Cologne, Germany —  With The Smiley Company, SUPER RTL Licensing is now expanding its licensing portfolio to include the world-famous and historically grown brand around the smiling icon. In the early 1970s, Franklin Loufrani secured the trademark for the yellow laughing face, which has since developed from a cultural symbol for peace and activism into a lifestyle brand. In the almost 50 years since then, the original icon has always been part of music and pop culture, and with digitalization in the early 2000s, it became a universal language that knows no borders.

As a “Top 100 Global Licensing Company”, The Smiley Company can impress not only with its fascinating history but also with its over 420 licensees worldwide, its cooperation with leading retail partners and various collaborations in the fashion, accessories, home, food, stationery and entertainment sectors.

SUPER RTL Licensing is now acting as agency in the German-speaking market for the well-known and traditional brand, which appeals to both children and adults with its multi-faceted brand universe. While SmileyWorld® and The Smileys® are made for the target group of young children, Smiley originals® are aimed at teenagers and adults. NewMoji® plays an important role across all age groups and is based on digital icons used today and is inspired by animation and game trends.

“We are very excited to add the original Smiley icon to our brand portfolio. Smiley’s positive and optimistic message, which reminds us how powerful a smile can be, is a perfect fit for us. Smiley moves with the times and is constantly reinventing itself – with our expertise in content development and our marketing power, we will further increase brand appeal in the relevant target groups,” says SUPER RTL Chief Content & Revenue Officer Thorsten Braun.
“We have been building our brands in German-speaking countries directly for decades and managed to sign the best and biggest manufacturers and retailers, so I see it as a natural continuation to now sign with the biggest and best media group to take our brand portfolio to new heights and reach a wider audience with super positive contents that are much needed today”, says Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of The Smiley Company.

Long-term content and marketing measures and cross-media marketing by SUPER RTL to further strengthen the brand are already being developed. Various special promotions for Smiley’s 50th anniversary in 2022 will ensure even more visibility and attention.