Character Options Limited’s Post

Exclusive: A big year for Hasbro Toy World caught up with Hasbro to talk about the milestone-filled year ahead and how the company will stand out in 2024. With Hasbro facing an exciting year of anniversaries, content releases and major new toy launches, Toy World caught up with Tim Kilpin, president of Toys, Licensing & Entertainment at Hasbro, to find out how the company is putting its franchise-first approach into action by bringing its hero brands to life in innovative new ways. In this Q&A from the June issue of Toy World, we asked Tim how Hasbro is shaping up this year so far. Here’s what he said: “This is a big year for us and very much one of celebration: we’re celebrating Peppa Pig’s 20th anniversary, Transformers’ 40th, Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th and Clue’s [Cluedo’s] 75th. These multi-generational franchises continue to hold huge resonance beyond toys, even today, meeting the needs of fans all over the world. Read more here: #toys #toynews #movies #peppa #transformers #anniversaries #dungeonsanddragons #hasbro

The Power Rangers are an iconic 90's property that has been kicked around a lot for the past 30 years. They were sold to Disney as part of the Fox Family deal (the rangers valued at $1.5 billion at the time), kind of underutilized under Disney and sold shortly after the Marvel acquisition back to Saban Entertainment for $43 million. Saban gave it a fair shake with a live action film and a few comeback attempts, but eventually sold it to Hasbro for $522 million in 2018, so much credit to Haim Saban for somehow making hundreds of millions selling the same property twice. Hasbro made their own Power Rangers action figures and merchandise for the last six years but must have wrung the property dry because they are now giving Playmates the master toy license. What does it say about the property that Hasbro would rather license out the rights than use their own resources to make product? It's not great, it means someone crunched the numbers and determined the margins making their own product was less than licensing out the property. While the fanbase for the property is strong, it's not huge and the original team holds more nostalgic value than the many versions of the team that came after. Hasbro has been coming under difficulties the past few years and trying to find out its identity. It dabbled with media with entertainment ONE, but sold it at a loss. Other than Transformers, they have had difficulty launching other franchises on the big screen. With recent moves, they are still keeping their identity as a toy company (their retail connections are way too strong), but it's clear they are really a brand management company first. This is a step to continue keeping Power Rangers in public view, which is better than killing or selling the property, but it's definitely a step back if one of the largest toy companies in the world does not want to make the toys anymore. Toy development also takes time, so it's going to take at least a year to get it started, this announcement comes a month before licensing expo and gives Playmates time to start soliciting for 2025. It also puts them both in a complicated situation, Power Rangers now has to fight for shelf space with their own licensor against Transformers, GI Joe, as well as Hasbro's licenses with Star Wars/Marvel. It makes for strange bedfellows. https://lnkd.in/e6bbBmWA

For more than 100 years, Hasbro has brought generations of kids, families and fans together for great play experiences. Its brands are much more than toys, spurring full franchises with in-person experiences, fashion, entertainment, digital games, music, publishing and promotions. The special Hasbro supplement, included as part of the jam-packed Autumn issue of Licensing Source Book takes a look at Hasbro’s stable of brands and learns how its franchise-first mindset is transforming business. Over the past year, Hasbro has dedicated a tremendous amount of time transforming its business to drive greater operational excellence and invest more in its winning brands, as Tim Kilpin, president of toys, board games, licensing and entertainment explains: “While the foundation of our business will always be toys, we are energised by a renewed focus on product innovation and expansion into new categories driven by consumer insights. It’s clear that a franchise-first mindset – with toy and game, licensing and entertainment team working cross-functionally alongside world-class partners – is vital to realise the full potential of our brands and exceed fan expectations.” Read the supplement online here: https://lnkd.in/ePJrZSR6 #Hasbro #LicensingSource Hasbro

Niantic, Inc., creator of Pokémon GO has announced a major partnership with the popular fast-food franchise, McDonald's’s in the US, adding PokéStops and Gyms to all 13,500 McDonald’s locations across the country. As part of this collaboration, Trainers will be able to visit Sponsored PokéStops or Gyms when visiting McDonald’s restaurants in the US to encounter Pokémon attracted by Lure Modules and participate in five-star raids. Full story: https://lnkd.in/gQFFjt4T

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has established itself as a cinematic powerhouse, with the first two films collectively grossing over $707 million globally. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 alone earned $405 million, while the first film reached $302 million worldwide.    With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 expected to exceed expectations, this is a prime opportunity for brands to align with an iconic, high-grossing series that continues to captivate audiences worldwide. With a production budget of $122 million, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to further elevate the franchise, which has already earned over $819 million globally.    Now is the time for your brand to be a part of this global phenomenon. Align your brand with Sonic's immense popularity and engage millions of fans—seize the opportunity before it's too late! Call us @7519736709 and feature your brand at the best spot. #SonicTheHedgehog #Sonic3 #BrandPartnership #MovieMarketing #GlobalCinema #SonicFans #EpicEvent

With the third instalment of Deadpool’s franchise out in the cinemas and already outperforming its predecessors (currently sitting at a whopping $840 million in box office without merchandise), we dive into the genius of #DeadpoolandWolverine marketing strategy and why it is setting new benchmarks in movie marketing: 🌟Star power fully engaged - Showcasing the charismatic personalities of Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds integrating their real-life humour and charm into their social media content gives the fans a personal connection with them. 📱Platform mastery - Leveraging Instagram and X with high-impact visuals and witty content to engage with different audiences (from comic fans to cinemagoers). 🫱🏻🫲🏽Strategic partnerships - Collaborating with brands like Odeon Cinemas where exclusive Deadpool & Wolverine merchandise is sold. These partnerships expand the reach and enhance fan experiences, making each step of the journey memorable. A masterclass in leveraging Pop Culture clout! 💥Creative campaigns - From hilarious billboards to social media stunts, Deadpool and Wolverine have kept everyone entertained even before the movie hit the cinemas. Bold, edgy and unapologetic. Deadpool and Wolverine’s humour stood out in such a crowded market. What other marketing lessons can we learn from this franchise? #Marketing #Deadpool #DeadpoolandWolverine

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has established itself as a cinematic powerhouse, with the first two films collectively grossing over $707 million globally. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 alone earned $405 million, while the first film reached $302 million worldwide.    With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 expected to exceed expectations, this is a prime opportunity for brands to align with an iconic, high-grossing series that continues to captivate audiences worldwide. With a production budget of $122 million, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to further elevate the franchise, which has already earned over $819 million globally.    Now is the time for your brand to be a part of this global phenomenon. Align your brand with Sonic's immense popularity and engage millions of fans—seize the opportunity before it's too late! Call us @7519736709 and feature your brand at the best spot. #SonicTheHedgehog #Sonic3 #BrandPartnership #MovieMarketing #GlobalCinema #SonicFans #EpicEvent

Sequels and prequels and reboots... Oh, my! The #Hollywood suits would rather lean on proven brands such as #KungFuPanda, #Godzilla and #Ghostbusters than invest in anything fresh and challenging. With the latest #PlanetOfTheApes and #MadMax installments coming out and "#DeadpoolAndWolverine" on the horizon, Michael writes about franchise fatigue in #TheVoiceOfSanFrancisco:

We're excited to be partnering with the LEGO Group to bring FOUR popular LEGO franchises to our world-leading YouTube network! LEGO® Friends, LEGO® City, LEGO® NINJAGO®, and LEGO® DREAMZzz™ are rolling out on WildBrain’s YouTube hub channels in multiple languages, marking the first time LEGO’s content is distributed outside of their own YouTube channels. 📺 Once fully rolled out, the LEGO content will reach approximately 57 million subscribers across a group of WildBrain channels that enjoy an average monthly watch time of around 5 billion minutes. Read the full release: https://bit.ly/4gilmDF.

When you think "pop," what brand do you think of? What about when you think of superhero franchises? If you're like most people, you think of Coca-Cola. And you think of Marvel. So who better to partner up for an innovative AR experience with collectible cans? Not to mention the chance to win Disney and Marvel prizes. We've seen brands partner with movie/show franchises before, and it's always exciting for fans, but this AR experience is taking it to another level! With 38 different designs possible to collect, there's certainly no shortage for consumers. I can definitely see this influencing future marketing campaigns, especially collaborations, in a big way! #Marvel #Coke #Marketing #AR