Montclair, NJ — At this time of extraordinary crisis for the people of Ukraine, three veterans of the licensing industry are set to implement a plan of action that they hope will benefit as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

Peter Van Raalte, Woody Browne and Alan Gordon, founders of Browne, Gordon & Van Raalte, LLC, (BG&VR), have used their collective experience to create a timely fundraising concept: Putin-Free™ is the siren call for these times. “Though the creation of the concept came up during the last election cycle, it is even more relevant today,” says Peter Van Raalte. “Watching the devastation, we all wanted to help and realized our best efforts would come from what we know how to do best.”

As the news grows worse each day, the trio has fast-tracked the concept into a comprehensive licensing program and presented it to The Wildflower Group (TWG), which has become the Program’s initial licensee. TWG manages the full scope of e-commerce operations, builds online storefronts for product lines, and has the ability to print-on-demand domestically, so products can reach the market quickly. Putin-Free products are now available for purchase at www.putinfree.world and PUTIN-FREE™ X POPWILD (shoppopwild.com). TWG soft-launched the initial print-on-demand t-shirts and sweatshirts on April 4 and the program will be presented to potential licensees for retail distribution. On the apparel, $7 of each sale of a t-shirt or sweatshirt will be donated to the World Central Kitchen, while for stickers it will $1.  BG&VR will also be donating licensing profits from royalties to World Central Kitchen.

BG&VR is working with TWG to donate a portion of the sale of each item directly to World Central Kitchen. Customers will also have the option to make an additional donation during the purchase process. World Central Kitchen began serving meals 24 hours a day to fleeing Ukrainians in Southern Poland soon after the invasion started. They have now expanded to serve people across the region in Romania, Moldavia, and Hungary as well. They are also partnering with restaurants inside Ukraine to provide meals to those who remain in the country.

The initial launch will include tees, hoodies, and stickers. The team is also looking to increase donations by licensing the concept across other product groups and additional categories, according to Alan Gordon.  “We will be donating all licensing profits to World Central Kitchen for their help with the people of Ukraine and we’re encouraging each Licensee to make a direct donation from the sale of every licensed product as well to similar charities,” he says.

BROWNE, GORDON & VAN RAALTE

Founded in 2020, Browne, Gordon & Van Raalte is a Consulting Group providing analysis, strategic planning and go-to-market solutions for Licensors, Licensees and Service Providers. With over 100 combined years of industry leading experience, BG&VR assists consumer brands increase their shelf presence and sell through in today’s rapidly changing retail landscape. The company has worked on projects for property owners, studios, inventors and manufacturers in a variety of industries; all focused on marketing, licensing, and developing “best practice” foundations. Clients appreciate the three perspectives and value the fact that the trio has hands-on experience and problem-solving solutions. To learn more, visit https://bgvrllc.com/.

THE WILDFLOWER GROUP

The Wildflower Group (TWG) is an award-winning licensing and eCommerce service provider that works with some of the most well-respected brands in the U.S. to increase awareness through new products, retail platforms and markets. Founded in 2001, TWG has worked with hundreds of companies – including HBO, ESPN, Unilever, General Mills, Fanatics and Disney – to develop and manage comprehensive licensing and retail strategies. The company offers a full line of licensing and consulting services, including strategic partnership planning, licensing sales and marketing, creative, eCommerce operations, legal and finance support. TWG is headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, where its eCommerce fulfillment center is also located. To learn more visit http://www.thewildflowergroup.com/.

Contact:           For BG&VR: Ellie Bagli/ ebagli@gmail.com/ 201-953-1128

For TWG: Emma Perazzo / emma@thewildflowergroup.com / 201-519-9199