We Bare Bears Adds New Partners
Cartoon Network Enterprises announced the addition of various new partners for its popular We Bare Bears property. The series on Cartoon Network is currently in its third season.
Hot Topic will serve as Cartoon Network’s exclusive We Bare Bears soft lines retail partner from June through November with an apparel and accessory collection inspired by the series.
We Bare Bears licensee partners, including those participating in the Hot Topic exclusive, will launch product in a range of categories including apparel, toys and publishing. Mighty Fine will introduce an assortment of T-shirts and tops for juniors that will be available beginning in June. Changes will launch young men’s T-shirts and tops, available in June. Gund will offer a variety of plush for fans of the series beginning in July. Penguin has new youth titles launching late April. Kalan LP will launch small accessory items including buttons, lanyards, key rings and stickers in fall. Hypnotic Hats will launch hosiery in fall. Just Funky is on board for drinkware launching fall.
Pacific Rim Uprising Gets Consumer Product Program
Legendary and Universal Pictures prepare for the launch of Pacific Rim Uprising, the sequel to Pacific Rim. In celebration of the film, Legendary has announced plans for an expansive merchandise program. The program will be comprised of a wide array of items including highly articulated figurines, action figure sets, apparel, collectibles, strategy games, novelizations, collectible books, and decorative items for older fans of the original film and young fans new to the franchise.
Partnerships with manufacturers include Bandai, Isaac Morris, Diamond Select, Tri-Force Sales, Trends International, Insight Editions, Titan Publishing, and River Horse Games. Legendary will also capitalize on the international success of the original Pacific Rim film, which grossed more than $400 million worldwide, by expanding the global reach of its merchandising plan with new licensing agents at Click Licensing (South East Asia and Korea), KOPA (Latin America), and European Licensing Company (Eastern Europe and Russia).
Jakks Pacific Lands Mega Man Master Toy Deal
DHX Brands, the dedicated brand management and consumer products arm of DHX Media and Dentsu Entertainment USA, has appointed Jakks Pacific as worldwide master toy licensee (excluding Asia) for its new animated series Mega Man, a DHX Media/Dentsu Entertainment USA co-production, in a deal brokered by CPLG North America. The multi-year license agreement allows Jakks to exclusively manufacture, market, and distribute a wide range of consumer products, including action figures, figurines, playsets and accessories, everyday dress-up and roleplay, Halloween costumes, plush, and vehicles.
Based on Capcom’s legendary Mega Man video game franchise, the 3-D animated series goes into production this summer at DHX Media’s Vancouver studio and underscores the company’s strategy to reboot classic kids’ brands that have potential to drive growth across multiple revenue streams. Man of Action Entertainment (Ben 10, Generator Rex, and the creators of the characters and team featured in Big Hero 6) will write and executive produce the series in collaboration with DHX Media and Dentsu Entertainment. Cartoon Network U.S. and DHX Media’s Family CHRGD in Canada have licensed the show for broadcast.
Funrise’s Gazillion Bubbles Joins My Gyms
Funrise has announced a branded integration partnership with the children’s fitness franchise My Gyms to feature Funrise’s premium brand of Gazillion Bubbles solution and bubble machines in My Gyms’ nationwide chain of facilities.
The program kicked off in March and includes branded class integration with Gazillion Bubbles incorporated in My Gym classes and birthday parties, product sampling, on-location TV spot, branded signage, and inclusion in My Gym social media campaigns and e-newsletter. solution makes larger, longer lasting bubbles. The partnership with My Gyms is a key part of Funrise’s strategy to reach millennial moms as a brand that creates a “magical experience and lifelong memories for the whole family,” according to a press release. Using #GazillionMagic and the tag line, “the Magic of Gazillion”, Funrise is also encouraging consumers to share their special moments with Gazillion Bubbles on social media.
Zuru, World of Dance Team for Bunch O Balloons Content
Zuru has partnered with World of Dance, a premiere global lifestyle brand for dancers, to create content highlighting the company’s innovative Bunch O Balloons water balloons as an essential part of active summer fun. The program blends both digital and experiential marketing including influencer-driven and user-generated content, events capturing the dance community celebrating summer with Bunch O Balloons, and a sponsorship of the World of Dance U.S. summer events.
The #UnleashSummer Challenge on Instagram kicked off in May and brings together dozens of World of Dance influencers to create unique dance moves or tricks incorporating Bunch O Balloons, while challenging their fan base and other influencers to try it themselves to win World of Dance and Bunch O Balloons prizes. Within the first days of launch, the campaign has already reached more than two million people across the U.S., UK, Mexico, and Canada. The grand prize includes an all-expenses paid, VIP trip to the World of Dance Finals in Pasadena, Calif., along with other prizes. Dozens of other people will be chosen as second and third places, winning Bunch O Balloons and World of Dance products.
Following the UGC challenge, two summer events will invite the dance community’s top influencers to celebrate summer with Bunch O Balloons. A World of Dance Pool Party and the second annual World of Dance Picnic will take place and showcase how Bunch O Balloons makes any outdoor summer party better with water balloons that are faster and easier to make. Bunch O Balloons will also be present at all World of Dance U.S. summer events as an Official Sponsor, which will include on-site product seeding and branding.
Nick Star JoJo Siwa Gets Licensing Program
Nickelodeon announced the global consumer products program for 14-year-old singer, dancer, performer and social media influencer JoJo Siwa, which includes the launch of products across multiple categories in the U.S. and markets including the UK, Australia, and Canada. Inspired by Siwa’s positive messages and her love of rainbows and emojis, the robust line spans accessories, apparel, arts and craft, cosmetics, costumes, dance and athleisure wear, dolls, dress-up and roleplay, electronics, games, home goods, party, publishing, a subscription box, and stationery. The program also includes a brand-new partnership with Danskin that marks the brand’s first-ever co-branded collection for kids.
Select items in the JoJo Siwa consumer products line, including first-to-market retail exclusives and direct-to-retail programs at select retailers, are available in stores now in the U.S. The full line will continue to roll out in the coming months. Siwa is being introduced to international markets with deals currently underway in the UK, Australia, and Canada across a variety of categories including accessories, apparel, toys, crafts, home décor, and more.
The collaboration with Danskin under JoJo’s namesake launches spring 2018 and will feature traditional dance wear, alongside a collection of athleisure wear and accessories. Siwa’s signature bows from H.E.R. Accessories expands distribution to multiple retail channels. Just Play will introduce a JoJo Siwa fashion doll that features Siwa’s hit single “Boomerang,” which will be available exclusively at Walmart in July, followed by other retailers beginning October 1. A full range of JoJo toy products will also be available later this year for the entire market, including plush, dress-up, and roleplay.
Additional partners include Accessories from ABG Accessories (headwear and cold weather), Accessory Innovations (bags and backpacks, headwear and cold weather), Accutime Watch Corporation (watches), FAB (bags and backpacks), Fantasia Accessories (hair accessories and jewelry), Global Design Concepts (bags and backpacks), H.E.R. Accessories (bows and jewelry), Jacmel Jewelry Inc.(costume and fine jewelry), Pan Oceanic (sunglasses), and Starlight Accessories (sunglasses),Apparel from Freeze (T-shirts), Bentex (T-shirts and sportswear), GBG (sleepwear) Handcraft (intimates), High Point (hosiery) and Mad Engine (T-shirts and sportswear), Arts & Craft from Spin Master’s Cool Maker line (bow maker and accessory pack), GBG (cosmetics), Rubie’s Costume Co. (costumes), DTR exclusives with Justice (apparel and accessories), iHome (karaoke machine, headphones, microphone, selfie stick), ACI (footwear), Cardinal (games and puzzles), Jay Franco (home goods), American Greetings (greeting cards), Decopac (photocakes), and Unique Industries (party goods). there will also be publishing from Abrams (interactive journal, craft book, and photographic book) and Bendon (tween activity book), a subscription box from CultureFly, and stationery from Trends and Tri-Coastal.
Siwa can next be seen in Nickelodeon’s Sizzling Summer Camp Special, premiering Sunday, June 4, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT). This variety special, interspersed with comedy sketches and musical numbers, follows Nickelodeon stars as they celebrate summer at a sleepaway camp. Then, fans will get a peek into Siwa’s world in the half-hour docu-style special, JoJo Siwa: My World.