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Ynon Kreiz Israel
Events News
Ynon Kreiz, Mattel Chairman and CEO, to be Honored with Industry Leadership Award at 36th Israel Film Festival in LA

Ynon Kreiz, Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who has transformed the company and spearheaded its global blockbuster film, Barbie, will receive the 2023 IFF Industry Leadership Award at the 36th Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles Opening Night Gala on November 1st. Meir Fenigstein, founder and executive director of the Israel Film Festival, made the announcement. Fenigstein noted: “Ynon Kreiz’s visionary leadership and incredible achievements at Mattel, most recently Barbie’s triumph at the worldwide box office, are exciting beyond imagination. In just over five years, Ynon has transformed Mattel into an IP powerhouse, with its first theatrical release shattering records and becoming a showcase for the expertise of the Mattel Films division he created. On a personal note, I fondly recall Ynon as a UCLA Anderson MBA student volunteering at the Israel Film Festival. Now, 30 years later, I am proud to be recognizing and honoring him at the Festival for his own amazing accomplishments.”

Minecraft Playview
Licensing News
Playview Brands Inflates the Fun of Minecraft with New License Acquisition

Playview Brands’ ever-growing catalog of diverse brands and licenses has now partnered with the sandbox-turned-evergreen entertainment franchise Minecraft, with plans to blow up fun all year round. Introducing a collection of summer and winter inflatable products starting this fall, Playview Brands will bring the world-building fun of Minecraft to our own in a unique way! Playview Brands’ line of Minecraft inflatables brings the iconic looks and characters of the best-selling game of all time for real-world fun and thrills. This year, Playview will bring fans Minecraft Winter Fun World, a line of inflatable snow sleds to recreate the game experience on the slopes, alongside the Minecraft 6-Piece Building Block Set, life-size inflatable blocks that transform any indoor or outdoor space into a Minecraft-themed world!

Sanrio Dumbgood
Licensing News
Bioworld’s Dumbgood Brand Releases New Apparel for Their New Sanrio 90s Collection

Dumbgood, the premiere lifestyle brand by Bioworld, has released its new Sanrio 90s collection – additional apparel for the brand’s already famous Sanrio product line. Dumbgood’s Sanrio assortments have been a fan-favorite collection among streetwear enthusiasts and fashion trendsetters due to the stylish clothing inspired by the adorable diversity of Sanrio characters especially the ones introduced in the 1990s.

Invisible Universe Jonathan Schneider
News You're Hired
Invisible Universe Appoints Former Disney and SkyDance Executive Jonathan Schneider as Studios President

Invisible Universe has announced the appointment of Jonathan Schneider as President, Invisible Universe Studios. Based in Los Angeles, Schneider will oversee the company’s continued optimization of its animation studio, while exploring other revenue-driving operations for the fast-growing media company. Schneider is a seasoned executive having held senior positions for powerhouse companies such as Disney and Skydance. He brings not only deep animation industry expertise to Invisible Universe but also more than two decades of proven experience growing and leading teams. In his new role, Schneider will lead the company in its adoption of new technologies, including those associated with AI, motion capture, and real-time rendering, while building new business verticals for the company.

Tami Murphy Tamic Strategies
News
Game and Toy Veteran Tami Murphy Launches Growth Strategy Consulting Business, Building on 20 Years in the Industry

Tamic Strategies is proud to announce its official launch, offering comprehensive business consulting services to vibrant toy, game and gift companies looking to continue their growth in the market. Led by Tami Murphy, an entrepreneurial professional with decades of industry experience, Tamic Strategies aims to empower businesses by providing strategic guidance and tailored solutions. Murphy has spent nearly 20 years in the toy and game industry at respected companies such as The Haywire Group, University Games and Grand Prix International (GPI), Inc.

Shashibo Jumbie Artist Series
Licensing News
Fun in Motion Launches Jumbie Artist Series Shashibo

Innovative toy company, Fun In Motion Toys, creators of the #1 best-selling and STEAM-accredited Shashibo magnetic puzzle cube, proudly present a new artistic collaboration with world-renowned artist, Jumbie. This groundbreaking partnership unites Shashibo with the visionary behind the unique art movement “Spectral Art,” where artwork animates in the presence of color-changing lighting. The new Jumbie Artist Series Shashibo collection transcends the boundaries of art and play. Jumbie, acclaimed for his exceptional mastery of RGB light reactive pixels, has been revolutionizing the art world with his breathtaking creations. This trailblazing artistry takes center stage on Shashibo, adding an enthralling new dimension to the beloved magnetic puzzle toy. Shashibo contains 36 rare earth magnets and can transform into over 70 different shapes adorned with colorful Jumbie art.

Meteoheroes Adventures podcast
Entertainment News
Itsy Bitsy Entertainment & Meteo Expert Launch “The Meteoheroes Adventures” Video Podcast into US Schools August 28th

Based on the #1 Kids’ podcast throughout Europe, Children’s and Family Entertainment mega-hit maker and producer Kenn Viselman, known for some of the most ground-breaking children’s TV series of all time (including Thomas the Tank Engine, Teletubbies and nearly 50 others) has teamed up with Luigi Latini, founder of Meteo Expert, the premier meteorology center in Europe, and Adventure2Learning, the preeminent provider of video into classrooms,  to create “The MeteoHeroes’ Adventures Podcast Series.” This trail-blazing all-inclusive podcast is being hosted by Brianna Colson a 24 year old on the autism spectrum, a self-proclaimed MeteoHeroes uber-super fan and is the first phase of a massive climate education initiative and will be offered free to schools across America.

Little Tikes Story Dream Machine
Licensing News
Little Tikes Launches the Story Dream Machine with Random House Children’s Books to Encourage Child Literacy

The Little Tikes Company, the brand trusted by parents and loved by kids for nearly 55 years, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of MGA Entertainment, Inc (MGA), one of the world’s largest and fastest growing privately held toy and entertainment companies, today announced the launch of the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine. This all-new innovative portable projector is not only an engaging toy but is also an early reading tool and sleep solution. Little Tikes, in partnership with renowned publisher Random House Children’s Books brings story classics to life from beloved collections such as Little Golden Books. 

Molang Licensing Street heathside
Licensing News
Licensing Street to Represent MOLANG in the United States

Millimages, one of the oldest independent animation studios and IP developers in Europe, has appointed US agency Licensing Street to represent its iconic brand MOLANG in North America. MOLANG is an international TV, social media, licensing, and merchandising phenomena with over 950 consumer products from 80+ licensees, and 312 animated episodes broadcast worldwide. In the US the brand has had huge exposure and engagement to date with 85 million views on YouTube Kids and almost a million on the adult YouTube channel. In the US in 2023 alone, Molang reached 380K Tik Tok subscribers, 78K on Instagram and 32K on Facebook, while the six animated series have been aired in the US on Disney Junior, Netflix, Hulu, Kidoodle TV, Playground, and Hopster.