The Entertainment and Licensing division of Hasbro, Inc. has announced new licensing programs supporting global brands "G.I. JOE", and "TRANSFORMERS" across a variety of licensing categories with a focus on entertainment, fashion and sports as well as the first digital offerings coming out of Hasbro’s strategic licensing agreement with Electronic Arts Inc.
"Hasbro is pioneering the trend to extend classic and modern toy and board game properties to the entertainment sector," said Lisa Licht, general manager, Entertainment and Licensing, Hasbro.
"We are striking global, multi-year deals that allow our brands to live in worlds where consumers kick back, play and relax with movies, television, video games as well as sports. We’re also continuing to see an incredible demand for expressive fashion that helps define who you are, particularly in the area of graphic tees. Licensees and retailers alike have recognized that Hasbro’s unrivaled portfolio of properties provides the ultimate one-stop shopping solution to consumers’ insatiable appetite for pop culture infused apparel."
"TRANSFORMERS" has become a global phenomenon inspiring comic books, video games, animated series, films and a convention dedicated to collectors.
"...Excitement is already building for the next movie – TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN -- from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, due to hit theaters on June 26, 2009. With a cast of more than 250 licensees in 70 countries supporting the first blockbuster film release in 2007, Hasbro continues to expand the lineup of TRANSFORMERS licensed products that will come to market around the globe in conjunction with next year’s movie release.
Shifting gears to TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED, Hasbro is set to deliver a wide variety of licensed products supporting this brand in 2008 starting with an animated television programming series called TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED being jointly developed by Cartoon Network and Hasbro and co-produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Paramount Home Entertainment is also on board to release two TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED home DVDs this summer.
Rounding out the TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED adventure is a just-released series of four titles from HarperCollins and pending publishing deals with Titan Publishing Group in the UK and Hemma in France. IDW will also release four digest-sized comic books targeting the younger audience and American Greetings will develop both stickers and greeting cards to ship this fall.
In addition, Hasbro has signed and extended more than 30 U.S. and international deals for TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED apparel and footwear. Licensees including AME, Kids Headquarters and Fruit of the Loom will deliver a wide array of apparel to market in the U.S. just in time for back-to-school while licensees like Adventure Diffusion, Blues Clothing and Cooneen Textiles will bring to market highly stylized fashions throughout France, Italy, Ireland and the Nordic region.
Plans call for European print and publishing licensees to release a range of stationery, posters, books, party goods and gifts and greeting cards across multiple countries, including France and the UK. Hasbro also has agreements in principle pending contract or signed licenses with companies including Alpa, Pyramid Posters (UK) and Gemma International (UK). Under pending deals, Editions Hemma would create a publishing program for France, and Durabo would bring out gifts and stationery for the Benelux countries.
Hasbro has agreements in principle under pending contracts for TRANSFORMERS domestic and houseware products to be sold across Europe as well as in Greece and Israel, as well as other key markets..."
...Hasbro is enlisting licensees around the globe to rally behind one of the greatest boys properties of all time – G.I. JOE. With the live-action G.I. JOE movie from Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, due out August 7, 2009, several major licensing deals have already been signed and many more are underway to bring fans a wide selection of “everything G.I. JOE.”
Leading the publishing charge is IDW which will create an action-packed comic book series. IDW also has the rights to graphic novels. Under other pending deals, licensees will bring a number of G.I. JOE goods to market including graphic t-shirts, boys apparel, footwear, video games, electronics, children’s books, paper goods, room décor, social expressions, bikes, skateboards, and camping and fishing gear..."
Hasbro is noted as a worldwide leader in children's/family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games/toys ranging from traditional to high-tech...
