All American Licensing
LA-based licensing agency All American Licensing has partnered with Stan Lee’s prodco POW! Entertainment to develop a portfolio of branded products based around Lee, including his name, likeness, signature and famous catchphrases and trademarks.
The prolific comic scribe was the creator of many successful Marvel IPs and despite his death last year, Lee’s fanbase continues to grow and he has close to 22 million followers on social media. The brands Lee created have generated more than US$25 billion in retail sales and Stan Lee-related merchandise creates US$1 billion in annual revenue, according to All American Licensing.
Lee’s legacy is also being felt through the animated preschool series Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, which was created and developed by Stan Lee before his death last year. Produced by POW! Entertainment, Genius Brands International and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger through his prodco Oak Productions, Genius Brands kicked off promotion of the IP at Licensing Expo this past June.
Monster Entertainment
Irish distributor Monster Entertainment is sending seven of its animated series to Calgary, Canada-based streamer Kidoodle.TV.
Launching on the service in September, the new series join the streamer’s portfolio that includes more than 11,000 licensed episodes aimed at kids 12 and younger.
First up, is the popular preschool series The Day Henry Met…? (pictured). The 104 x five-minute 2D-animated series airs in 178 countries via Nick Jr, and focuses on the different adventures that the titular Henry has as he meets new people and things.
Also heading to the streamer is the 2D-animated series Cocoland (13 x five minutes); the 26 x 11-minute 3D/CGI series Wow Wow Rolling Friends; preschool-educational, 26 x two-minute music-themed series Urban Tails; the 80 x seven-minute Fluffy Gardens, 26 x seven-minute 2D-animated series Peek Zoo. The streamer is also picking up the all-ages 2D animated short film Santa’s Last Christmas.
King Features
New York based-producer/distributor King Feature Syndicate has teamed up with Chinese media company YOHO! and Beijing shopping mall Joy City to showcase a collection of Popeye creative works and artistic installations.
Fifty artists from 12 countries around the world are contributing more than 100 pieces of Popeye-themed art to be exhibited at Joy City from June 22 to August 4.
The anniversary art collection is accompanied by a licensing program that involves deals with apparel retailers HUF, Scotch and Soda and Zara, as well as the launch of a collection of men’s grooming products from the Popeye’s Barbershop and Shave Company.
King Features recently expanded the long-running brand to YouTube with the new series Popeye’s Island Adventures, on the Popeye and Friends YouTube Channel to bring in a new generation of viewers.
DHX Brands
The brand management and CP arm of Toronto-based DHX Media, DHX Brands, is launching a direct-to-retail collaboration for its series In the Night Garden with Liverpool-based retail conglom TJ Morris.
Under the partnership, the retailer will sell a new range of products targeted at preschoolers through its Home Bargains and Quality Save stores in the UK this summer, with an initial 18 products launching at the end of July. Two new products are being released in August, and 12 more will be available in September. The range will include infant wipes, toddler training items, slippers, toweling robes, gift bags, greeting cards, apparel and accessories.
Created by Andrew Davenport (Teletubbies), In the Night Garden debuted on CBeebies in 2006 and was one of the highest-rated series in the channel’s bedtime slot at the time, according to the kidcaster.