Mattel’s iconic doll brand Barbie took home top honors at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy this week, winning the Best Property of The Year Award at the 2024 Bologna Licensing Awards ceremony. 

The awards garnered almost 190 entries from around the world in 13 categories, which were evaluated by jurors Philippe Guinaudeau (BrandTrends), Ian Hyder (Max Publishing), Helena Mansell-Stopher (Products of Change), Cristiana Peasani (art and fashion expert) and Astrid Specht (TOYS and 1st Steps magazines). 

In two new categories that were introduced to the show this year, Studio 100 Media claimed Best Licensed Sustainable Project honors for its natural-dyed Maya the Bee apparel collection in partnership with License Factory. And Ukraine-based Nerd Agency took home the Best New Licensing Stars 2023 award for its CG-animated film Mavka, The Forest Song. 

The Pokémon Company International also had an impressive showing this year, scoring three awards at Bologna for its stellar collabs—Best Kids Licensing Project (with the Van Gogh Museum), Best Teen Licensing Project (with Clarks footwear) and Best Fashion Project (for its Dolly Noire capsule collection). 

Below is a complete list of this year’s licensing winners: 

• Best Pre-school Licensing Project: Universal Products & Experiences, in partnership with Spin Master, for the Gabby’s Dollhouse project
• Best Kids Licensing Project: The Pokémon Company International for the Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum project

• Best Teen Licensing Project: The Pokémon Company International for the Clarks x Pokémon project
• Best Young Adult Project: Rai Com for the Mare Fuori (The Sea Beyond) CP program
• Best Retail Project: Mattel Europe for the Barbie x Zara project
• Best Fashion Project: The Pokémon Company International for the Dolly Noire x Pokémon project
• Best Licensed Publishing Project: Andersen Press for the illustrated book Goodnight Elmer
• Best Licensed Toy Project: Universal Products & Experiences in partnership with Spin Master for the Gabby’s Dollhouse playset
• Best Promotion/Loyalty Campaign: Studio 100 Media for the Vegesaurs x Lidl campaign
• Promotion: Best Licensed Kiosk Product: Mondadori Media for the Peanuts 3D collection (together with WildBrain CPLG and Peanuts Worldwide)
• Best Licensed Sustainable Project: Studio 100 Media’s Maya the Bee apparel collection with License Factory
• Best New Licensing Stars 2023: Nerd Agency (Film.UA Group) for Mavka, The Forest Song
• Best Property of the Year: Mattel for Barbie