A promising new option for holiday gift shopping has arrived with the launch of a new online store from LAIKA at shop.laika.com, featuring a wide range of items inspired by its Oscar-nominated films Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link. The shop debuted timed to National Black Cat Day (Friday, October 27), celebrating with a furry flurry of new items featuring the charming “Cat” character from Coraline (2009), voiced by Keith David.
“Bringing an exclusive and expanded merchandise collection deeply rooted in craftsmanship and inspired storytelling is a central focus for LAIKA,” said David Burke, LAIKA’s Chief Marketing & Operations Officer. “This expansion is a seamless extension of our licensing efforts, and a direct response to demand from LAIKA’s devoted fandom.”
Over the years, LAIKA studio-exclusive merchandise has been made available to fans at the studio’s live events and experiences, including exhibits at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle (ongoing), Museum of the Moving Image in New York (just concluded); LAIKA LIVE at Comic Con (2017-18), the Portland Art Museum (2017) and at Universal Studios Hollywood (2016).
Now, the e-commerce launch allows fans everywhere to peruse a wide array of exclusive, curated, newly minted items across multiple categories including apparel, plush, posters, jewelry, artwork, puzzles, and lifestyle items, many developed based on direct consumer feedback. In response to fan demand, international shipping is available for these products for the first time.
“We’ve taken a fresh look at both our product lineup and the site experience,” said Lauren Delgado, Digital Marketing Manager. “Our hope with the new LAIKA Shop is to provide fans with beautiful, quality and iconic LAIKA merchandise, and a site that offers a deeper brand experience while enriching the stories of the films they love.”
Notable items include a new, studio-exclusive pressing of the Coraline Soundtrack vinyl record, a Cat plush doll with poseable neck and tail for creative display, a line of apparel featuring the distinctive outline of LAIKA’s logo, and many products sourced from Portland-based small businesses including paint-by-number kits, candles and jewelry.
The shop website also shares behind-the-scenes facts about LAIKA’s films hidden behind interactive “buttons” (a nod to both Coraline and the handcrafted nature of LAIKA’s films and products).
The enduring popularity of Coraline 14 years after the Neil Gaiman story came to animated life on screen, directed by Henry Selick, is reflected by the number of products now available to fans. LAIKA notes that the #Coraline hashtag on TikTok has amassed 10 billion total views, with over 500,000 posts using the tag. Coraline’s theatrical return this past August was the highest-grossing Fathom Events re-release of all-time at $7.4 million. On all four days, the stop-motion fantasy delivered the highest per-screen average of any film, surpassing Barbie and Oppenheimer.
To build up the online store collection, LAIKA turned to stalwart partners such as Moleskine, Pendleton and Mondo as well as teaming up with small, craft-focused businesses based in the studio’s hometown of Portland, Oregon. LAIKA’s next feature film, Wildwood is also set in Portland, and is currently in production at the studio’s 400,000 square foot facility just outside Stumptown.
Brand partners based in Portland include:
- All Burn Wax (candles & sprays)
- Amy Wing Designs (jewelry)
- Elle Crée (paint-by-number kits)
- Grafletics (tees & hats)
- Little Shop of Pins (enamel pins)
- Oregon Screen Impressions (apparel)
- Pendleton (textiles)
- Sock It To Me (socks)
These local wares are offered alongside goods from Birch Robot, Blue Kazoo, Moleskine, Mondo and SNAP Creative.
