Merchantwise Licensing is a leading entertainment brand licensing and merchandising agency in Australia and New Zealand, representing some of the world’s best loved brands in digital & gaming, kids’ entertainment, film and television, icons & legends and music.
Merchantwise Licensing is part of the Merchantwise Group, a full-service brand agency headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with offices in Sydney and Paris.
Merchantwise Licensing shares a sneak peek at the latest news and upcoming entertainment properties for this year.
The best-selling video game of all time
Released in 2009 by Swedish developer Mojang, Minecraft is a game centred on breaking and placing blocks. Players can work together to create wonderful, imaginative things.
Minecraft is a cultural phenomenon and the best-selling video game of all time, selling over 176 million copies across all platforms. It is played by over 112 million monthly active players and is also the most watched game on Youtube.
BrandTrends research reveals that Minecraft is the most popular game brand in Australia for children up to 14 years. 39% of the player base are female and 44% are aged 8-17 years.
What started as a game has evolved into a true evergreen entertainment franchise, comprising of education, live events, products as well as a movie in the pipeline.
Mojang’s purpose is to build a better world through the power of play and inspire generations of game changers. To that end, it established The Block by Block Foundation, a non-profit organization empowering communities to transform neglected urban spaces into vibrant places that improve the quality of life for all.
Minecraft: Education Edition
A unique aspect of Minecraft is its strong education platform, embraced by teachers and parents alike. Minecraft: Education Edition is specially designed for schools, offering game-based learning for students from primary school through to higher education. Over 35 million teachers and students are licensed, across 115 countries.
For example,Australianstudents can now visit Mini Melbourne, a collaborative project between the Victorian Dept of Education and Training and the Metro Tunnel Project to build a virtual city of Melbourne in Minecraft: Education Edition.
Brand new games in 2020
Launching in April is Minecraft Dungeons – an action adventure game in the classic dungeon crawler style, offering new characters, environments and style of play within the Minecraft Universe.
2020 represents a watershed year for Minecraft. In addition to ongoing updates to the core game, there are two major new game releases hotly anticipated in the next few months.
Also attracting strong interest is Minecraft Earth – the new free-to-play mobile augmented reality game bringing Minecraft to the real world and taking gamers outside.
Live events & live streaming
Scheduled for September is Minecraft Festival, the game’s most ambitious live experience yet: a three-day celebration of all things Minecraft in Florida, USA. Enthusiasts can expect interactive exhibits, inclusive gameplay, fierce tournaments, intense live entertainment, exclusive merchandise, panels, and meet & greets with content creators and developers.
Minecon Live also returns in September. Filmed live and streamed to players throughout the world, Minecon is packed with juicy Minecraft news, content creators, and will include pre and post show bits, as well as on-demand community panels.
Global merchandising
Globally, enthusiasts spend over $A1 billion per year on Minecraft consumer products in categories including books and comics, toys, games, apparel, accessories, electronics, stationery, collectibles and home décor.
Minecraft down under
Now represented in Australia and New Zealand by Merchantwise Licensing, the Minecraft universe is set to significantly expand down under at retailers including EB Games, Big W, Target and The Warehouse.
The local program includes LEGO (construction toys); Mattel (action figures, playsets and roleplay); J!NX (plush and collectible toys distributed by Banter Toys); Funko (Pop Vinyl distributed by Ikon Collectibles); Zak! Australia (lunching, drinkware and home décor); Hardie Grant Egmont (publishing); Caprice (apparel, bags, footwear, accessories, bedding and towels).
Global fashion collaborations featuring in Australia and NZ include Havaianas and Happy Socks.
Other new local partners to be announced shortly.
Sonic Speeds into Cinemas, Delighting Fans
First released in 1991, Sonic is a $1 billion franchise and one of the most popular video game characters of all time.
Paramount Pictures released the first ever Sonic movie in cinemas in February 2020, achieving a stunning US$101M opening weekend at the global box office. Starring James Marsden and Jim Carrey, this fast and action-packed comedy is a hit for of all ages.
In Australia, the Sonic toy range is being distributed by Headstart into mass retailers and VR Distribution into independent toy retailers.
From July, new partner Kawada Japan, will launch a range of collectible Sonic pixel figurines globally.
A variety of other new Sonic licensees will be launching a range of new products in 2020, including showbags, gifts and novelties as well as broad range of apparel and accessories across multiple retailers.
Global footwear partner PUMA has given its RS-X³ sneaker two retro reinterpretations with help from Sonic The Hedgehog and the Rubik’s Cube brand. The silhouette was introduced in October this year and has already seen a number of iterations, such as the bold “Hot Coral” and “Lime Punch” offerings.
The new Sonic pair comes in black, mixing leather, suede and mesh together alongside the character’s archetype colour scheme of red and blue.
Looking ahead to 2021, the brand will celebrate its 30th anniversary with new video games, new game content, a music concert with special guests and a wide array of new licensing and merchandising partnerships.
PAC-MAN – Arcade legend celebrates 40 years
Created by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc video game designer Toru lwatani in 1980, PAC-MAN is regarded as one of the most popular and influential video games of all time. Its title character was the first original mascot, making gaming accessible to female audiences and becoming a huge licensing and merchandising success.
With global brand awareness of 98%, PAC-MAN is one of the most recognized brands on the planet. What started as an arcade game is now available on all platforms, including Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, iOS and Android, with over 110 million downloads.
PAC-MAN is a full brand franchise, extending beyond gaming into film, live events and activations, fashion and consumer products, advertising and promotions.
2020 marks the 40th anniversary of this pop culture phenomenon. Global celebrations include a new website, song, live events and merchandise.
In Australia, Bensons Trading will release a range of new products this year including the Pac-Man showbag, sound plush, gifts and novelties. Caprice Australia will launch men’s outerwear in Big W in April.
In April, retailer Best & Less will celebrate the 40th anniversary with an exclusive retro gaming retail activation. An extensive apparel range from Hotsprings will comprise of outerwear and sleepwear for the whole family – from toddlers to adults.
SPACE INVADERS – old school gaming at its finest
Space Invaders – the classic arcade video game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado – was first released in 1978 and instantly transformed video games into a global industry.
Now a pop culture icon and symbol of gaming, it is referenced in film and TV and features as part of video game and cultural exhibitions.
Space Invaders continues to be highly popular in the world of fashion collaborations and partnerships.
In April, retailer Best & Less will showcase an exclusive retro gaming themed collection with Space Invaders starring alongside PAC-MAN. The apparel range from Caprice comprises of t-shirts and sleepwear for kids and teens.
emotional. multicultural. official. joyful. iconic.
Emojis are the ultimate universal expressive language – over 6 billion are sent daily through messaging and social media platforms.
Inspired by this phenomenon, the emoji® company was founded in 2013, creating an iconic lifestyle brand with an unprecedented global popularity.
Today, the emoji trademark is registered in over 100 territories across up to 30 classes of goods and services. There are now more than 20,000 high vectorized icons are available for licensing.
emoji® has attracted more than 800 partners from all over the world, winning multiple awards.
In Australia and New Zealand, the brand continues to be popular with 15 licensing partners across a wide range categories, from fashion, publishing, automotive and homewares to food, beverage and promotions.
2020 will see the launch of new apparel ranges at Big W and The Warehouse. Scholastic has a popular publishing range in market, with an emojipedia to launch later in the year.
In 2019, the world’s first emoji® personalised license plates launched in Queensland and became an instant success, prompting an expansion of the range in 2020.
Also successful was the emoji® themed television advertising campaign for Wrigley’s Eclipse Mints, created by advertising agency Clemenger. The campaign will continue in Australia and parts of Asia in 2020. Other new products to launch in 2020 include cake decorations from Dr Oetker and limited edition emoji® coins from the Perth Mint.
XBOX SERIES X – the most powerful console ever
First released in 2001, Microsoft’s Xbox is one of the world’s leading game consoles. Top first party franchises on Xbox include Halo, Forza, Gears of War and Sea of Thieves.
Additionally, the popular Xbox Game Pass lets users access more than 100 high-quality console and PC games, for a single low monthly subscription price.
New console
Launching this holiday, the Xbox Series X will be the fastest and most powerful console ever, setting a new bar for gaming performance. Its unique industrial design delivers four times the processing power of the previous console.
With unmatched speed and compatibility, Xbox Series X will allow gamers to bring their Xbox gaming legacy – thousands of games from three generations and more – forward with them.
New gear
Inspired by the latest streetwear trends, the first ever range of Xbox licensed merchandise with Xbox Official Gear, launched globally online and via key specialty retailers in 2019. In Australia and New Zealand, the program launched exclusively at EB Games stores in November with a range of t-shirts, headwear, socks, drinkware, gifts and novelties.
A major expansion of the program is planned in 2020, with significant market activity planned around the launch of the new console this fall.
In addition to further expansion of the program at EB Games, the Xbox gear has now launched at mass market with a range of older boys and men’s outerwear and sleepwear available at Big W and other leading retailers via licensee Caprice. Other new products will include bags and backpacks, headwear and socks.
HALO INFINITE – The Master Chief returns
Halo has been synonymous with Xbox since day one, launching with the original Xbox in 2001, and since then becoming Xbox’s #1 exclusive franchise. It is the most recognized sci-fi video game franchise of all time, with the Master Chief transcending gaming and becoming a pop culture icon.
Halo is also a giant in the merchandising world, achieving over $US 1.7 billion in licensed product sales.
With a major new game release, TV show in development, and a robust merchandise program, the next few years are shaping up to be the biggest ever in the history of this 19 year global franchise.
In holiday 2020, The Master Chief returns in the highly anticipated next chapter of the Halo franchise, Halo Infinite, alongside the next-generation console, the Xbox Series X. The new release will redefine Halo with an epic Master Chief saga and dynamic, evolving multiplayer. The graphically stunning Halo Universe will showcase the unique capabilities of the new Xbox Series X.
Halo Infinite will also support more platforms than ever before, including the new Xbox Series X console, the entire Xbox One family of devices, and a wide range of PCs (and will be included with Xbox Game Pass for PC and console).
As Chris Lee, Studio Head of Halo Infinite, puts it, “By harnessing the power of our new Slipspace Engine and combining it with the power and promise of Xbox Series X, we plan to build the Halo game we’ve always dreamed of – and share it with even more players, competitors, adventurers, and creators than ever before.”
Also , in development, is the highly anticipated new TV series for Showtime, starring Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief.
Halo consumer products will ramp up with the launch of Halo Infinite and Xbox Series X. In Australia, a great new range of action figures from Wicked Cool Toys will be distributed by Banter Toys, alongside new NERF blasters from Hasbro, Mega Construx sets from Mattel and Funko pop vinyl distributed by Ikon Collectibles. A local range of outerwear, sleepwear, socks, underwear and headwear are also in development for specialty and mass market channels.
PARAMOUNT is a Hollywood icon and America’s second oldest studio known for its much-loved film classics and high-octane box office blockbusters. Paramount is a subsidiary of media giant Viacom.
Top Gun Maverick set to soar again
Top Gun Maverick sees Tom Cruise reprise one of his most iconic roles. After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.
The film is set for take-off in June 2020 and fans in Australia and New Zealand can expect a strong range of product at retail. Placement has been secured across all major retailers ahead of the movie release.
Master toy partner Mattel has developed a diecast range of vehicles and playsets to hit shelves for Toy Cat.
Dads can be especially excited this Father’s Day as both Big W and Best & Less have got him covered with a range of apparel, accessories, home and giftware.
Licensing Essentials will be launching a Top Gun showbag at the Royal Melbourne Show in time for the home entertainment release.
Get ready to RUMBLE!
From Paramount Animation comes an original story where monster wrestling is a global sport and humans are their biggest fans. In a world where monsters and humans co-exist, every town and city has one monster that represents them in the worldwide monster wrestling federation – more than a religion than a sport. When a small-town monster leaves to fight for the big city, one girl has to recruit the son of a wresting legend and train him to be the wrestler he could never be.
Paramount Pictures has partnered with WWE and key wrestlers will be participating in marketing and providing voice talent. Rumble releases in cinemas in April 2021. Master toy partner is Playmates, to be distributed in Australia by HeadStart. Local licensing opportunities now available for discussion.
Paramount Classics
With a library of some 3,300 films including Top Gun, The Godfather, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Grease, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Anchorman, Clueless and Mean Girls, Paramount is home to many of the world’s best loved classics.
In 2019, Australian lifestyle brand Peter Alexander launched its sixth Breakfast at Tiffany’s collection, with a stylish classic sleepwear range featuring iconic Holly Golightly imagery.
Cotton On continues to release a diverse range of kids, men’s and women’s apparel and accessories from multiple titles in the Paramount Classics library including Mean Girls, Clueless, Top Gun, Grease and the iconic Paramount Pictures logo.
MIRAMAX – Film favourites from Tarantino
Miramax is a leading film and television studio with a library of more than 700 motion pictures. The Miramax library holds some of the world’s most original and acclaimed independent films including films by Quentin Tarantino – Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol I & II, Jackie Brown and Dusk Till Dawn – as well as scores of commercially successful films such as Bad Santa, Sin City and the Scream, Scary Movie and Hellraiser franchises. Local licensing opportunities available now.
Disenchantment – Her Throne is Calling
DISENCHANTMENT is the new adult animated comedy series from the mind of Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons. The series takes place in the crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland and follows the adventures of a hard-drinking princess named Bean, her diminutive companion Elfo and her personal demon Luci. Along the way, the oddball trio encounter ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and lots of human fools.
The series currently streams worldwide on NETFLIX in 190 countries and 30 languages. The first 10 episodes launched in 2018, the next 10 launched in 2019 and Netflix will stream the next 10 episodes from September 2020. Licensing partners include, Funko, Bioworld, Kidrobot, Just Funky, Philcos, Bravado, Lowes, Level 52 Studios, Rizzoli and Caprice Australia. Jay Jays will launch Disenchantment apparel to coincide with the new season in September.
The Elf on the Shelf®: A Christmas Tradition is a fun-filled Christmas tradition that has captured the hearts of children everywhere who welcome home one of Santa’s Scout Elves each holiday season.
When a family adopts a Scout Elf™ (from a Santa-approved adoption centre), they receive the Scout Elf™, an artfully illustrated hardbound storybook and a keepsake box.
The magical Scout Elves help Santa manage his nice list by taking note of a family’s Christmas adventures and reporting back to Santa at the North Pole nightly. Each morning, the Scout Elf returns to its family and perches in a new spot, waiting for someone to spot them. Children love to wake up and race around the house to find their Scout Elf.
What started as a humble family tradition in 2011 has grown into a global phenomenon embraced by millions of families. With more than 17 million Scout Elves and Elf Pets adopted worldwide, the company currently has a footprint in 11 countries across 5 continents and has quickly expanded to offer books, games, activities, accessories, toys, and animated specials under The Elf on the Shelf® and Elf Pets® brand names. In addition, the company has acquired over 50 licensing partners and has established several prominent co-brand partnerships globally.
In Australia, The Elf on the Shelf® core range has been extremely popular at Myer Giftorium, Kmart and leading speciality and independent retailers, distributed by PMG Australia. Westfield has also embraced The Elf on the Shelf® with major live activations across 35 malls over the holiday period.
A local licensing program managed by Merchantwise Licensing is now in development to augment the core product range, to include apparel and accessories, costumes, tableware, novelty confectionery, publishing and more.
The Gruffalo comes to life in augmented reality
The Gruffalo is one of the world’s best-loved children’s literary creations. Since It was first published in 1999, the award-winning story about a little brown mouse in the deep dark wood has continued to delight children and adults the world over.
Created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo has become a modern classic spanning publishing, film, stage, theme parks, digital and merchandise.
Launched in Australia in 2019, the Gruffalo Spotters AR App and adventure trail has been featured at a variety of popular attractions including Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (Qld), Rippon Lea Garden Estate (Vic), Illawarra Fly and Wildlife Sydney Zoo (NSW), attracting over 30,000 families to date. Additional locations for 2020 will be announced soon.
Retailer Peter Alexander launched a fun and furry Gruffalo family sleepwear collection for book week in August 2019.
Throughout 2020, The Gruffalo’s Child Live stage show from CDP, will return to Australia from March with shows across the country.
Moon & Me – Sparkling new preschool
Moon and Me is a beautiful new preschool TV series created by Andy Davenport, the acclaimed creator of The Teletubbies and In The Night Garden which collectively generated over $5 billion in global merchandise sales.
Moon and Me is a landmark commission by the BBC, co-produced by Foundling Bird and Sutikki and distributed by 9 Story Distribution International.
Airing daily on ABC KIDS, the show is inspired by well-loved tales of toys that come to life when nobody is looking – made with stunning 3D animation and puppetry. Moon and Me is the highest rated series on Cbeebies and was recognised as a “hot property” by The NPD Group, Inc for 2019.
There are more than 35 licensees in the UK across a broad variety of categories including toys and games, publishing, apparel, homewares, stationery and FMCG.
Merchantwise Licensing is managing the marketing and licensing of Moon and Me in Australia and New Zealand. First publishing titles from Scholastic Australia are now available, with a further five titles to launch in 2020. A range of toys from Hunter Products is planned for release in September 2020 with other categories now available for licensing.
Introducing Kiri and Lou – Handmade in New Zealand
Merchantwise Licensing has been appointed to represent licensing and merchandising for Kiri and Lou, a gorgeous new stop-motion animation series for children 3–7 years, handmade in Christchurch New Zealand.
Kiri and Lou centres on the friendship between Kiri, a feisty little dinosaur, and Lou, a gentle and thoughtful creature, as they explore the world of feelings through laughter, song and outdoor adventure.
Original and imaginative, Kiri and Lou invites children to learn about empathy and how to get along, through warm-hearted and gently humorous storylines which are resonating with audiences of all ages.
The show is hand-crafted in paper and clay and created using traditional stop-motion animation from Antony Elworthy (Coraline, Corpse Bride, Isle of Dogs), the series is voiced by Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords, Moana, Rio) and Olivia Tennet (Lord of the Rings) and is written and directed by feature film director Harry Sinclair. It is produced by Fiona Copland for Stretchy and Heather Walker of Yowza Animation (Curious George, Welcome to the Wayne) with international sales handled by CAKE.
20 x 5-minute episodes have been released with a further 32 episodes coming throughout 2020. Kiri and Lou has broadcast on TVNZ since March 2019 and ABC Kids since June 2019. On ABC Kids, it airs daily at 8.05 am and is available for streaming on ABC iView.
In 2019, Kiri and Lou was selected for screening at Annecy in the TV Films in Competition category and recently won the Cynopsis Best of the Best Awards in New York. It is a finalist for the prestigious Prix Jeunesse International 2020.
The show is rolling out globally on the best preschool networks including Cbeebies (UK), CBC Canada, YLE in Finland, SVT in Sweden, Czech Television, Paka Paka in Argentina, EVision and BeIN in the Middle East and Showmax in Africa.
All licensing and merchandising opportunities, including master toy, publishing and stage show rights, are now available for discussion.
May Gibbs – Inspired by Nature
Iconic Australian author and illustrator May Gibbs continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of generations of Australians with her lovable bush characters, which hold a special place in the Australian consciousness.
Today, May Gibbs is a fashion and lifestyle brand inspired by the Australian bush with a unique licensing program of over 30 partners across publishing, fashion, homewares, toys, stationery and collectables. May Gibbs partners with leading Australian brands to bring the stories and characters to life for fans of all ages.
Myer Christmas Windows 2019
May Gibbs’ Gumnut Babies were the stars of the 2019 Myer Christmas windows in Melbourne and Brisbane. The famous annual event has been running in Melbourne for 64 years and attracts an estimated 1.4 million people. The handcrafted installation featured 136 Gumnut characters, 102 of which were animated. Gumnut Babies theming continued in-store and in the Myer Giftorium.
Publishing
Publishing is at the heart of the May Gibbs brand with May Gibbs’ original books, Gumnut Babies and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie never out of print for over 100 years.
Publishing partner Scholastic Australia has continued to expand its catalogue of licensed May Gibbs storybooks for children with May Gibbs becoming their third best-selling licensed property. In 2020, Scholastic Australia will also begin publishing a newly imagined range of May Gibbs classic stories, ensuring that every Australian child has the opportunity to experience these classic tales.
New product ranges and partnerships
A host of other products, partnerships and retail activations will continue throughout 2020.
The success of the May Gibbs by Ecology homewares collection has seen two collections released across tableware, napery, home decor and gardening over the past two years. A brand-new collection developed exclusively for Australia Post will launch in April 2020 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of release of The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.
Creative, high end Australian fashion brand Romance was Born continues to release exciting new capsule collections for women and men, uniquely showcasing the art of May Gibbs.
The partnership with Walnut Melbourne continues in 2020 with brand-new winter and summer collections. The collections will again feature May Gibbs illustrations on Walnut’s best-selling children’s canvas shoes and apparel.
In January 2020, May Gibbs launched at Cotton On with a range of apparel and pyjamas for babies and kids. The collection proved popular with many styles quickly selling out online and in stores. A second collection is in development for winter 2020.
A new outdoor stage show of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie is in development with NSW based theatre company, Eaton Gorge Theatre Company. First shows to premiere at Australian Botanic Gardens Mount Annan in July followed by Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney and Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens in October.
The brand continues to be supported with strong marketing and publicity campaigns, along with continued growth of the May Gibbs Official Online Store and social media communities.
Betty Boop – Forever Fabulous
Betty Boop knows how to make an impression. For almost 90 years, the glamourous international icon has sung, sashayed, and “boop-oop-a-dooped” past rules and conventions, unafraid to take risks or set trends. King Features has over 150+ licensees globally and has a highly engaged social media fanbase with over 1.6M+ follows. There have been a wide arrange of collaborations with high-end fashion brands including Lazy Oaf, Bathing Ape, Moschino, Undiz, Zac Posen, Bellerose and more.
In October 2019, Nordstrom debuted an exclusive Nike x Olivia Kim capsule collection starring Betty Boop. Another anniversary partnership was with skateboarding brand HUF for a line of hoodies, jackets, tees, socks and more including a Betty Boop x HUF skateboard deck.
Looking ahead for 2020, Betty Boop product launches in Australia include a sleepwear collection from Hot Springs, a collectible stamp pack from Australia Post and a new Pop! Vinyl from Funko.
Popeye – Strong To The Finish
Popeye is tough, he’s fit, and he’s got grit. He’s a rugged sailor who is always up to the challenge and never backs down. Popeye is the embodiment of strength, and inspires us all to work hard, be persistent, and be “strong to the finish” – with the help of a hefty amount of spinach. King Features manages over 150+ licensees around the world. Popeye has an engaged audience on social media with over 9.7M follows across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the official Popeye and Friends YouTube channel.
There have been successful collaborations with high-end fashion brands including HUF, Scotch & Soda, Bathing Ape, Filson, Stayreal, ZARA and more.
This month, a new collaboration with Popeye x Benetton launches with a limited-edition Popeye and Friends collection and also names Popeye the sailor man as its special environmental ambassador.
Phantom “Phundraising” for Bushfire Relief
ChronicleChamber and King Features have collaborated with the assistance and generosity of a wide variety of high-profile Phantom artists from around the globe, to publish a book of illustrations to “phundraise” for Australia’s bushfire relief, with 100% of net proceeds being donated to Red Cross Australia.
Phantom illustrators have illustrated a unique Phantom image linked in some way to the bushfire crisis and recovery efforts. Each artist can also sell/auction/raffle the original art as a further personal donation.
London Underground – Mind the Gap!
London attracts an astonishing 40 million tourists per year, including over 600,000 Australians. Aussies have a deep and abiding connection with London and the UK.
The London Underground network or the Tube, operated by Transport for London (TFL), has been an integral part of London’s history for over 150 years and transports 1.4 billion passengers per year.
The roundel is an iconic symbol for London and its transport system. The first roundel was created in 1908, originally known as the bar and circle. More than 110 years later, it is one of the most distinctive and recognisable symbols in the world. Station names such as Oxford Circus, Paddington, Kings Cross, Covent Garden, Wimbledon and Waterloo have been etched into our collective consciousness through pop culture, Hollywood movies and the classic Monopoly boardgame. TFL is quite simply ‘the London brand’.
TFL offers a thriving licensing and merchandising opportunity which currently boasts over 50 London Underground partners on-board across a wide variety of product categories. The extensive brand style guide includes over 150 years of assets including poster archive, iconic logos, photography, old ticket designs, seat fabric patterns and globally recognised roundels and tube maps. Licensing opportunities for TFL are now available for discussion in Australia and New Zealand.
Representing many of the world’s biggest names in music for Australia and New Zealand, Merchantwise Licensing is the go-to for band merchandising and licensing.
The Beatles – Let It Be – 50 years
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is working on a new Beatles Let It Be documentary, accessing 55 hours of never-before-seen footage and 140 hours of audio made available from their 1969 recording sessions.
Eager Beatlemaniacs can expect to learn more about Peter Jackson’s untitled Let It Be film, as well as the re-release of the original documentary classic, in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the album’s original release, which falls on 8 May 2020.
A wide variety of licensing partners continue to celebrate The Beatles in Australia and NZ with new product releases, including puzzles from Hinkler Books, gifts and novelties from Rubber Road, posters and wall art from Impact Rock and a new range of homewares and drinkware from Licensing Essentials featuring Yellow Submarine.
Cotton On’s partnership with The Beatles continues with ongoing ranges of apparel, sleepwear, accessories and gifting.
AC/DC – BACK IN BLACK 40th Anniversary
AC/DC formed in 1973 and has sold over 200 million albums worldwide. 1980’s Back In Black one of the highest-selling albums of all time, with 50 million copies sold – 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of this much revered classic.
AC/DC holds the record for the most tickets sold on an Australian tour by a local act and their music continues to be discovered by new audiences – their 10 biggest songs on Spotify have collectively had over 2.5 billion streams. The Thunderstruck video has been watched over 700 million times on YouTube. A recent article in the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun ranked AC/DC has the best Australian band of all time on its top 30 list.
A variety of AC/DC apparel, drinkware, gifts and accessories are available in the local market, with new licensing and promotional opportunities available for discussion.
MANHEAD roster now available in Australia and NZ for the first time
Merchantwise Licensing is pleased to be representing Manhead in Australia and NZ. Manhead is a worldwide merchandise company catering to the music and entertainment industry. For over twelve years Manhead has been one of the leading, independently owned music and entertainment merchandise companies specialising in touring, e-commerce, creative, retail and licensing merchandise.
Artists in the roster include Australia’s very own SIA, the B-52’s, Train, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, EELS and Panic! At The Disco.
Other Bands and Artists
Other great bands and artists available for licensing from Merchantwise include Britney Spears, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Wu Tang, Nirvana, the Foo Fighters and many more.
For licensing enquiries in Australia please visit Merchantwise Licensing
