Gift Focus - Jan/Feb 2019 (Issue 111)

2019 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards open for entries Now in its fourth year, the 2019 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards will build on its reputation for rewarding excellence in brand-licensed merchandise and IP management, as well as retail execution. Brand Licensing Europe was quick to recommit as the headline sponsor of the B&LLAs, while trade body LIMA is also lending its support once again. “Brand Licensing Europe is proud to be returning as headline sponsor of the B&LLAs,” said Anna Knight, brand director of Brand Licensing Europe. “This is such an important part of the licensing industry, and these awards are integral to shining a spotlight on the innovation and creativity that these companies bring to the table time and time again. We’re really looking forward to seeing who gets shortlisted.” Kelvyn Gardner, MD of LIMA UK, added: “Brands continue their progress into the spotlight of the licensing business. Many licensees now look to corporate brands as opportunities in their own right, often building on an entertainment rights portfolio. This is further reflected in more and more brand marketers joining the LIMA family. Rewarding excellence in this field is a duty for all of us, encouraging more players and recognising quality, which is why LIMA enthusiastically supports the B&LLAs as the key event in the modern licensing calendar.” Other leading names that have already pledged their support as sponsors include Style Library, MDR Brand Management, National Geographic, Spring Fair and Autumn Fair and more. The winners will be unveiled on the 25 th April, 2019, in a London event attended by more than 425 retailers, licensees, brand owners and licensing representatives. The deadline for entrants is Wednesday 27 th February, 2019. Entrants will be judged by a panel of industry experts across a range of categories. Further information can be found on the dedicated B&LLAs website: brandlicensingawards.co.uk RHS partners with Heathcote & Ivory for beauty products The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced that Heathcote & Ivory has been appointed at the new RHS licensee for the toiletries category. The British brand will be responsible for the development, manufacture and distribution of bespoke beauty products and toiletries for the RHS. The first output from the partnership will be two bath and body collections, launching in spring 2019. The ranges will comprise gift sets of washes, lotions and creams for hand and body, as well as standalone shower gels, body lotions and hand creams, providing varied gift options for retailers. The first range, Flower Blooms by Daisy Garland, is traditional with a contemporary spin. The designs are based on artwork from the RHS Lindley Library, the world’s finest collection of botanical art. The botanically themed formulations use floral extracts of daisy and marigold. The second range, Tender Palm, is inspired by the famous Glasshouse at RHS Garden Wisley. Both packaging and formulations are inspired by the garden’s wealth of rare and exotic plants. The RHS name and logo will appear prominently on all products and packaging, alongside the Heathcote & Ivory logo. Both ranges will launch at retail in March 2019 and will be available for preview at Spring Fair. Heathcote & Ivory will be targeting leading department stores and garden centres with this new range. Cathy Snow, licensing manager at RHS, said: “The continuing success of the RHS brand in giftware is a tribute not just to the wide appeal of the brand but the excellence of our licensing partners. Heathcote & Ivory has done an amazing job of adapting the many positive associations of the brand to these two beautiful ranges, which will, I am sure, prove enormously popular at retail.” Poetic Brands brews up a new range based on Wychwood Beers Apparel specialist Poetic Brands has signed a new deal with Wychwood Brewery to develop a clothing range based around its beer brands, which include the famed Hobgoblin. The brewery is known for the fabulous artwork on its bottles and pump clips, inspired by the myths and legends surrounding the ancient Wychwood Forest that once dominated the landscape of the brewery’s Oxfordshire base. Hobgoblin – a strong and hearty ruby beer that has risen to popularity among drinkers – is one of the bestselling bottled beers in the UK. Other Wychwood brands include Goliath, Black Wych and Imperial Red, and the company’s beer is exported across the globe. The deal will see Poetic Brands using classic Wychwood imagery to create an adult clothing range that promises to have huge appeal for beer fans. “If there’s such a thing as a cult beer, Hobgoblin is it,” said Elliot Matthews of Poetic Brands. “It’s a drink that’s transcended the beer market to become a cultural phenomenon in its own right, and this gives us huge brand awareness to tap into with this brand-new apparel range.” 66 giftfocus hot property