Join The Beatles, Fifty Shades of Grey, Moomin, Tetris and Horrid Henry at stand B085

What do The Beatles, Horrid Henry, Moomin, Tetris and Fifty Shades of Grey have in common? Every one of them has caused a sensation — whether in the world of music, children’s entertainment, publishing, online gaming or adult romance. Every one of these brands, new or classic, is massively successful and well known. And every one of them will be showcased at stand B085 at BLE 2012 by the award-winning boutique agency Caroline Mickler Ltd.

The Beatles
Caroline Mickler Ltd has been successfully implementing the UK brand licensing strategy for The Beatles on behalf of Apple Corps Ltd since 2003. This programme has brilliantly built on The Beatles as a design-led property, successfully taking the multiple associations of The Beatles brand into a large number of categories, ranging from jukeboxes and calendars to cushions and playing cards, and further extending those categories in the past year — to slippers, fashion bags and high-end heritage t-shirts. The campaign’s success among signings and at retail has also been recognised by the licensing industry as a whole: at the 2010 Licensing Awards, The Beatles took home the award for Best Celebrity Licensed Property and the brand has again been nominated in that category this year.

Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey™ is the Adult romance fiction megahit that has swept bestseller lists around the world. As master licensing agent, Caroline Mickler Ltd is building the licensing programme globally – both on a direct basis in the UK and through carefully selected agents internationally. Agency MD Caroline Mickler has already appointed CopCorp Licensing as the North American agent for the property. The main demographic for the brand is likely to be adult women, although male and female gift buyers are also seen as a strong market. Among the diverse categories being discussed by Caroline Mickler Ltd for licensing are lingerie/sleepwear, apparel, beauty products, bedding, home furnishings, stationery, jewellery and adult products. And licensing interest in Fifty Shades of Grey is very, very strong. It’s hardly surprising; as the books’ incredible sales continue to be boosted by media coverage and the recent sale of film rights, Fifty Shades of Grey has already become a household name brand with astonishingly high levels of awareness.

Moomin
The Moomins have been stars of books, cartoon strips, stage and screen for over half a century. Caroline Mickler Ltd’s strategy for the Moomin brand has brought a wide range of licensed product, including plush, stationery, cards, books for both adults and children, apparel, accessories, tableware, fashion bags, toiletries and fashion and lifestyle products to two target markets for whom the lovable, carefree trolls have a massive and enduring appeal: children and young adult women. As well as popular and award-winning products, the brand has inspired its own shop — The Moomin Shop, situated in London’s Covent Garden Market and officially opened by the Finnish ambassador to the UK late in 2011.

Tetris
For many people, Tetris created today’s video gaming industry. Even today it is a massive presence — online, on Facebook, on nearly every gaming platform worldwide and on mobile phones. And the images and logo behind this clever and highly addictive game are today classics in their own right. The Tetris name and instantly recognisable interlocking Tetris shapes have already been a driver for a wide range of merchandise in overseas markets. Apparel, giftware, calendars, houseware, furniture, dressing-up, puzzles, board games, plush and bed linen are just some of the categories that have made waves for the brand overseas. Now Caroline Mickler Limited is poised to repeat this success for the brand in the UK. The timing couldn’t be better as Tetris comes to BLE with an exciting new style guide that promises to raise the Tetris logo and those famous shapes to even greater heights of consumer appeal.

Horrid Henry
Horrid Henry, the animated TV show launched in 2006 is today the most popular programme ever to appear on CiTV. The mischievous and cheeky character is the star of the 3 times BAFTA-nominated TV series, which to date includes 156 episodes and can be seen in over 45 territories. DVD sales of the TV show are now in excess of 1.4 million units in the UK alone. Horrid Henry is the most successful children’s literary character after Harry Potter, with over 18 million books sold in the UK and copies available in 25 languages. His adventures to date include the lead role in the popular touring show 'Live and Horrid', a dedicated website, a successful children’s film, and even a hit album. And importantly for visitors to BLE, he is the focus of a fast-growing licensing campaign, already covering toys, video games, apparel, toiletries, stationery, partywear, dressing up costumes and iPhone apps.

Caroline Mickler says: “We come to this year’s BLE with a portfolio that demonstrates the versatility of this company and its ability to understand and position brands for a wide variety of markets. But it’s not just about diversity; it’s also about impact. We firmly believe that these are some of the most exciting brands on the market at the moment and we are sure many of the visitors to our stand throughout the show will be keen to be a part of that excitement.”