Factory Rights signs greeting cards deal for comical cartoon property.
Factory Rights has secured a new licensing partnership with greeting cards publisher, Woodmansterne for its comical cartoon property, Fred.
The Fred cartoons – which have retained their popularity for 30 years – follow the surreal world of Fred and his wife Penelope, as they live a life of curious domestic bliss, graced with their ever-present black cat, Anthony.
The new range of Fred greeting cards – which are in colour for the first time – are packed full of charming and hilarious scenarios, from sneaky Sunday afternoon naps to disastrous DIY, socially awkward situations with the neighbours and relatable relationship dramas.
Woodmansterne has launched an initial range of 12 greeting cards with further designs including special occasions, birthday and Christmas cards due to follow this year.
Fred was first created by British cartoonist and writer Rupert Fawcett in 1989 and went on to become a cultural phenomenon after it was published in the Mid Week Newspaper (1990-1992) and The Mail on Sunday (1991-1995).
The success of Fred led to over 800 different cartoons being created and sales historically of over nine million greetings cards in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, plus a bestselling range of merchandise, including 17 books.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Woodmansterne in producing, for the first time, a range of coloured Fred cards,” said Anya Hollis, head of brand licensing at Factory Rights. “Fred has been a long-standing household favourite for 30 years and it’s great to be able to share the cartoons with fans both old and new.
“We look forward to building the Fred merchandise range with new partners over the coming months and having a lot of fun in the process.”
Ian Blake, art director at Woodmansterne, added: “We are already great fans of Fred and Penelope and following on from our existing Rupert Fawcett ranges, Off the Leash and On The Prowl, we are delighted to have the opportunity to publish this range.
“We have introduced colour to the images for the first time ever, knowing it would resonate well with our customers. Rupert is over the moon with the addition and how they have brought these charming characters to life, making the range feel new and contemporary. They have just launched and are proving to be an instant success.”
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