Video game properties took center stage at this month’s Brand Licensing Europe in London, with multiple publishers and developers promoting their plans. At the same time, major entertainment companies increasingly are reaching back into their vaults with plans to refresh and relaunch franchises for new audiences.

Those looking backward for some of their licensing efforts include Warner Bros. Consumer Products – for such properties as Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry – and 20th Century Fox. Meanwhile, Universal Brand Development opened a “U-Vault” program in courting retailers and licensees with classics such as Jaws, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Back to the Future and others.

Blasts from the videogame past were also in evidence. Activision’s Crash Bandicoot is getting a new consumer products push to coincide with a revamped version of the game for Playstation 4. Meanwhile, Paramount is developing a feature film based on Sega’s classic character.

“I think many of these companies are looking at their own gene pool for inspiration,” says Warner Bros.’ Paul Bufton. “Why should we go outside and buy some else’s IP when we have some classic properties internally with decades of content and heritage?”

Rather than short-term efforts for one-off success, the IP owners were laying out multi-year marketing plans for their properties. What appears to be different from previous attempts to cash in on retro and vintage trends is each of the companies, be it toymakers, filmmakers, animation studios or videogames companies, are readying long-range plans for the properties rather than seeking short-term gains from the IP of the moment, say industry executives.

Ubisoft and Activision both have established studios to focus on bring their games to the big screen. The videogames companies’ content development arms are working more closely than in the past with the sales, marketing and licensing groups. Those disparate operations are, in the words of Activision’s Tim Kilpin, “getting closer” to operating in lock step. Activision is readying plans for a movie based on its mega-hit “Call of Duty” franchise, while Ubisoft is developing one based on its game “The Division;” the film is scheduled for release in 2018, says Ubisoft’s Claire Besson.

Videogames companies, like their film studio counterparts, also are increasingly attuned to development cycles for a consumer products program, making assets available to the licensing group’s 12-14 months in advance of a title’s release, a much longer lead time than in the past, say industry executives.

That comes as consumers more deeply engage with the titles. “Five years ago all consumer experiences were title-based and people would play a game for a week and be done with it,” says Kilpin. “Now with the digital business model, people will come into that ecosystem and stay for a course of years. That gives us an opportunity to bring the games to life on a regular basis, and as new characters come into them, that sets merchandise triggers and gives retailers a reason to make a statement.”

That statement is tied to videogames companies realizing the value of their brands and the fact many of those playing the titles are the much-coveted millennial consumers, says industry executives.

“Over the years videogames companies viewed licensing as a race to the low-end of the market,” says Bulldog Licensing’s Rob Corney, whose firm has represents Electronic Arts in licensing. “More recently they have recognized that if they controlled their brand, they could extend it into areas that will build your franchise.”

Among other developments at BLE:

• Activision Blizzard Entertainment will initially handle product development and merchandising for the new Overwatch eSports League, but plans to have a licensing program in place in 2018, says Kilpin.  The initial collection will focus on apparel and accessories tied to each of the league’s 12 teams, which start play on Jan. 10. “Over time the licensing will be broad-based but at the start we will go with something that allows fans to show their affinity and become part of the process” of building a league, says Kilpin. Activision also will handle merchandise sales inside the new Blizzard Arena Los Angeles where all of the league’s games will be played the first year. The league will feature a six-month season of weekend matches, culminating with a championship in July. Activision is seeking licensees that are “comfortable with the speed and flexibility” of sports merchandising, says Kilpin.

• Toy companies Mattel and Jazwares are readying new outbound licensing programs. Jazwares is expanding its business representing brands, handling licensing for USP Studios’ “Bob the Train” and “Farmees” animated YouTube shows. At the same time, USP is developing animated content for Panda-a-Panda, among the first brands to emerge from Jazware’s JazWings product incubator program. Panda-a-Panda, a comic book series developed by Hong Kong-based artist Siuhak, is initially being marketed by Jazwings with plush toys sold through Toys R Us. Jazwares also has launched sales of licensed Tube Heroes products, based on YouTube personalities, through Target with licensee Parliament (costumes) and Walmart with Bioworld (t-shirts). Meanwhile, Mattel is readying a new licensing effort behind the “Thomas & Friends Big World, Big Adventures” animated series that launches in 2018 with 26, 11-minute episodes produced by Mattel Creations. About 10 licensees have signed agreements, including Egmont (books, magazines) and Signature Gifts (books) and Finsbury Foods (celebration cakes).

• Build-A-Bear is expanding its outbound licensing business via an anime-style Kabu bear character. The retail chain, working with artist Han Lee, initially created five Kabu characters that will appear on Build-A-Bear plush toys to be sold through its stores in second half 2018 and licensed for apparel, stationery and other categories, says Brand Activation Consulting’s Bob Traub, whose firm handles licensing in the U.S. The plush toys and other licensed goods will be merchandised in Kabu displays in Build-A-Bear stores, says Traub. Licensing Link represents Build-A-Bear in the UK, where it has 63 locations.

• The Pink Panther and Felix the Cat are being revived in fashion. Zara is carrying designer Mimi Wade’s seven-piece Pink Panther collection that includes infant and toddler jeans, denim jackets and sweaters. It debuted during London Fashion Week earlier this year. The collection helped revive a brand that had largely been confined to cookie tins in the UK in recent years, says Steve Manning of CPLG, which represents Pink Panther. Similarly, Dutch retailer Scotch & Soda is readying a 42-piece Felix the Cat mens, womens, boys and girls DTR collection for launch late this month at its stores and in department stores, says Manning. It’s Scotch & Soda’s first licensed collection. The design firm Fyodor & Golan also fielded a Felix the Cat collection earlier this year.

• National Geographic, having opened a 60,000-sq.-ft. Ocean Encounter discovery center with licensee SRI Partners this month near New York’s Times Square, is readying a second installation in China. Licensee IP2Entertainment plans to open one of similar size in May 2018, says National Geographic’s Rosa Zeegers.  Meanwhile, National Geographic also has a new licensing program for PhotoArk, a collection of wildlife photographer Joel Sartore pictures of endangered species that are targeted for apparel. The clothing will come with hang tags featuring a photo and description of the animal.

Contacts:

Bioworld, Jennifer Staley, VP Licensing, 972-812-2813, jennifers@bioworld.com

Brand Activation Consulting, Bob Traub, 973-607-1660, btraub@brandac.com

Build-A-Bear, Jennifer Kretchmar, Chief Merchandising Officer, 314-423-8000, Jennifer@buildabear.com

Bulldog Licensing, Rob Corney, Group Managing Dir., +44 20 8325 5455, robc@bulldog.com

CPLG, Victoria Whellans, Senior Business Development Mgr.-Brands, +44 20 8563 6121, Victoria.whellans@cplg.com

Jazwares, Sam Ferguson, Senior Dir. Licensing & Retail, +442035980270

National Geographic, Rosa Zeegers, EVP Consumer Products and Experiences, 202-791-1435, rosa.zeegers@natgeo.com

Ubisoft, Claire Besson, Licensing Coordinator, +33 6 77 57 59, Claire.besson@ubisoft.com

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Paul Bufton, VP Licensing & Business Development EMEA, +44 20 7984 5152, paul.bufton@warnerbros.com