Rebecca Sullivan reflects on Rubie’s Deerfield, Bugg Marketing Solutions’ 20th birthday, and the licensing journey that began long before the milestone. This tale begins where so many grand plans are formed: the Australian Toy Association’s Melbourne Toy Fair. The year is new and fresh, the exhaustion of the previous year has faded, and all we want to do is say, “Yes, we can make that work,” while catching up with our wider colleagues across the industry. And that is exactly what happened: I said yes to Tony Bugg, and now I sit at my desk, post-Book Week and heading into Halloween, trying to find the time to fulfil the “Yes, I can make that work!”
By way of introduction, I am Rebecca Sullivan, General Manager of Rubie’s Deerfield. I have been with Rubie’s for the past 12 years, first as Product Manager and, from 2020 — the year that was — as General Manager.
Earlier this year, Tony reached out to highlight two things: first, that he was preparing a 20th birthday edition of The Bugg Report to celebrate 20 years in the licensing industry; and second, that Rubie’s Deerfield — then known simply as Deerfield — had been a partner for those 20 years. Tony asked whether we could answer some questions about licensing in the ANZ market over that period.
We are always looking for growth, so I thought: why stop at 20 years? Why not take the readers of The Bugg Report back to where it all began for Rubie’s Deerfield — the 1980s? It was the era of neon colours, Walkmans and very tight denim; in many cases, double denim! Side note: we do have an amazing range of 80s costumes; should you ever need one, please reach out!
A Shared History
This article is a shared piece. I can speak to the past 12 years, but to tell the earlier story properly, I have leaned on one of Deerfield’s founders, John Warton, whose retail journey began in the 1970s with Venture Stores, an iconic Australian retailer that is no longer in operation.
In the mid-1970s, Venture was a groundbreaking pioneer of character licensing within Australia, when the “Life. Be In It” campaign transitioned from a government public health message into a massive commercial merchandising phenomenon. Remember “Norm”, the couch potato? At a time when character licensing was relatively new to the Australian market, he would become a homegrown success and a merchandising goldmine thanks to the foresight of Bob Lee.
Moving forward to the 1980s, the Gibson brothers — Jack, Pat and Peter — together with John Warton, first established Deerfield. I was recently shown a letter that had been typed on a typewriter. It was a reminder of how the business began and of the dedication, vision and entrepreneurial spirit that laid the foundation for what Deerfield has become today.
The letter was from John to Tony Gerard, who at the time worked for The Concept Workshop in Abbotsford. Dated 9 February 1987, the letter was headed “Costume Project”. In it, John outlined the state of play in developing a great idea put forward by Tony some months earlier: it involved pivoting Deerfield’s existing business model away from ladies’ fashion, where the company had built its business primarily by supplying clothing to the chain store known as Syndicate.
The letter outlined four main principles: to manufacture and distribute authentic licensed costumes, deliver high-quality design, ensure high-quality construction and achieve strong overall presentation at retail. From 1987 through to 2026, those same four principles remain at the heart of how Rubie’s Deerfield approaches every costume.
The First Big Wins
In 1987, Deerfield developed, manufactured and marketed its first range of superhero costumes under licence from Warner Bros and Marvel. What a combination for entering the ANZ retail market!
It was in 1989 that Deerfield enjoyed its first major win, selling 50,000 Batman costumes in a single year.
In 1991, Deerfield was awarded the Disney licence, and the first Disney costume went to market aligned with the release of The Little Mermaid. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also joined the portfolio that year and became Deerfield’s second craze, with 57,000 Turtles contributing to the company’s success.
In 1999, Deerfield celebrated its first award — clearly a case of good things coming to those who wait — when Toy & Hobby Retailer presented the company with the “Best Supplier of the Year” award.
As the years rolled by, there were wins with Power Rangers, Spider-Man, Barbie, Ghostbusters and many more. Until 22 years ago, Deerfield was still manufacturing locally in Melbourne, Australia.
The Past 20 Years
There is so much history to share about Rubie’s Deerfield, but we only have this spread — not the entire magazine — so let us return to the 20th celebration and what has happened across those two decades.
Twenty years ago, John’s two sons, Michael and Peter, joined the business. Both still work for the company today: Michael as CFO of Rubie’s Deerfield and Peter as Executive Director of Rubie’s International. Then, 13 years ago, another son and daughter, Joshua and Rachel, joined the Rubie’s Deerfield team.
In 2011, Deerfield joined forces with Rubie’s to become Rubie’s Deerfield. Rubie’s was the largest costume company in the world, and the relationship formed a new legacy. It also aligned beautifully with the same four principles that helped define the business from the beginning: authentic licensed costumes, high-quality design, high-quality construction and strong overall presentation at retail.
Looking Ahead
Looking at the brands we work with today, I am proud to say that we continue to partner with the brands that started it all: Disney, Warner Bros, Paramount and Mattel, while also embracing newly loved properties such as Bluey, Wednesday, Emma Memma and Ms Moni.
We have a rich history, and in all the years I’ve been part of this business, the journey hasn’t always been without its bumps. But that’s life, and those moments often make the successes even more meaningful. I sincerely hope we continue travelling this road together with our licensing and retail partners, facing the challenges and celebrating the victories in partnership.
To Tony, Jan and Matthew: congratulations on 20 years — a milestone that deserves the recognition of our industry. Cheers to the next 20!
This article also appeared in Edition 55 of The Bugg Report Magazine
Footnote: Jack Gibson passed away in July — he was always smiling and always wanted to know who your favourite character was and what size costume you needed. May we all take something from the way Jack lived. His warmth reminds us that a smile, a kind word, a moment of genuine connection and a costume can brighten someone’s day more than we may ever realise. Jack Gibson 29/06/1940 – 27/07/2026
