Continuing coverage of the announcements coming out of the Las Vegas Licensing Expo and related industry this week. Prior snippets can be found here.
+ Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group for the first time combines the Activision, Blizzard and King properties under one banner at the Expo (booth U202). Interactive entertainment brands include World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Diabo III, StarCraft , Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch from Blizzard, with licensees including Good Smile (figures), J!nx (apparel), Dark Horse (publishing), Insight Editions (cookbook) and Tokidoki (apparel, accessories). King’s Candy Crush Saga (and its various iterations), with partners likes Amber House (heath & beauty), Ascania (sodas), BakedIn (bake at home kits), InPhase (air fresheners), Rossi (ice cream), Tubz (candy), Little Brown (publishing) and Winning Moves (board games). And Activision’s Call of Duty backed by Bioworld (apparel, accessories), Insight Editions (field manual), DGL (drones), Astro Gaming (headsets), Mattel (collectible construction sets) and Otterbox (mobile/iPad cases); Destiny from Bungie, signed to Bioworld (apparel, accessories), McFarlane Toys (action figures), Mattel (construction sets), Funko (vinyl figures), Razer (gaming accessories), RockLove (jewelry), Concept One (headwear, accessories), Insight Editions (art books, journals), USAopoly (puzzles, playing cards) and KontrolFrek (controller accessories); Crash Bandicoot with its upcoming title N. Sane Trilogy supported by Changes (apparel), Concept One (accessories), Rubber Road (apparel, accessories, mugs, home decor) and Ventue Classics (collectible figures); and Skylanders — which just had its animated series Skylanders Academy re-upped for a third season on Netflix for 2018.
+ Warner Bros Consumer Products has a full to bursting portfolio to carry into this year’s show. The more animated highlights include the upcoming The LEGO Ninjago Movie from Warner Animation Group and LEGO System in theaters Sept. 22; The LEGO Movie spin-off series Unikitty! coming to Cartoon Network; award-winning DC Super Hero Girls multiscreen brand which just got the greenlight for a TV series revamps and classics including New Looney Tunes, Be Cool Scooby-Doo! and WAG’s upcoming SmallFoot feature. WBCP will also flex its film slate with DC’s Justice League and Aquaman, J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, Dwayne Johnson sci-fi thriller Rampage, Michael Dougherty’s Godzilla 2, and evergreen WB classics.
+ Sony Pictures Consumer Products has appointed Just Play as the Master Toy partner for its upcoming feature The Emoji Movie, in theaters this July, which will see the licensee develop and deliver blind bags, collectible figures, light-up figures and plush. SPCP has secured further first partners in multiple categories: Planet Sox, High Point, Accessory Innovations, AME, Freeze and Bentex (apparel); Thermos, Zak and Franco Manufacturing (housewares); and Ty (toys).
+ Sanrio has announced plans to grow some of its key character brands into new spheres, and introduce new faces to its roster. Hello Kitty is moving into experiential markets with the Hello Kitty Café truck and pop-up, with plans to expand to additional locations and formats. Sanrio is also looking into further food, food service and packaged goods opportunities, including expanding the Hello Kitty Shop at Universal Studios Orlando. Sanrio and Snapchat will continue collaborating, with Hello Kitty and Little Twin Stars themes coming this year. Budge Studios and Swyft Media will develop digital goodies for youngsters, teens and young adults. Hello Kitty is also allied with Lazy Oaf (apparel), Stance (socks), New Era (hats), Nylon magazine, LootCrate, JuJuBe (bags) and CRAP Eyewear. Hello Sanrio continues to grow since its debut over the holiday season. And coming soon to an (insert consumer product) near you will be Aggretsuko — a red panda who works in the accounting department of a trading company by day, and belts out heavy metal at karaoke in the evenings. Mr. Men Little Miss and Gudetama also remain on top of Sanrio’s in-demand brands list
+ Nelvana Enterprises’ top-performing original animated series Ranger Rob can be found ready for action at booth H214. Just greenlit for a second season, the plucky ranger-in-training has signed Imports Dragon as Master Toy Licensee, with a range of preschooler-friendly vehicles, plush and small figures set to launch in Canada and key European territories in Spring 2018, with a broader roll-out that fall.
+ Zinkia and Digital TV Group have inked a deal encompassing distribution, consumer products, and the development of interactive and edutainment projects for its global relaunch of the adorable Pocoyo brand. Digital TV Group — present in Latin America, Europe, US and Canada — will take over the commercialization of Zinkia’s brands, with the initiative handled by Patricio Rabuffetti and Sebastian Vibes in Madrid, and Rodrigo Piza in Mexico City/Toronto.
