Licensing Expo 2022, organized in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, drew thousands of attendees from the world’s most reputable retailers and licensees, with the number of retailers in attendance rising 42% from the 2019 event, marking record growth for Licensing Expo.
Fittingly, in time before World Environment Day on June 5th, Playmobil presents Wiltopia, the first sustainable product range. The new theme provides the answer to the question of how children can be taught about animals, nature and the environment as well as the importance of sustainability. Without dry facts, and with a huge amount of fun!
Countless writers have sought to capture the history of American pop culture in magazines, newspapers and books, but the material artifacts are often an afterthought. In My Life and Toys, acclaimed director, writer, and producer, Brian Levant places his extraordinary collection of toys from comics, TV, and films on the center stage. The toys, reverently photographed by Joe Pellegrini, span media history from the shows of the author’s childhood, such as The Flintstones and The Lone Ranger, to mementos from the programs Levant grew up to write or produce, including Mork & Mindy and Happy Days, and films he directed, including Beethoven; this unparalleled collection is only possible from a devoted fan and toy collector.
American Girl, a cornerstone in the Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT) portfolio of purposeful brands, announced the return of a true original—1940s-era historical character and fan favorite Molly McIntire! One of the company’s first three historical characters to debut in 1986, Molly—a nine-year-old girl growing up on the home front during World War II—has inspired a generation of girls with her patriotic spirit and story of resilience. Now, back from the American Girl archives, Molly is set to spark nostalgia and win over a new legion of fans with the release of a core selection from her classic product collection, plus a host of engaging new content and immersive experiences that bring her world to life in a fresh, fun way for fans of all ages.
Moonbug Entertainment Ltd., is announcing a special licensing and merchandising agreement with baby brand Rascal + Friends featuring a new premium CoComelon branded diaper and training pants line available across six different markets. The deal is confirmed for four years, with the product set to hit shelves in June 2022. The new CoComelon line will be available in major retailers including Walmart, Tesco, Coles, Lazada and Foodstuffs.
Following a monthlong fan vote, Hasbro, Incorporated (NASDAQ: HAS), a global play and entertainment leader, announced that the Thimble token will return in the next generation of the Monopoly game later this year after receiving the most votes during the Monopoly Throwback Token Vote campaign. The “sewing companion” will take the place of the T-Rex token, after the ferocious dinosaur couldn’t fight off the fans – receiving the most votes to leave the game. Players can still get a hold of the current Monopoly game with the T-Rex token before it heads to extinction this summer at Amazon.com!
DeAPlaneta Entertainment closed a deal making Bandai the master toy license holder for animated series MILO. The toy range includes playsets & figurines, role play, vehicles, electronic educational toys and soft toys, and will be available for purchase from Spring 2023. The deal covers the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Spain with other countries such as France, Germany and Italy set to follow.
To celebrate the Care Bear’s 40th anniversary, Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live-action content, and Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the Care Bears entertainment brand, are bringing the iconic Care Bears brand to life through food, apparel, and experiential event collaborations with companies across Canada.