marketplace.
Discovery Signs Celestron
Celestron, a designer and manufacturer of telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, weather stations, microscopes, and related accessories, announced a North American deal with Discovery Communications for a line of electronics and optical gear for exploring the great outdoors under Discovery Expedition, the official lifestyle brand for Discovery Channel.
Through the partnership, Celestron will create a number of specially-made products for outdoor enthusiasts. The Discovery Expedition-branded Celestron products will include special models of Celestron’s telescopes, its state-of-the-art weather stations and microscopes.
Bollywood Films to Be Licensed
Bollywood film studio Yash Raj Films (YRF) appointed The Wild East Group to manage its licensing program for social expressions, apparel, and other popular consumer goods product categories. The Wild East Group will leverage its expertise and resources to extend YRF’s film intellectual property, which includes clips/still, music, and other types of visuals into different parts of their fan’s lives, globally.
Leveraging the iconic intellectual property of YRF’s film catalog, the Wild East Group will develop a comprehensive licensing program across multiple categories and geographies that include social expressions, vintage apparel, mobile accessories, credit cards, games, and licensing clips/stills for advertising. Some products are set to launch in 2011 and will be focusing on connecting emotional images, music, and characters to social expression occasions such as birthdays, mother’s day, father’s day, graduation, celebration, young romance, friendship, and Indian social occasions such as Diwali, Karva Chauth, and other popular occasions, which is a largely untapped market.
“This opportunity is particularly exciting on multiple levels,” said Wild East Group president, Sid Shah, in a statement. “Not only are they the first Bollywood Studio making their film catalog available for licensing opportunities, but their iconic films, characters, and music have also been a household name within India and with the Indian diaspora abroad (in particular the U.S., UK, Canada, and Europe) for the past 40 years. You can’t beat that type of deep brand equity.”