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Laurie Santos Sesame Workshop
Entertainment News
Dr. Laurie Santos and the Happiness Lab Teams Up With Sesame Workshop for Special Emotional Wellbeing Mini-Series

Dr. Laurie Santos is teaming up with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, for a special three-episode series on The Happiness Lab podcast that will focus on concrete strategies parents can use to help themselves and their children feel happier. With help from some of the beloved characters and songs from Sesame Street, Dr. Santos explores why it’s never too early, or too late, to improve your emotional well-being. The series will feature the familiar voices of Abby Cadabby, Big Bird, and Grover, all while tackling themes related to improving the emotional well-being of parents and children. Some of the themes spotlighted in the three episodes include strategies for how to properly regulate emotions and ways we can sweep away overtly negative self-criticism.

hypertiles fun in motion
Licensing News
Fun In Motion Toys Secures Exclusive Global Distribution Rights for HyperTiles

Fun In Motion Toys, the leading innovator in play experiences that inspire people to ‘move and groove’, is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with inventor Robert Becker for HyperTiles. As the exclusive global distributor, Fun in Motion Toys will expand the revolutionary HyperTiles to the worldwide marketplace. With their unique hyperbolic paraboloid shape, HyperTiles represent a groundbreaking establishment of a new play category, “Confluxion”. Confluxion represents an evolution to the traditional construction category as the shapes can move and flex once the HyperTiles are assembled together with connectors. HyperTiles is STEM.org authenticated and tailor-made for hands-on exploration and discovery, igniting curious minds to embrace spatial relationships and problem-solving in an interactive and immersive manner.

batwheels dc comics disguise
Licensing News
Disguise Announces Collection Inspired by DC’S Animated Preschool Series ‘Batwheels’

Disguise, Inc, the global costume division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK), and Warner Bros Discovery Global Consumer Products, have announced an exciting collaboration inspired by DC’s hit preschool series, Batwheels. Disguise is bringing the vibrant and action-packed world of Batwheels to fans everywhere, igniting the imaginations of young super heroes with distribution plans across North America, the U.K., AU/NZ, and LATAM. The Disguise Batwheels collection will include a thrilling array of kids’ costumes and wearable 3D vehicles inspired by the key characters featured in the series, currently airing on Cartoon Network. Among the lineup are characters like BAM, Batman, Batgirl, and Robin, with each costume capturing the essence of their heroic personas.

Beast Lab Moose Toys
News
Moose Toys Unleashes Beast Lab, a First-of-its-Kind Experiment-Based Playset

Moose Toys, a leading innovator in the toy industry, combines several of its signature play patterns — multi-layered creative playsets, action figures and storytelling — in this year’s hottest holiday toy, Beast Lab. From start to finish, this first-of-its-kind interactive playset engages kids in an experiment-based process as they create their own beast: a jaw-some shark-inspired electronic action figure to save the world. Beast Lab will be available at major retailers nationwide online Sept. 1 and in-store Oct. 1. Prior to launch, Beast Lab has already received early toy industry buzz with a Creative Toy of the Year nomination from The Toy Foundation.

Little Tikes Girl Scouts
Licensing News
Little Tikes and Girl Scouts of the USA Announce Partnership to Create Cookie Booth Playset

The Little Tikes Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MGA Entertainment (MGA), one of the largest and fastest-growing, privately held toy and entertainment companies in the world, has entered into a licensing relationship with Girl Scouts of the USA to introduce the Little Tikes 2-in-1 Girl Scout Cookie Booth playset. The playset encourages young kids to expand on essential skills like goal setting and communication while they run their own make-believe business selling toy cookies.

Xilam Safaa Benazzouz
News You're Hired
Xilam Animation Ups Safaa Benazzouz to EVP Distribution

Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation has upped Safaa Benazzouz to the position of EVP Distribution, effective 1 September 2023. Previously Deputy EVP Distribution, Benazzouz will replace the company’s outgoing EVP Distribution, Morgann Favennec. In her new role, Benazzouz will lead the worldwide distribution strategies across Xilam’s new and forthcoming productions, including Karate Sheep, Oggy Oggy and Buddybot, and its existing catalogue, which includes Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko, Where’s Chicky? and Athleticus. Additionally, she will be responsible for driving sales across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, South Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America; and managing the four teams within Xilam’s distribution department: international sales, digital, licensing and marketing. She will continue to be based in Xilam’s head office in Paris and will now report into the company’s Founder and CEO, Marc du Pontavice.

Rebel Play
News
Toy Industry Rebels Build an Invention Studio from Zero to One – Rebel Play

In a bold move to shake up the toy and game industry, Rebel Play has emerged as a new invention studio that promises to break free from the ordinary. Their mission? To challenge industry norms, defy the predictable, and deliver toys and games that spark imagination. At the heart of Rebel Play’s brand is their enigmatic red blobbish mascot, Rebel. This ghostly figure encapsulates the creative spirit within each of us—a symbol of unbridled imagination. “In its purest form, imaginative play is an act of rebellion,” declares Laurie Peterson, one of two founders of Rebel Play and toy industry veteran and former TAGIE Rising Star Toy Inventor of the Year. “You are conjuring up ideas that are not present to the senses. We aim to embody rebellious imagination with our new studio Rebel Play. The trick is finding a balance between delivering the unexpected and being on brand for our toy industry partners.”

Arcade1Up distribution
Licensing News
Arcade1Up Announces Global Distribution Strategy to Support Growing Business

Arcade1Up has announced a new distribution strategy to support its growth and international business operations in Canada, Australia and European countries. The partnerships with Polyphoto and other local distributors will be driven by Arcade1Up’s premier Deluxe line – a streamlined design that echoes the look of the classic arcade machine, created for the home, while incorporating modern features and technology. In conjunction with the new distribution strategy, Arcade1Up announced four new home arcade machines led by TIME CRISIS Deluxe Arcade Machine – the first at-home arcade experience for the popular shooter arcade game. Additional new titles are Atari 50th Anniversary Deluxe Arcade Machine, GALAGA Deluxe Arcade Machine, and Street Fighter™ II: CE HS-5 Deluxe Arcade Machine – all will be on display in the Polyphoto booth at Gamescom this week (Business Area, Hall 2.2, Booth D-025) and are set for global release later this year.

Domenic Bettini Playview
News You're Hired
Playview Brands Welcomes Domenic Bettini as New Director of Business Development

Playview Brands, a leading toy company with a growing portfolio of esteemed brands and licenses, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Domenic Bettini as its new Director of Business Development. With over 20 years of success in growing brand revenues and market share, Bettini will play a pivotal role in driving Playview Brands to new heights. Domenic Bettini’s new role complements Playview Brands’ increasing scope of fun with their NERF license renewal, new partnership with entertainment franchise Minecraft, upcoming My HeroMail, and jigsaw lines, including KI Puzzles. Bettini will spearhead Playview’s efforts to identify and capitalize on new business opportunities for their roster of renowned brands.