JCP Picks Up Sonic Merchandising Rights

HILVERSUM, August 11: JCP
(Jetix Consumer Products), the licensing division of Jetix Europe, has been
tapped to manage the merchandising rights to SEGA’s classic Sonic The
Hedgehog video game character for a number
of product categories across Europe.

JCP is managing the property in
France, the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Israel, and will
be showcasing it at the upcoming Brand Licensing Show.

This June marked the official
15th anniversary of Sonic The Hedgehog.
The focus of the licensing program will be to develop retro Sonic The
Hedgehog product for the 15- to 30-year-old
fans of the original games. Key categories will be apparel and housewares as
well as gift lines such as stationary sets, bags and watches. JCP will also be
collaborating with Archie Comics in the U.S.—the original publishers of
the Sonic comics—for a publishing program.

The merchandise rollout begins
in the U.K. with T-shirts from Trademark Products that will be available this
fall in gaming and music stores.