Search Results for: toys r us

Award-Winning Toy Company World of EPI Reveals New Name – The Dr. Lisa Company

Dr. Lisa Williams, a pioneer and leader in manufacturing authentic multicultural dolls and a 2023 Toy of the Year Finalist for Champion of Diversity and Inclusion, announced the rebranding and structure of her company from World of EPI to The Dr. Lisa Company. The new name reflects the company’s strategic approach in continuing its mission with multicultural representation of dolls and accessories while expanding into baby and juvenile, animation, publishing, licensing, and more. “When I founded World of EPI 20 years ago my mission was to inspire children to see their beauty, brilliance, and power reflected back to them and to foster imagination during positive play,” Williams said. “Representation matters, and through this expansion, we are heightening our role in a multitude of areas where I know we can continue to make a difference. “And on a more personal level, our hope is that The Dr. Lisa Company inspires current and future entrepreneurs, as well as others to truly follow their dreams.”

Litzky PR Announces Transition of Leadership – Michele Litzky Retires and Josslynne Welch Becomes Sole Proprietor

Litzky Public Relations (LPR), an award-winning communications agency renowned for connecting brands with kids and families, celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2023. The milestone year will also begin the agency’s next chapter as Founder and CEO Michele Litzky announces her retirement and the agency’s President, Josslynne Welch, who has managed agency operations since 2018, becomes sole proprietor. “When I started LPR, I had an education from some of the best in the toy business and a love of the industry that remains today,” said Michele Litzky, founder of the agency that continues to bear her name. “As I move into my next chapter, I’m leaving my firm in the most capable hands I know, with Josslynne Welch. Her diversification into other business sectors that service kids and families and her continued commitment to the toy industry makes me equally proud and excited to see where she’s taking LPR next.”

Littlest Pet Shop Kicks Off Massive Global Relaunch with New Experience on Roblox

Littlest Pet Shop, one of the most well-known collectible toy brands in history, will be marking its long-anticipated return to retail with an immersive digital play experience on the global immersive platform for communication and connection – Roblox. The brand-new pet simulation experience, which will launch worldwide in December 2023, is a joint collaboration between Littlest Pet Shop Master Toy licensee, Basic Fun!, a leading global marketer of toys and consumer products, Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), a leading toy and game company, and Suit Up Games, a Roblox development studio specializing in high-engagement branded experiences for young audiences.

WildBrain CPLG and Sega Score More Super-Charged Licensing Partnerships for Sonic Prime

WildBrain CPLG, a world-leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agency, and SEGA of America, Inc (“SEGA”), have built on the ever-growing global fandom of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with another wave of new licensing partnerships for the hit Netflix series, Sonic Prime. The new partners follow the recent launch of Sonic Prime’s highly anticipated second season on Netflix July 2023, which launched as a top-ten show in 25 countries worldwide and saw 14.7 million hours viewed in its first two weeks. Maarten Weck, EVP & MD at WildBrain CPLG, said: “Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the hottest entertainment brands in the world today, and its popularity amongst global audiences continues to soar. For our hugely popular Netflix series, Sonic Prime, we’ve signed another wave of cross-category licensing deals, in collaboration with SEGA, building on the expansive slate announced earlier this year. The innovative and creative range of products for Sonic Prime has already begun to delight fans at retail, and there are many more to come this fall and winter and into 2024.”

Three Founders of Spin Master Inducted Into Toy Association Hall of Fame

Spin Master’s three founders, Anton Rabie, Ronnen Harary and Ben Varadi are being inducted into the US Toy Association Hall of Fame at the end of September 2023, and will be the first founders of a Canadian company to receive this incredible honor. Fresh from graduating Western University, they first established their foothold in the toy manufacturing industry with a novel introduction called Earth Buddy. With $10,000 of their own money they made the item and with its initial success started a now almost 30-year history of producing hit toys including Bakugan, PAW Patrol and Hatchimals. The company now includes three creative centers spanning toys, entertainment and digital games and is one of the top 5 toy manufacturers globally.

Voting Now Open for the 2023 Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards

Finalists for the prestigious 2023 TAGIE Awards have been announced by People of Play (POP). The TAGIEs, now in its 16th year, honor the most innovative inventors, designers, suppliers, retailers, marketers and PR teams in the toy and game industry. Public voting starts Thursday, September 21 and ends on October 20, 2023. Visit the TAGIE Awards 2023 Finalist page to learn about the finalists and cast your vote. Winners in nine categories will receive their TAGIE Awards 2023 trophies on November 3, 2023, in front of a live audience of their peers at Joe’s Live Concert Venue.

The Jim Henson Company Names MGA Entertainment Master Toy Licensee for ‘Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock’

The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more than 65 years and recognized as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics, and digital animation, has named MGA Entertainment (MGA), one of the largest and fastest growing privately held toy and entertainment companies in the world, the master toy licensee for its Emmy-winning series Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, currently available exclusively on Apple TV+, in a multi-year agreement. The two-year global agreement includes toys as well as opportunities to sub-license Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and the classic Fraggle Rock IP to MGA brand Little Tikes and into other product categories.

WildBrain CPLG Expands Peanuts’ Global Licensing Program

WildBrain CPLG, one of the world’s leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agencies, is expanding the consumer products offering for the beloved character brand Peanuts with the signing of new and expanded partnerships across the globe. WildBrain CPLG represents licensing for Peanuts on behalf of Peanuts Worldwide across Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC) and India. WildBrain CPLG’s licensing activity builds on the growing offering of popular Peanuts content produced by WildBrain for Apple TV+. The latest family special, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, debuted on the platform in August, and a third season of The Snoopy Show premiered in June. Additionally, the brand new series, Camp Snoopy, and the new special, Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin, are both slated to launch in 2024.

Toikido Partners with Panini Group to Launch Piñata Smashlings Collectables in Global Markets

Fast-growing entertainment company, Toikido, has joined forces with international brand leader for sticker and trading card collectables, Panini Group, to roll out new Piñata Smashlings collectables on an international scale. The first IP to be developed in house by Toikido, Piñata Smashlings is on-track to becoming one of 2023’s most exciting children’s brands, having attracted over 1.3 million users to its immersive Roblox game within its first month of launch. Established in 1961, the Panini Group develops and launches over 1,000 sticker and trading card collectable products each year and boasts a long track-record of working with household names like Marvel, Disney, and Barbie.