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Angry Birds – Rovio Entertainment (IMG)
Angry Birds brand continued to grow its licensing program while being a global franchise powerhouse and one of the most lucrative licensing properties in the mobile gaming industry. In 2022, the first slingshot game in seven years, Angry Birds Journey, launched and won several awards for its marketing efforts. Angry Birds mobile games continue to have millions of daily players and the brand also celebrated a game collaboration with Minecraft. During the year, Angry Birds’ YouTube channel had close to 800 million views and the first long-form series launched on Netflix. The brand focused on positive messaging such as encouraging an active lifestyle for children with Venum and raising awareness for oceans with Popeye and the SeaCleaners. LBE is a strong pillar for Angry Birds with 10 branded locations and over 1,400 interactive experiences available in over 70 countries, the latest being a hyper-immersive gaming experience with Immersive Gamebox.
Bored of Directors – NFIP Holdings (Brand Central)
Bored of Directors (BoD) is a premiere collective of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFTs. BoD owner, NFIP Holdings, in conjunction with its exclusive licensing agency, Brand Central, launched Bored of Directors to great industry fanfare. BoD created a diverse style guide that pushed beyond apes and into lifestyle. BoD built their eCommerce platform with over 700 SKUs.
In 2022, Bored of Directors launched a global program with the help of its nine international agents spanning the U.K., Europe, Latin America, South Africa, South Korea, China, Australia, and New Zealand. With the help of its 24 licensees globally, BoD has broken the mold in NFT licensing with leading licensees like Bioworld (apparel, U.S.), LIDS (retailer, U.S.), Poetic Brands (apparel, U.K.), Creas (golf collaboration, South Korea) and more. Bored of Directors merch can be found in retailers such as Walmart, Fred Meyer, Target Australia, Fashion Nova, LIDS, and more.
emoji- The Iconic Brand – emoji company GmbH (Retail Monster)
The emoji company is the owner of the registered emoji trademark in up to 45 classes for goods and services in more than 150 countries around the world. The emoji company’s extensive rights portfolio covers more than 1,000 trademarks and more than 25,000 emoji brand icons and designs protected under copyright laws and available for legal licensing and merchandising, promotions and events, entertainment services, and marketing campaigns.
Official partners of the emoji company include more than 1,200 world famous global license partners, including Sony Pictures Animation, PUMA, L’Oreal, Ferrero, Unilever, Burger King, Zara, The Hershey Company, Walmart, Danone, Nikon, Fuji, Nestlé, Lidl, Kellogg’s, Danone, Nikon, Aldi, Pepsico, Miss Sixty, the BBC, and C&A, amongst many others. The emoji company is on position #57 of the Top 150 Global Licensors and the emoji brand is one of the most influential universal lifestyle brands of all time.
Five Nights at Freddy’s – Scottgames (Striker Entertainment)
Five Night’s at Freddy’s celebrated its 8th anniversary in 2022 and achieved a milestone of $1 billion in aggregate retail sales within six years of launching CP. The newly released video game, Security Breach, exceeded sales expectations. 2022 saw a significant lift in sales at all channels of retail and there are over 30 licensees globally. Scholastic has sold over nine million books worldwide to date, with every title a NYT Best Seller.
Funko saw impressive growth with their expanding line of toys and collectibles, including the first promoted launch of their Snaps line. FNAF did three times the percentage of business with Walmart than the Funko average. With similar retail performance experienced in EMEA and LATAM, the property is exhibiting year-over-year growth. With billions of views on TikTok and YouTube, the franchise continues to be a viral sensation.
Minecraft – Microsoft (CAA Brand Management)
Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time! Minecraft has translated the game’s success and identity in their global licensing program, offering products to delight players of all ages and inspire a generation of game changers.
With their global, 100+ licensee strong licensing program—including toys with LEGO, Mattel, Moose Toys, Hasbro, and Panini; apparel with Fashion UK, Bioworld, and Caprice Australia; global DTRs with Uniqlo; and collabs with Burberry, Lacoste, and Puma—Minecraft ensures they offer everything their loyal players want. Minecraft also celebrates its franchise events at retail to be even closer to its fans, with gaming weeks at Primark as well as retail activations at Big W, Smyth’s Toys (U.K., Germany), AEON (Japan), C&A (BR, MX) and many more!
Sonic the Hedgehog – SEGA
Sonic the Hedgehog continues to be one of the hottest entertainment properties, exciting a wide demographic spanning kids, teens, young adults, and original fans! Split nearly 50/50 boys and girls, with a balanced mix of age and ethnicity, Sonic reaches all walks of life worldwide. 2022 was another massive year for Sonic. The Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie was the #1 opening worldwide, Sonic Prime became the #1 show on Netflix worldwide, and Sonic was the #1 branded game on Roblox. Sonic Consumer Products saw double-digit growth and expanded into new categories and placements at retail. LATAM and Europe grew by double-digits, and both regions are expected to grow in 2023.
