… to see oranges, caterpillars, fighters, robots, princesses and more on stand F005

The Rocket Licensing team is back in its front row stand at BLE — and it’s bringing a portfolio that emphasises the strength of the Rocket offering. New brands, new deals and new announcements will greet visitors to stand F005, along with strong long-term performers and previews of future hits.

The Rocket portfolio ranges from classic names loved by children of all ages, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Dr Seuss, Olly The Little White Van and Princess Pearl, to iconic brands such as film classic Rocky and design classic the A-Z guides, future hits such as the new Robocop film, cheeky off-the-wall comedy in the shape of Mrs Brown’s Boys and the astonishingly successful digital hit Annoying Orange. All this and, of course, this year’s edition of the ever-popular Rocket Challenge, will greet visitors to what promises to be a lively stand F005.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Joester Loria Group, Global Master Licensing Agent for The World of Eric Carle, has appointed Rocket to build on the UK success of The World of Eric Carle brands with an initial focus on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the UK’s most read children’s book. Rocket will work with and coordinate the book’s big established licensee base and also build on The Very Hungry Caterpillar‘s position as a loved and trusted brand among children, parents and teachers. Expect to see a great deal of activity as new licensees, innovative new products and new categories draw on the unique look, style and appeal of the brand.

Annoying Orange
With more than one billion views on YouTube, Annoying Orange is the world’s most watched web series, and a hit on Facebook, Twitter, www.annoyingorange.com and Cartoon Network. Rocket represents this digital and TV phenomenon in the UK and Ireland, and is expecting to make some major announcements about the fast-moving licensing campaign at BLE. The weekly four-minute show is set in a kitchen where the show’s protagonist, a talking orange, assails other fruit, along with vegetables and kitchen tools, with his puns, jokes, comebacks and songs. It’s already a licensing hit in the US, and now Rocket Licensing is developing the UK and Ireland licensing campaign for a core 8-24-year-old market across a wide range of merchandise including toys and gifts, apparel, amusement plush, backpacks, headwear, housewares (notably kitchenware), apps, digital and physical games and, of course, novelty gifting and accessories.

Rocky
A classic MGM film name with a recognition factor that spans multiple generations, Rocky was a success from the moment it hit retail and still remains a strong seller among males from teens and tweens up, through Rocky-branded t-shirts, underwear, posters, arcade machines and — of course — robes.

Robocop
Released in August 2013, the new MGM version of the classic 1987 film Robocop promises to be the movie event of the summer, taking the wit and action of the original and adding 21st century technology — not to mention Gary Oldman and Samuel L Jackson. Rocket will be previewing its plans for the forthcoming film and also highlighting its ongoing campaign for the classic and still very popular 1980s original.

Dr Seuss
The Dr Seuss books and characters have been a hit with readers of all ages for over half a century. Led by the iconic Cat In The Hat the brand’s classic status has been reinforced by the continuing television, film and publishing success of Fox in Socks, The Lorax, The Grinch and many others. Apparel and dress-up are already enjoying a strong response from licensees and Rocket is building a presence across a number of other categories, emphasising both the fun and learning aspects of the Dr Seuss brand.

Princess Pearl
Only weeks before BLE the licensing campaign for Emma Thomson’s delightful new creation Princess Pearl has entered a major new phase with the long-awaited launch of five wonderful new books and the arrival in Marks & Spencer of a fabulous girls’ nightwear range. The excitement about the tales of Princess Pearl — an ordinary little girl who discovers a new identity in a secret and magical world under the sea — has been building ever since the appearance of the Princess Pearl range of Woodmansterne greeting cards, note cards and gift wrap in 2011. Now expansion of the nightwear range and licence awards for underwear and outerwear are planned, followed by home furnishing, duvet covers and then stationery, toys and gifts as the Princess Pearl brand expands — and more books are published — to meet demand.

Brown’s Boys
The cast and writers of the popular BBC One comedy and its hilarious central character Mrs Brown have already won awards, produced a million-selling DVD and a sell-out live tour and are starting work on a third series. Now Mrs Brown’s fame — and its popular one-liners — has extended to licensing via sound cards, print cards, t-shirts, posters, badges, tattoo packs, magnets, and massively successful iPhone soundboard apps. More licensee announcements are expected in the coming months.

Olly The Little White Van
Olly, a little white van with a huge personality, has been making a strong showing with pre-school viewers of CiTV since he debuted last year. The charming 52 x 5 minute animated series from Ideas at Work is voiced by the massively popular children’s television presenter, Justin Fletcher. A Hornby toy range and the first DVD from Abbey Home Media make their debut at retail in time for Christmas and the licensing base is expanding quickly, with activity and storybooks — and more — on their way in 2013.

A-Z guides
Instantly recognisable, stylish, trusted, iconic: the A-Z guides to London, British cities and Great Britain are a design classic. Geographers’ A-Z Map Company has this year launched one of Britain’s best-known brands into the licensed products arena in a campaign that builds on almost universal recognition and a positive response across a wide range of ages. Rocket Licensing will manage the campaign, which has a core target market of males and females over 30 but extends to young adults, gift purchasers and, of course, tourists of all ages.

Rob Wijeratna, Joint Managing Director of Rocket Licensing, says: “We’ve had yet another busy year and expect to reflect that in a lively BLE where we’ll be highlighting what we believe are some of the most exciting properties around. We’re very proud to be able to boast a portfolio that extends all the way from the classics of today to the hits of tomorrow and that has a presence across every possible format in today’s multi-platform world.”