Summer breezes, sandy bays and sunny beaches… licensed properties once more define life in spring and summer. Why not challenge your children in a BOBBY CAR race around the lake? Too exhausting? So maybe you prefer sitting on your couch, cuddling a soft plush KiKANiNCHEN, and entering into Bella Sara’s online world with the secret Bella Sara code from your TCG? Again the world of licensing provides something for everyone. Lean back and enjoy your short trip to the German market. BRANDORA provides you with an excellent choice of interesting new trends and latest developments:

Kaufmann Neuheiten provides retail partners with more than 20 licensed properties
Kaufmann Neuheiten, the German distribution company, is based in Walddorfhäslach, Swabia, operates on an international level and sells world-famous characters like Angel Cat Sugar, Cars or Winnie the Pooh to more than 20 different countries including Brazil, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Kaufmann Neuheiten successfully introduced their new products on world-leading trade fairs like the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg and the KIND + JUGEND in Cologne. The company exclusively supplies retail partners including big names like REWE, Kaufland, EDEKA, Toys"R"Us, Baby One, Walz, ATU, Rofu, Spiele Max, REAL, and Migros - to mention just a few of their long-term partners. More than 15,000 packages have been sent to Germany and abroad. Over 200 containers have come from the Far East – representing a production volume of more than 650 tons of products and accessories. While the year 2011 was dedicated to the development of new products and package designs, in 2012 the way has been paved to expanding their company to the adjoining estates.

The popular red ride-on celebrates its 40th birthday!
From Munich in Bavaria g.l.a.m. manage and market licensing rights on a global scale. Their comprehensive portfolio covers a broad range of topics and provides countless opportunities for marketing across product categories. Now there’s news about BIG-BOBBY-CAR. There’s hardly anyone in Germany who doesn’t know about BOBBY-CAR, the classic red ride-on that is one of Germany’s most popular toys – for preschool children and beyond. In fact, the car enjoys an average awareness level of 98% - perceived popularity is much higher. What’s so special about BOBBY-CAR? Child-appropriate design, a virtually indestructible body, and high functionality. Three advantages that helped to make BOBBY-CAR bestselling ride-on toy of the world. Selling figures of more than 17 million vehicles provide clear evidence of world’s top-selling German children’s car – the one that prepares to celebrate its birthday in 2012. Since 2010 g.l.a.m. is responsible for the worldwide marketing of the popular children’s brand. For an ideal licensing the loveable ride-on cars have been transferred to a child-appropriate comic world. In an exciting and charming story Big Bobby, the fatherly friend of all Bobby Cars, and his young friends have exciting adventures in a bright and colourful comic world. First chapter of the licensing story is Little Bobby’s Garage. The style guide revolves around the workshop topic and builds upon popular children’s colours, motifs and symbols. The following partners already rely on the successful brand: edel Germany – audio books and albums with children’s songs, Global Labels – beddings and terrycloth items, Eugen Nussbaumer – children’s spectacles, Niermann Stand By – night lights and lamps, Simba – dolls’ accessories, Noris Spiele – board games, Eichhorn – wooden toys. Latest addition to the licensing family is the international pharmacy chain Drogerie Müller. Müller develops a full Beauty Baby range for the intended target-group. Products are scheduled for market launch at the end of March/ beginning of April 2012.

m4e: KiKANiNCHEN hops into the heart of everyone
KI.KA’s multimedia preschool brand stays in the fast lane. End of 2011 the website kikaninchen.de won the MOMMY Award as best preschool website. More than 2,200 mothers visited the European mothers’ website and voted in favour of the little blue rabbit. And, of course, its licensing programme continues to grow. The SIMBA DICKIE GROUP introduced new products at the International Toy Fair in Germany to extend their existing broad toy range – by adding a new functional soft toy and outdoor toys, amongst others. Also the publishing companies hop ahead. Already in March arsEdition release a number of new books including the “Mein großes Kikaninchen-Wimmelbuch” and Carlsen Company follows with eight mini books on KiKANiNCHEN and his friends in June. Universal Music Family Entertainment launch a first KiKANiNCHEN audio play in spring, followed by a compilation of songs from shows airing in the KiKANiNCHEN block in summer. The first ever KiKANiNCHEN branded textiles collection will hit the market in spring 2012. In more than 1,500 Ernsting’s Family shops mothers will find a choice of many beautiful items. What is more, p:os Handels GmbH will release tableware and accessories. A licensed calendar by KV&H Publishing is already in the pipeline for mid 2012.

Super RTL dives down into the ocean
Super RTL goes diving with the Octonauts. Not only young (and not-so-young) television viewers love the underwater show. Also in the internet the helpful marine biologists make a big splash: The dedicated Octonauts online world recently garnered 500,000 page views per month. This year the Octonauts surge ahead. Master toy partner Mattel will release licensed toys under their Fisher-Price label in cooperation with their exclusive pre-launch partner Toys“R“Us. Sony Music publishes first DVDs at the same time. From July the official Octonauts Magazine and several books by Ehapa hit the German market. Additional publishing partners are Panini and Schwager & Steinlein. Also Ravensburger goes on board – with games and puzzles. John, Geda Lables, and Klebefieber release sports & outdoor items, home & living products as well as gifts & novelties. What is more, the Octonauts extend their cooperation with Sea Life. Eight Sea Life Centres provide children with exclusive Octonauts logbooks as well as give-aways and stickers to every kids’ meal.

Disney’s Marvel stay on the road to success
Disney GSA is responsible for marketing Marvel’s full merchandising portfolio, including not only the classic properties, but also the movies like “The Amazing Spiderman”. The product portfolio covers all traditional categories, from toys to fashion, to stationery, home & food, through to health & beauty. Spiderman and the Avengers are Marvel’s most prominent properties and take centre stage at Walt Disney Company. For the first time, both properties enjoy special promotion activities at the POS – just like “Cars 2”. Products of high class, well-proven Marvel licensees are already in the pipeline, including items by Hasbro and Leomil. In addition, Walt Disney has successfully signed new great partners for Marvel licenses, e.g. Lego, Simba-Dickie, Herding (home textiles), VanDillen-Asiatex (home and fashion textiles) and many more.

Team! Licensing unleash the dinosaurs!
But fear not, they are just playing! Dino Dan is the ultimate live-action series for all those who want to learn more about the world of dinosaurs. Katarina Dietrich, CEO Team! Licensing, says: “I have always loved to work with dinosaurs. They are mystical creatures and you almost daily learn new fascinating facts about their life. The CGI-animated dinosaurs in brilliant colour are really one-of-a-kind. In my mind’s eye I can already see a comprehensive licensing programme of impressive Dino Dan products in the German market.”

Ravensburger is official licensee of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again as well as the The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The company is now EMEA licensee for 2D and 3D puzzles and card games. Warner Bros. Consumer Products signed an agreement with Ravensburger, Europe’s leading manufacturer of puzzles and games. The company is now official licensing partner for the upcoming movies The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, produced by New Line Cinema and MGM and the The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Ravensburger plans to develop licensed 2D and 3D puzzles and card games to the hit movies by Academy Award® winner and director Peter Jackson. Products to the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will hit retail shelves just in time for the theatrical release in December 2012; new licensed products and the movie The Hobbit: There and Back Again will follow in December 2013. The agreement also covers the The Lord of the Rings trilogy – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Ravensburger is not only Europe’s leading manufacturer of puzzles, games, and craft supplies, but also a leading publisher of children’s and youth books for German speaking territories.

Nici place their bet on a magical horse
Active Merchandising is happy to announce news about Bella Sara. As of 2012 NICI GmbH is responsible for distributing licensed trading cards and collectibles in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Since 2007 Bella Sara products have been available on the German market – but never achieved a real breakthrough. Now NICI is ready for take-off. The collectible “Chibis – your magical friends” are 2 cm high, soft mini figures displaying horses, magical friends and people. This year for the first time two series (spring and fall) will hit the German market. Each series is comprised of 24 collectibles: 12 horses and 12 magical friends.

idee+spiel present a brand-new, galactic “Star Wars” fan shop
The newly developed Star Wars selling concept appeals to the senses and was first introduced at the 2012 International Toy Fair in Nuremberg. On 20 linear metres of shelving and 35 square metres of floor space idee+spiel presented their members and suppliers a Star Wars branded shopping experience featuring branded elements, light effects, music, and videos. The new exhibition concept provides the perfect stage for all the different licensed Star Wars items. The unprecedented cross-category product range includes trading cards, action figurines, costumes, model kits, textiles/apparel, edible cake toppers, cookbooks, chess sets, alarm clocks, video games, DVDs, and high-tech lightsabres – to mention just a few. That’s how Paul Southern, Head of Licensing Lucasfilm, responded to the concept: “It’s amazing! We have to show this to George Lucas!” Paul actually flew from the US to Nuremberg only to get a picture of the Star Wars fan-shop exhibition.

News in a brief:

Celebrities Entertainment: Australian hard rock meets German Beer
The German beverage market gets “harder”. P:os Company will launch a 568 ml Pint Tin to the food&beverages market in German. Its content: Premium Pils, of course, in compliance with the German Beer Purity Law, featuring the AC/DC logo. Well, then: “Cheers!”

The Gruffalo comes to Germany
As of now Active Merchandising market the licensing rights to “The Gruffalo” in German-speaking territories. A gruffalo? What's a gruffalo? A gruffalo! Why, didn't you know? He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, And terrible teeth in his terrible jaw.

Der Tod und sein Pudel
Klaus Herding GmbH from Bocholt, Germany, first introduced their “Not Funny” bed linen collection to the public at the Heimtextil, the biggest international trade fair for home and contract textiles in Frankfurt, Germany. Now anyone can go to bed with Godfather Death. Nighty night!