Loud Luxury Confirmed for First Official Closing Night Party at Licensing Expo

Licensing Expo, the world’s leading event (May 21-23, Mandalay Bay Convention Center), dedicated to licensing, brand extension and collaborations, unveils the inaugural Licensing Expo Closing Night Party with confirmed performance from international touring music duo Loud Luxury. Loud Luxury, Canadian-born Los Angeles-based music group duo, Andrew Fedyk and Joe De Paceon known for several independent releases and remixes, including the smash hit Body, are global icons. The song Body is certified diamond in Canada and multi-platinum across 9 countries, accumulating over 1.5 billion streams across all platforms. Since then, the duo released other hit singles such as Love No More and I’m Not Alright, collaborating with top artists from around the world, totaling over 400 million streams.

Rich Rooney, PlayMonster Chief Operations & Logistics Officer, Passes Away, Aged 53

In a statement posted April 2nd, 2024 on LinkedIn, influential toy and game company PlayMonster announced the passing of Rich Rooney, their Chief Operations and Logistics Officer. A longtime veteran of the toy industry, with history at Hasbro, Zizzle and Ridemakerz, Rich leaves behind an indelible and positive mark on the world of toys.

UN Signals Importance of Play by Adopting Official International Day of Play

Play is a fundamental right for every child. Yet, the importance of play in helping children develop life-long skills is often forgotten. With only 30% of adults aware that play is a fundamental birth right adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1989, there is an urgent need to put play back on the agenda. To drive this ambition forward, a dedicated network of global organizations, play experts and, most importantly, children & youth themselves, have called on UN member states to support the resolution for an International Day of Play. Mattel, Inc (NASDAQ: MAT) together with other founding members of the movement are proud to announce that the UN General Assembly has adopted this international awareness day.

ADK Emotions NY Inc and T-Licensing Inc Announce Global Launch of New ‘Beyblade X’ Series During 25th Anniversary

On National Beyblade, also known as 3-2-1 Day, ADK Emotions NY Inc and T-Licensing Inc revealed the global launch of Beyblade X. After a successful premiere in Asian territories in 2023, Beyblade X will showcase new animation and exclusive experiences for Beyblade fans. Hasbro Inc., a long-standing partner, will release Generation 4 products worldwide later this year. “Bey-fans around the world have embraced 3-2-1 Day, and this year, we’re especially thrilled to celebrate with the generations of fans, as we kick off our 25th anniversary,” said a representative from , ADK Emotions NY. “With the highly-anticipated U.S. launch of the Beyblade X animation series this summer, Bladers will be ready to battle like never before!”

Mighty Jaxx Secures Key Appointment of Industry Veteran Matt Buss as New General Manager, Americas

The Mighty Jaxx Group (‘Mighty Jaxx’, ‘the Group’), a global network of brands and companies that aims to bring tomorrow’s pop culture, content, and experiences right into your home and hands, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Buss as its General Manager (Americas) to drive its brand growth, licensing and retail business in the Americas. Based in Los Angeles, Matt is an accomplished business leader and innovator with a track record in brand development, product innovation, and strategic expansion, and has more than 15 years’ experience dealing with all major / mass global retailers.

Blank Slate Game Wins Circana’s Toy Industry Award

The Op Games has announced its popular title Blank Slate has received Circana’s Toy Industry Award for #1 Selling Toy in the United States in the Family Word/Other Games category. The awards recognize the best-selling and top selling toys, properties, and manufacturers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe, according to Circana’s Retail Tracking Service. “We are honored that Blank Slate is recognized as one of Circana’s top selling games,” said Eric Brendel, VP of Sales at The Op Games. “We recognize our retailer partners who have helped The Op Games reach this great achievement and we also appreciate all the consumers who have played and shared the fun and laughter of playing Blank Slate.”

New LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig Sets Revealed

The LEGO Group is thrilled to reveal the brand-new LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig sets in collaboration with leading toy and game company Hasbro. Inspired by everyone’s favorite pig, toddlers can immerse themselves into the colorful world of Peppa Pig through LEGO DUPLO sets coming this summer. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Peppa Pig and it’s the perfect occasion for the new LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig sets to spark imagination and inspire fun play opportunities where toddlers can develop their fine motor skills. The new sets combine the building adventure of LEGO DUPLO play with colourful settings, iconic characters, and storytelling from the popular preschool animated series.

WiT Wonder Women Awards Moves to Los Angeles in 2024 on Friday, September 13th

Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) is thrilled to announce that the prestigious 2024 Wonder Women Awards Gala will be hosted in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world. Timed to coincide with LA Fall Toy Previews, the Wonder Women Awards celebrates the remarkable achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who are propelling the toy, consumer products, licensing, and entertainment industries forward.

Sony Pictures Debuts Chilling New Brand Collaborations and Themed Products Ahead of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Theatrical Release

Sony Pictures Consumer Products invites fans of Ghostbusters to gear up for the next chapter in the iconic franchise with new products and unique collaborations designed to further immerse enthusiasts into the pop culture phenomenon. The robust consumer products program, anchored by key licensees including Hasbro, Funko, Timberland, and Kellogg’s, aligns with a new phase in the Ghostbusters franchise, marked by the much-anticipated arrival of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s latest film, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (premiering March 22 exclusively in movie theaters).