Licensing briefs

New York — Distributor King Features Syndicate is launching an organic lifestyle-focused licensing campaign for its popular comic strip Mutts.

The campaign is designed to reflect the main messages of the comic strip — social responsibility, humor and the well-being and love of animals. The main characters are Mooch, an enigmatic cat, and his friend Earl, an easy-going Jack Russell Terrier, and they both will be featured in the licensing campaign.

King Features is seeking licensees in product categories such as holistic lifestyle, personal care and natural foods. The company is also looking for partners in infant apparel, home décor and textiles, among other categories.

Valencia, Calif. — The Baby Prodigy Co., creator of infant developmental products, will introduce several new characters at the Licensing Show this month: Emily the Elephant, Gisella the Giraffe and Kate the Kangaroo.

The company, whose DVDs and CDs are designed for children ages 0–3, is seeking licensees in several categories, including apparel and toys.

Los Angeles — Earthworks Entertainment has been picked to handle the U.S. licensing rights for the preschool property The Plonsters.

"The Plonsters" is a clay animation series that follows the adventures of three friendly monsters that can morph into any shape. The series has been on the air for more than 20 years, and is seen throughout Europe.

Earthworks will represent the television, home video and merchandise licensing rights in the United States. The agency is seeking partners in all key product categories.

New York — Big Tent Entertainment will unveil new developments for several of its properties at the Licensing Show here this month.

Big Tent plans to release details of its deal with Sulake Corp. to manage the North American marketing, promotional and licensing initiatives for Habbo Hotel, an Internet property targeting teens. Big Tent is seeking licensing partnerships in apparel, publishing, home entertainment and collectibles. The agency also will showcase an animation initiative at the show.

"Dragon," a children's book series about a young dragon, is scheduled to debut on U.S. television in fall 2006. Big Tent's licensing campaign for the preschool property includes toy, apparel and home décor. A publishing partner will be announced at the show.

Other brands include Miffy and Friends, which is moving into the infant world with apparel, bath, bedding, room décor and items; and Bananas in Pajamas, which is also expanding its licensing program.

The Koala Brothers, a preschool property featuring bear brothers Frank and Buster, has several licensed goods debuting this fall from companies such as Fisher-Price (toys), Thermos (lunch kits), Mattel, Random House Children's Books and Lion's Gate Home Video, among others.

Long Beach, Calif. — Geneon Entertainment will showcase several properties at this month's Licensing Show, including Viewtiful Joe, one of its new acquisitions, as well as Tetsujin 28, Jubei Chan 2 and fan favorites such as Trigun and Samurai Champloo.

Viewtiful Joe, based on the video game, is an action/comedic property. Geneon Entertainment plans to expand the property through licensed toys, action figures, clothing, publishing, electronics and more. The company is in talks with major children's television networks and programming blocks to secure broadcast distribution, and it plans to release the Viewtiful Joe series on DVD.

First airing in the United States in 1966 under the title "Gigantor," Tetsujin 28 is the story of a boy who operates a giant robot originally designed as a classified weapon developed during World War II. Product categories available for license are toys, apparel and accessories, publishing, housewares, food and beverage, gift and novelty, stationary and paper products and promotions.

Yagyu Jubei is back, but the legendary swordsman now inhabits the body of Jiyu Nanohana, an ordinary girl who has just moved to a new town and started going to a new school in modern Japan. The property's licensing program for Jubei Chan includes apparel and accessories, publishing, gift and novelty, stationary and paper goods.

The Trigun property, which follows the tale of a lone gunman, is available for licensing under the categories of apparel and accessories, publishing, gift and novelty, stationary and paper goods.

Los Angeles — Earthworks Entertainment will debut the initial episodes of its boys action-adventure series "Z-Force" at the Licensing Show this month.

Earthworks Brand Management, headed by industry executive Cathy Malatesta, is representing the property. The first two episodes of the 26-part half-hour animated series will be showcased at the show, Malatesta said.

Produced by Earthworks Entertainment and created by Earthworks CEO Peter Keefe, "Z-Force" revolves around the lives of 12 teens whose worlds are suddenly changed forever when they're chosen to carry on the heroic legacy of the Z-Force Power Animal champions from ancient ages.

Toronto — Nelvana will unveil its newest action brand, "Di-Gata Defenders," at the Licensing Show this month in New York.

The half-hour animated show follows four kids charged with returning order to the world. The action-adventure series targets children ages 6 to 11. Nelvana is in discussions with several master toy partners, and the company is looking to fill other categories at the show.

In addition to Di-Gata Defenders, Nelvana is bringing several other animated properties to the show: Jane and the Dragon tracks the adventures of a 12-year-old girl and her dragon; Grossology chronicles a pair of crime-solving siblings; and Pandalian is set in a world inhabited by pandas. Licensees are being sought for all key promotional and merchandising categories.

New York — Sony Pictures Consumer Products is kicking off licensing programs for a preschool series and two of its upcoming animated movies at Licensing Show here this month.

"It's a Big, Big World," which airs on PBS Kids, follows Snook, a giant tree sloth that lives with a group of diverse animals. The show is designed to encourage children to broaden their knowledge of geography, ecology, geology and cultural diversity.

Licensing opportunities are initially focused on categories such as interactive, toys and publishing. There are plans to expand the property's reach in the future.

"Open Season," Sony Pictures Animation's first feature film, is a comedy about a 900-pound domesticated Grizzly bear named Boog and a one-horned mule deer named Elliot. The two animals end up in the forest just a few days before hunting season.

The film is due out in September 2006, and the licensing program focuses on the characters of Boog and Elliot, along with secondary forest animals. The style guide has vibrant color palettes for boys and girls, and the property is being licensed across all key categories.

"Monster House," with a release date of July 2006, follows the adventures of three boys who learn that a neighborhood house is really a living monster. The movie is being made using performance capture animation. The licensing and merchandising program, which follows the movie's stylized look, will focus on key categories such as interactive, toys, games and publishing.

Calabasas, Calif. — Al Ovadia & Associates is bring three properties to this month's licensing show.

Huevocartoon.com is a Hispanic property aimed at people ages 12 to 24 in the United States. The site, which features quick-witted egg characters, offers e-cards, games and animated shorts. The licensing program will target plush, novelty and gift items, paper goods, backpacks, board games, electronics and more.

The Bernard property, based on animated shorts featuring a hairless polar bear, is seeking licensees in the categories of gifts, plush, paper goods, wireless content, apparel and accessories. The licensing and merchandising program for Khudayana, a mystical animated action series, will target all categories.

New York — Several characters from the Googles property plan to visit this month's Licensing Show here.

Stelor Productions created the Internet property as an alternative to superheroes, monsters and other edgy character brands. The Web site, which targets kids ages 3–12, features music and activities starring the fuzzy characters.

Stelor is seeking licensees in several key product areas. Products in development include a television show, books, apparel and accessories, toys, stationary, arts and crafts and more. Licensing opportunities include the Googles name and all of the characters: Oogle, Iggle, Oggle, Gooroo, GooBoo and GooLaLa.

Oogle, Oggle and Iggle will appear at the Licensing Show, where they will introduce Googles' updated Web site, which uses a new security system and cyber-safety features.