Gift Focus - Nov/Dec 2019 (Issue 116)

94 Tradestock is delighted to announce that it’s entered into a distribution agreement with Dutch company Wegter Consumenten B.V. which manufacture and distribute the licensed collection of Laura Ashley tableware. Tradestock managing director Keith Nye says, “Like Tradestock, Wegter is a family-owned business with an ethos for outstanding customer service and exceptional products. We’re delighted to have this opportunity to add the renowned and distinguished Laura Ashley brand to our portfolio. These Laura Ashley tableware collections and accessories are a perfect addition to Tradestock’s portfolio,” continues Keith. “Perfectly complementing our other brands, which include glassware and tabletop accessories, thus enabling us to provide all-encompassing and complementary china, glass and tabletop offering.” This sentiment was reinforced by Frans Wegter of Wegter Consumenten saying, “We too are delighted about this collaboration of two like-minded businesses and look forward to working with Tradestock.” With a history spanning more than 40 years, the instantly recognisable work of Aardman has become as synonymous for its Britishness. Now three of the studio’s most beloved characters being Wallace, Gromit, and Shaun the Sheep are set to be immortalised in a new range of pot feet by Jardinopia. This is part of an exclusive global licensing deal, helping the characters to find a new home and fan base amongst a nation of gardeners. The Jardinopia/Aardman ranges of characters undertaking gardening will be officially unveiled to the market at Glee 2019. The perfect accompaniment to A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon – the second Shaun the Sheep feature which hit UK cinemas in October. The year 2019 also marks the 30 th anniversary since Wallace & Gromit first appeared on our screens in A Grand Day Out. Jardinopia’s Tony Barnett, said, “We’ve had such great success with our generic Potty Feet™ ranges that we felt now was a good time to investigate the licensing route to market. Aardman was an obvious first choice for us. As a fellow south west-based company, and one that has brought joy to millions of homes, we knew the fit was right.” Rob Goodchild, head of licensing at Aardman, added, “It’s great to be working with independent, creative businesses such as Jardinopia as we look to extend our licensing programmes in the home and garden categories. We hope these products will bring a smile to the faces of Aardman fans everywhere.” NEW LICENSEES JOIN TRADESTOCK Potty Feet licensed range Penguin Ventures, which is in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products, has been announced as the lead UK licensing partners for Peter Rabbit 2 – the sequel to 2018 box office success Peter Rabbit, from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation. The new movie will see the return of Peter, his sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail and cousin Benjamin, as they embark on a high-energy adventure, meeting some new characters along the way. The first Peter Rabbit movie grossed over £268M at the global box office in 2018. Penguin Ventures, acting on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd, Beatrix Potter’s original publisher and the home of Peter Rabbit and the Beatrix Potter™ brand, is delighted to have secured high calibre licensees in key product categories for the upcoming film. Lindsay Pearl, softlines category manager for Penguin Ventures, says, “We’re thrilled to have signed so many great licensees at this stage and we’re looking forward to catching up with our international agents and licensing partners at Licensing Expo and meeting new licensees for Peter Rabbit 2 .” Together with Sony Pictures UK, Penguin Ventures will be collaborating with Cadbury for a second time. This is to launch a high-calibre licensing campaign and unmissable in-store activations in key accounts across the UK to support the launch of the film. EXCITING COLLABORATIONS AHEAD OF PETER RABBIT 2 BLUEPRINT COLLECTIONS NEW COLLABORATION WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Blueprint Collections, which designs, develops and sells quality licensed stationery, bags, accessories and gifts, has announced that it’s to produce a range of National Geographic children’s stationery bags and gift items for the UK market. A wide range of useful, decorative and fun items in this collection includes notebooks, pencils, sticky notes, pencil cases, backpacks, keyrings, umbrellas and more. All the items in the range will use minimal packaging and where possible, either make reduced use of plastics or use recyclable materials. This is in line with National Geographic’s multi-year effort to raise awareness about the global single-use plastic crisis. The design of the range is inspired by several themes that National Geographic has been expanding throughout its consumer products for children during 2019. This includes Amazing Animals, STEM and Space, and Explorers in Training. The National Geographic logo and packaging style is used across the range.  Arriving at retail in February 2020, items are aimed at primary school children and gift-givers.