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ASPIRE Goes Back to School with Expanded Collegiate Slate

ASPIRE, the dedicated Corporate & Lifestyle division of world-leading brand licensing agency WildBrain CPLG, is expanding its collegiate brand roster with newly added representation rights for the New York-based institution Columbia University, a leader in research and higher education in the US and around the world. ASPIRE will represent the institution primarily in India, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the UK and Europe in a new partnership, with the aim to grow the collegiate brand’s presence in lifestyle categories including fashion, apparel, accessories, back-to-school, home and gifting.

Zoonicorn Arrives at Toy Fair 2023 with New Licensing Partnerships and Streaming Content in Nearly 200 Countries

Zoonicorn, the global preschool property now streaming across nearly 200 countries worldwide, arrives at US Toy Fair, September 30 – October 3, with accelerating momentum and new and expanded licensing agreements. Amplifying awareness for the property, Zoonicorn master toy licensee United Smile is collaborating with leading licensee SRM Entertainment, Inc to showcase the brand. They will first present Zoonicorn at the LA September Preview, September 18-23, at United Smile’s showroom at the Sonesta Hotel, Suite #108. This will be the first look at the extensive Zoonicorn toy line. The following week, the two companies will again link up, presenting Zoonicorn at New York Toy Fair, September 30-October 3, at the SRM Toy Fair stand (Booth #2689).

Future Fans Football Launches to Help Kids Unlock a Shared Love of the Game

A Cincinnati Bengals super fan watched alone the night of the 2022 AFC Championship as his team earned their first trip to the Super Bowl in 33 years. In that moment, Mike Schroder, co-founder of Future Fans, wished he could share what he knew would become a lifelong memory with his then 5-year-old daughter. “She knew the players and the fight song, but I couldn’t get her to watch the game with me,” said Schroder. Inspired by that experience, dads Mike Schroder and Michael Gold created Future Fans, a new company that uses stories and games to teach the core concepts of sports in a kid-friendly way. Future Fans is built on the belief that the world is a better place when the shared thrill of sports creates and sustains lifelong bonds. Wishing for this with their own families, Schroder and Gold wanted to cultivate a love of sports in their young kids, but doing so can be difficult when they don’t understand the rules.

PMI Kids’ World Debuts New Items at New York Toy Fair 2023

PMI Kids’ World, the toy company behind mega-popular licensed toys, will make its second appearance at New York Toy Fair 2023 after an incredible year of new licenses, new brands, and epic product launches under its belt! Located at booth #1147, PMI is offering product tours and interview opportunities for both media and attendees at this year’s show. The Israel-based toy company will be showcasing the HOTTEST toys, plush and collectibles from Pudgy Penguins (launched in May 2023 and hit #1 on Amazon’s hot new release charts), Piñata Smashlings (toys and plush from the hit Roblox game), The Creature Cases (a new licensed line from Netflix for 2024), Sonic Prime and more!

The LEGO Group Pledges to Achieve Net-zero Emissions by 2050

The LEGO Group has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 as part of its continued efforts to reduce environmental impact. The company has submitted its intention to the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and will work with the SBTi to develop a target which will cover Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions*. The pledge is an extension of its existing near-term climate target to reduce GHG emissions by 37% by 2032 from a 2019 base, which was previously approved by the SBTi.

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schleich Appoints Stefan De Loecker as New CEO

Schleich, the German manufacturer of figurines and playsets, has just announced a new change to their executive team appointing Stefan De Loecker as the new CEO effective January 1, 2024. Before joining Schleich, Stefan De Loecker was CEO of Beiersdorf and previously President of its emerging markets and has had a broad and long-standing career in FMCG, namely with Nestlé. Dirk Engehausen, CEO of Schleich for more than eight years, left Schleich on 15 August 2023. After a transition period, he will join its Advisory Board.

Clixo Launches First Themed Packs, Mars Rover & Ocean Creatures, Elevating Imaginative Play

Renowned toy design studio Toyish Labs announced the launch of two new packs in its award-winning Clixo toy line: the Mars Rover Clixo Pack and the Ocean Creatures Clixo Pack. They have also proudly announced that both packs have been named finalists for the 2023 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards: the Mars Rover Clixo Pack has been named a finalist for Creative Toy of the Year and the Ocean Creatures Clixo Pack has been named a finalist for Specialty Toy of the Year. The Mars Rover Clixo Pack is a glow-in-the-dark flexible magnetic building experience designed for imaginative minds. With all-terrain wheels, fire blasters, and custom pieces, you can build countless rovers, motorcycles, and space drones to explore the most challenging Martian landscapes. Get your spacesuit ready to unleash STEAM skills and creativity. The pack is currently available for pre-order here and will start shipping in mid-October. The pack will be available on Amazon in October as well. The Ocean Creatures Clixo Pack brings underwater wonders to life! Take your imagination to new depths with specially designed glow-in-the-dark pieces, fins, and tentacles. Inspire creative confidence, foster STEAM learning, and discover the power of play as you build countless underwater creations. The pack is currently available for pre-order here and will start shipping in mid-October. The pack will be available on Amazon in October as well.

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The LEGO Group Outpaces Toy Industry Leaders in H1 2023 While Accelerating Long-term Growth Initiatives

The LEGO Group has announced earnings for the first six months of 2023. Revenue was DKK 27.4 billion, a growth of one percent compared with H1 2022. Consumer sales grew three percent, outperforming other leading toy companies and contributing to strong market share growth. Operating profit was in line with expectations at a solid DKK 6.4 billion compared with an exceptionally strong DKK 7.9 billion in H1 2022. The company continued to accelerate spending in long-term strategic initiatives including manufacturing, digital and sustainability.

Heathside Trading to Launch Special Edition Stargate Line Through License Agreement with MGM

Heathside Trading Ltd has established an agreement with MGM to become a licensee for Stargate. The agreement was brokered by Rocket Licensing. The Stargate licensed line, which will launch spring 2024 through selected retail partners, as well as direct-to-consumer through MasterReplicas.com, will include die-cast ships, prop replicas and figures based on the Stargate library. Rather than releasing all the ships in one go, Heathside Trading Ltd through Master Replicas will be making a curated selection of vehicles, prop replicas and figures available over the course of the license. This will allow fans to add to the continuance of their collections. with selected resellers who will be making stock available on a limited basis online.