IMG announced the acquisition of Dubai-based agency 20too Licensing, which manages consumer product development and brand extensions in the Middle East and North Africa. Established in 2013, 20too’s brands include NBCUniversal, Hasbro, The Smurfs, SEGA, Smiley, and the Discovery portfolio encompassing Fatafeat, Food Network, Animal Planet, and Discovery Channel.
20too Licensing founder and CEO Christian Zeidler will become Vice President of Licensing at IMG, and will relocate along with his team to IMG’s Dubai office.
“IMG is the universally recognized licensing industry powerhouse, and we are proud to become part of this extraordinary organization,” said Zeidler. “We look forward to leveraging their diverse experience and depth of resource with our specialized regional expertise to turbo-charge our activity on behalf of our clients in this region rich with ever-emerging new opportunities.”
IMG currently operates out of 25 offices throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The acquisition of 20too allows the agency to expand its global footprint even further.
“This is an exciting acquisition for our licensing business and ever-growing portfolio of prestigious clients,” said Bruno Maglione, President of Licensing at IMG. “Christian and his team have built one of the MENA region’s most successful licensing agencies through creative, strategic brand ideation married to a deep knowledge of the region’s business environment and culture. His team will now have the full support and resources of the global IMG network and Endeavor infrastructure, and we in turn reinforce the reach and expertise of our unique licensing organisation.”
IMG’s clients include corporate trademarks and institutions; sports brands, teams, and federations; fashion labels; lifestyle, media, and entertainment properties; and major personalities.