Expanded EMEA L&M Programs for Adventure Time, Gumball

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LONDON: Cartoon Network arrives at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) 2016 with a slate of new and proven brands such as Adventure Time and The Amazing World of Gumball, both of which have growing licensing programs in EMEA.

This year will see new The Amazing World of Gumball merchandise roll out in Spain, Portugal, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The Adventure Time EMEA licensing program, meanwhile, counts more than 100 licensees.

In Iberia, Simba, Play by Play, Comansi and Fournier recently released toy lines for The Amazing World of Gumball. In the publishing category, Norma launched a comic across Spain, and Devir and Goody recently released publishing ranges in Portugal. In the back-to-school category in Iberia, Karactermania released a line of bags and stationery, while new licensees Cife (stationery), Continente (accessories) and Erik Group (stationery) rolled out their first Gumball products.

In addition, El Corte Inglés is debuting a line of kids’ nightwear and apparel this fall/winter and Zippy recently introduced its boys’ apparel collection. Also new for 2016/2017 will be Astro Europa’s collection of accessories, while the FMCG category will kick off with an array of products from supermarket chains Continente and Dekora.

In Poland and Romania, fashion, homewares and back-to-school ranges for Gumball are launching this fall with more to come in 2017. In Romania, licensee Total Office launched its back-to-school Gumball range, and in Poland, LPP launched a line at Reserved Kids, while E Plus M unveiled its Gumball collection at Auchan. Verte recently debuted its stationery line and Carbotex launched bed linen products. Starting this month, The Amazing World of Gumball will also feature in Cartoon Network’s partnership with Perfetti Van Melle on its Fruitella confectionery product, which will be supported by digital, social media and in-store branding. In the themed-entertainment space, The Amazing World of Gumball has a strong presence in the dedicated Cartoon Network Zone at the IMG Worlds of Adventure in Dubai. Cartoon Network is also growing the brand’s presence in the digital space across social, online, games and apps.

Johanne Broadfield, the VP of Cartoon Network Enterprises EMEA, said, “The ratings for The Amazing World of Gumball and engagement across digital platforms continue to climb, with audiences of all ages being drawn to its fabulous characters, original style and extraordinary stories. It’s a brand with so much potential and we’re delighted to be kicking off the EMEA merchandise program and bringing the show’s much-loved aspects to life. We’re also excited to see Gumball come alive at IMG Worlds of Adventure; it’s a must-see, with retail sales exceeding expectations across all categories!”

Additionally, January 2017 will see Adventure Time expand its presence in the toy space through a global partnership with LEGO. The building set will feature eight popular characters, including Finn, Jake and Princess Bubblegum. Cartoon Network also inked a deal with sister-company Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment that recently saw Adventure Time introduced into the LEGO Dimensions video game.

Recent additions to the Adventure Time apparel program include Zara, which launched a global collection of T-shirts for boys aged 4 to 14. Spanish fashion label Desigual launched its first collection globally in March and is preparing to roll out its second collection for girls aged 4 to 14 this fall/winter. Retailers across EMEA that are on board the brand this year include Next, Primark and HMV in the U.K., C&A in Germany and El Corte Inglés in Spain.

In addition, Cartoon Network is extending its U.K. partnership with British footwear brand Dr. Martens. A fourth collection is launching for fall/winter. Dr. Martens will also launch an all-over multi-character print T-shirt and backpack. Other Adventure Time fashion partners across EMEA include TVOE (Russia); Springfield and Zippy (Spain and Portugal); Original Marines (Italy); LPP, House, Cropp, Sinsay, Reserved Kids, Smyk and e-retailer Mr Gugu (Central and Eastern Europe); and DeFacto (Turkey). The brand has also had success in the publishing, FMCG and themed-entertainment categories, and a virtual-reality mobile game recently launched, bringing the number of apps for the Adventure Time franchise to 12.

Broadfield added: “In a little over five years, Adventure Time has gone on an extraordinary and magical journey from an underground secret to a cult hit, and now is riding high as a true mass-market proposition. The scale of partners that are supporting the franchise is immense and this really demonstrates how it is appealing to a broader audience than ever—from boys, girls, tweens, teens and adults, everyone loves it.”