Including DRi welcoming Bang on the Door’s Groovy Chick and Friends to its portfolio.
The Source rounds up more news from the licensing industry across the globe from the week.
DRi Licensing has welcomed Bang on the Door’s Groovy Chick and Friends to its brand portfolio. 2018 will mark the 30th anniversary of Groovy Chick, which was created in the 1990s and went on to attract 80+ licensees. The relaunch of the brand will focus on a two-tier licensing strategy, targeting both the original audience and the 4-9 age group. Alicia Davenport, licensing director at DRi, said: “Groovy Chick fills a significant gap in the girls’ market and we’re excited at the immediate positive response we’ve received and the potential for the brand. After all, girls just want to have fun.”
Paris-based Technicolor Animation Productions has teamed up with Sony Interactive Entertainment to bring top selling PlayStation video games series, Sly Cooper, to TV. The franchise was introduced in 2002 and has gone on to sell millions of copies globally and span four different editions across multiple PlayStation platforms. Global distribution, along with licensing and merchandising rights, will be managed by PGS.
Nelvana has inked a broadcast deal with Turner to bring The ZhusZhus to viewers across Europe. The long-term deal is for Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Boing and Cartoonito across the UK, France and the Nordics.
Genius Brands International continues to grow the licensing programme for preschool series, Rainbow Rangers. The Bentex Group (apparel), Jay Franco (bedding and home décor) and H.E.R Accessories (accessories) have all signed up to create new products. The news follows on from Fisher-Price being confirmed as the global master toy partner, while Nick Jr has picked up US and Caribbean Basin broadcast rights for season one.
The Transformers: Forged to Fight game has released a major update in support of Transformers: The Last Knight, which hits cinemas next week. The update will include the release of Autobot Drift as a playable in-game character.
Cartoon Network has been celebrating the power of local production at Annecy Animation Festival. Spearheading the activities was a Studio Panel celebrating the company’s award winning show The Amazing World of Gumball – this saw series creator, Ben Bocquelet, and series director, Mic Graves, present a behind the scenes journey of the animation. They were joined by creatives and guest studios involved in some of the most unique episodes.
Mondo TV is heading to the NATPE Budapest global TV market and conference next week. The show runs from June 19-22, with Mondo set to show its wide ranging catalogue of properties including Heidi Bienvenido a Casa, Invention Story, YooHoo & Friends and Sissi the Young Empress among others.
Xilam Animation has appointed Nicolas Halftermeyer as svp of marketing and digital. Nicolas will be developing and implementing marketing and digital strategies to benefit Xilam’s series’ brand recognition and online revenue growth. Meanwhile, F Xavier de Maistre has taken on the role of evp of organisation and human resources to help manage the company’s growth. He will also continue to head up Xilam’s corporate communication division.
Elsewhere, busy Xilam has confirmed the sale of its animated preschool series Paprika to Disney Junior Latin America.
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