Cartoon Network Enterprises is riding the runaway Adventure Time train to International Licensing Expo in Vegas this year. Pendleton Ward’s manic 2D comedy has proven a huge success for the network on-air, at retail and among fans of all ages, and the company is going into this year’s show bolstered by the existing L&M program lead by master licensees Jazwares (toys), D3Publisher (interactive), Penguin (publishing), Bioworld (apparel & accessories), Hallmark (stationery & paper goods) and Warner Home Video (home ent.)
CNE has recently signed a series of new licensing partners for the brand, including Huckleberry, which will create a line of Adventure Time Chara-Covers including Finn, Jake and BMO debuting at Comic-Con International this summer and available at retail this fall, and Just Funky which adds drinkware, mugs, cups, glasses and more debuting at specialty retailers now. CNE will also collaborate with Sprayground, the fashion and functional bag company, to create a series of bags and backpacks launching a capsule collection this holiday season. The brand will receive significant and widespread retail placement and support during this year’s busy holiday shopping season, including strong marketing support and promotions, a month-long feature shop at a major retailer, and more. Adventure Time will also receive maximum airtime on Cartoon Network throughout the year with new episodes and programming stunts, a strong on-site presence and promotion at fan events like Comic-Con International and Cartoon Network’s presence at Atlantis, and it will be included in its first-ever national QSR promotion in the first quarter of 2014. There will also be other surprises in store for fans later this year.
These activities will build on the brand’s high performing consumer products program, which includes over 50 domestic partners and over 100 around th world across all key categories, including:
Apparel & Accessories: Bentex/Dreamwave (swimwear), Bioworld (tees & fashion tops for kids; bags, headwear and accessories for kids and adults), Buckle Down (seatbelt-fashioned belts, keychains, suspenders), Changes (boys and YM tees), Mad Dog (sleepwear, underwear for kids), Mighty Fine (junior/tween tees, knit tops, fleece), Underboss-Undergirl (juniors/young men underwear, sleepwear, robes), High IntenCity (jewelry, hair, novelty), Hot Properties (magnets, key chains), Pan Oceanic (sunglasses), PS Brands/Planet Sox (kids/adults hosiery), ROXO (charm bracelets), Xtreme Time (kids/adults watches).
Toys & Games: This year’s product assortment from Jazwares’ Adventure Time line includes new figures, signature plush and role play items. Other new items: Funko POP! vinyl figures, USAopoly’s Monopoly: Adventure Time Collector’s Edition and Memory: Adventure Time Challenge, and an assortment of games and puzzles from Briarpatch.
Publishing: Master publisher Penguin has a line of popular books including MAD LIBS, activity titles and other formats; Boom! Studio’s kaBOOM! imprint offers a top-selling all-ages comic-book series; Abrams with release an Adventure Time Encyclopedia this summer and has further plans for next year.
Interactive: Following the success of last year’s Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?!! D3Publisher will release the brand’s first multi-player console game, Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! this fall for Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s PlayStation 3 and PC. Meemo also adds virtual goods across a variety of platforms.
Home Video: Complete first and second season sets hit Blu-ray and DVD recently through Warner Home Video, satisfying strong consumer demand. Episodic releases have included Fionna & Cake and Jake vs. Me-Mow among others.
Costumes: Spirit Halloween exclusively debuted the first ever line of Adventure Time costumes for kids and adults last year, and will expand no the line for 2013 with new costumes for fans of all ages including Lumpy Space Princess, Marceline the Vampire Queen, a Finn and Jake combo, and more. Rubies will also create a new series of costumes for kids available at retailers nationwide this fall.
Home Goods: The brand extends into home decor with partners York Wallcoverings, Northwest and Trends offering a series of wall decals and designs, throws and posters.
Also core to the success of Adventure Time is its roster of collaborations, which have driven new audience opportunities and allow for unique and creative product offerings. CNE is always actively searching partners with which to collaborate, and some existing partners include: Mimoco (collectible character-inspired USB drives); Mondo (limited-edition screen printed posters); Nooka (co-branded watches); Shirtpunch (limited-release t-shirts); Poketo (artist-created accessories); Threadless (apparel from artist community design contests); and Toddland (hoodies, fleece, sweatpants, socks and more).
