Licensing

Real Deal

American Greetings Series Expand Globally

American Greetings Properties (AGP), the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, announced that Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures series will be airing in French-speaking Canada, Italy, and Portugal for the first time.

In French-speaking Canada, a new agreement with Groupe TVA has secured airtime for Berry Bitty Adventures on Yoopa to broadcast in the French language. American Greetings Properties has also secured a new broadcast deal in Italy with Planeta Junior where the CGI animation series will air on DEA Kids in Italy, Cape Verde, Vatican City, Switzerland, Montecarlo, Malta, and San Marino.

The series launched October 4 in Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome, and Principe. Beginning November 1, Care Bears Adventures in Care-a-Lot will also air on Canal Panda, along with four Care Bears specials. The licensee has also acquired rights to air the all-new AGP series Maryoku Yummy.

M&M’s and Star Wars

Mars Retail Group, a division of Mars, Incorporated, partnered with licensee CandyRific to develop a range of novelty candy items featuring characters from the Star Wars movies and the M&M’s characters. The novelties will be available January 2011 to all retail channels, including convenience, drug, grocery, and mass.