King Features unveils merchandising campaign for animated icon’s 90th anniversary.
Ahead of the character’s 90th anniversary, King Features has unveiled a range of new partners to help Betty Boop celebrate.
The activity kicked off with a collaboration with Nike and Olivia Kim (pictured) on a female-focused capsule collection, merging Betty’s iconic look with 1990’s flare.
The Betty Boop items – with designs inspired by Olivia’s childhood love of Nike and the vibrant, creative culture of downtown Manhattan in the ’90s – feature a bespoke iteration of Betty Boop’s iconic look. As a nod to ’90s club flyers, Betty Boop’s wink has been adapted into the Nike swoosh and the exclusive graphic appears on jerseys, t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats and as a hangtag on five sneaker styles.
Additional collaborations available now include a collection from skateboarding brand HUF and a limited-edition Betty Boop beauty line from IPSY.
The latest publishing venture for the character – Betty Boop’s Guide to a Bold and Balanced Life: Fun, Fierce, Fabulous Advice Inspired by the Animated Icon – will be released by Skyhorse Publishing in January 2020, while a new partworks series called Dances from Around the World will be released in France.
In Europe, a new apparel collection is due to debut at Cortefiel and Springfield stores next spring, while Pull & Bear is also developing a 2020 programme.
Additional planned product launches include Betty Boop watches from Invicta; collectables from MBI; a new vinyl from Funko; and accessories from Concept One. American painter, animator and sculptor David Kracov will host an anniversary party at Eden Fine Art Gallery in New York City to release his Betty Boop collection in 2020.
And, for the first time ever, Betty Boop will be starring in her own Broadway musical, launching late 2020 or early 2021.
“Betty is enjoying such sensational support from her fans, her licensees and her representatives at King Features,” said Mark Fleischer, ceo of Fleischer Studios. “Her 90th anniversary is shaping up to be a truly remarkable celebration of the delight that she has brought to millions of lives.”
Carla Silva, vp and general manager, global head of licensing for King Features, continued: “Betty Boop’s confidence, boldness and sass have charmed fans for nearly nine decades. Her ability to captivate audiences is as strong today as it was in the 1930s.
“2020 is primed to be her biggest year yet with an unparalleled lineup of partners on board to celebrate our forever fabulous Betty Boop.”
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