Snow Gear for Julius and Friends
It seems there’s a Paul Frank licensing deal every week. This week, Paul Frank Industries will be debuting a youth snow collection with technical apparel expert 686, which is expected to debut this fall. Paul Frank looks to design a playful, yet functional line of high performance youth snow gear inspired by Paul Frank’s signature characters including Julius, Skurvy, and more.
The collection includes boy’s and girl’s coordinated insulated quilted jackets, print jackets, pants, performance fleece hoodies and thermals, graphic tees, beanies, mittens, and gloves all combined with the company’s signature color palette. Innovative and fashionable, this collection of snow apparel will be sold at Paul Frank Retail Stores and specialty boutiques worldwide.
Paul Frank, which was recently purchased by Saban Capital Group, plans to add skis, snowboards, and bindings in the near future.
Nelvana, Vivendi Partner for Beyblade Home Entertainment, Digital Downloads
Nelvana Enterprises has entered into a licensing agreement with Vivendi Entertainment for home entertainment and digital downloading for the new animated series Beyblade: Metal Fusion in North America.
Content will include an initial 51 episodes in seven DVD releases with Volume 1 available on November 9, 2010, in English, French, and Spanish at retail outlets across North America.
The new series is a mix of 2-D animation and battle scenes with the tops spinning in CGI animation. It airs on YTV in Canada and Cartoon Network in the U.S. and is set to launch in the U.K., Europe, and beyond in the coming year.
The companion toy line is now available in Japan from Tomy. Hasbro has been appointed the master toy licensee for most international markets outside of Asia and the toy line is already on shelves in Canada and the U.S.
Adams Media, Kidz Bop Partner for Books
Publisher Adams Media and Kidz Bop have teamed up to launch a young adult book line inspired by the Kidz Bop music brand. The line will feature both fiction and nonfiction works, including a fill-in-the-blanks story, junior novelization chronicling the life of the Kidz Bop Kids, and a rock star’s guide to starting a band.
Each Kidz Bop book will come packaged with a code, redeemable for a free Kidz Bop MP3 music download. The first three titles in the series are expected to be on shelves in May 2011 with an MSRP of $4.99–$8.99. There will be a simultaneous e-book release.
Offering a distinct opportunity for online interface, each book product will integrate online audience participation. The nearly one million online registered Kidz Bop users will have the opportunity to vote on story lines, upload original videos for e-book inclusion, and access bonus promotional content.