Under focus: Spain and Portugal

It is not very much of a surprise to realise that both Spain and Portugal are deeply involved in the current economic crisis. It isn’t worth going into whether the UK or Italy are in better shape than Spain and Portugal because this doesn’t help Spain or Portugal solve their own problems. Last Christmas’s campaign, according to NPD (National Purchase Diary), was the worst for many years and some market areas are still suffering decreases of between 20 and 40 per cent. All of this is against a background of more than 5 million unemployed. That said, “experts” believe that in 2013 Spain and Portugal might start to grow, just a little bit, so we are holding onto this hope in order to keep working. It seems very much to be a time for very “safe” properties.

Biplano

As Guillem Rey, Marketing Manager for Biplano explained, “Portugal is under EU control and is going back to long-forgotten scenarios. Spain is trying to avoid this, but it is not yet done. Spain is now basing most of its opportunities on exporting to the rest of the world, in particular France and Germany, so part of our success will be based on the success of the rest of EU.” However, Bipalno is a gainer because of the excellent market response to the Smurfs, The Penguins of Madagascar and the eternal Betty Boop, in addition to the classics, reveals Rey.

Chupa Chups

The Chupa Chups brand, which belongs to Italian confectionery group, Perfetti Van Melle, has an awareness of over 90 per cent in its top markets. It is present in 150 countries and during 2011 it increased its international sales by 12 per cent.

However, it was 15 years ago, when the company took up a new challenge and entered into partnerships with leading companies in other sectors to extend the magic and brand values of Chupa Chups to new products on the wish list of its consumers.

This year, Chupa Chups Licensing will also explore opportunities close to the core business of the brand - within the food and beverage categories. In this respect, the brand has already developed a test with Unilever to create eye-catching lollipop packaging for its ice cream offering for kids topped off with three real lollipops inside.

BRB Internacional

BRB Internacional is celebrating its 40th birthday as a licensing and merchandising agency this year, making it one of the longest standing companies in this sector within the Iberian Peninsula.

BRB’s catalogue continues to grow. For example, Adventure Time, the Turner CN Enterprises’ property, as well as Geronimo Stilton, from Atlantyca, have been added to the list of licenses that BRB manages in Spain and Portugal. Likewise, other properties recently incorporated are also continuing to grow such as Invizimals, from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, or Dibo, from Ocon Animation Studios, and Kambu, from BRB itself. The latter two of these are based on series that TVE’s Clan station premiered in open broadcast format this spring.

Warner Bros

For Warner Bros Consumer Products, Spain & Portugal’s strategy in 2012 is focused on continuing to develop its classic brands and new contents, as well as consolidating its foothold in the world of distribution and retail. It will also continue to partner with companies that are world leaders through its licenses.

WBCP’s priority brands for 2012 are Batman, The Hobbit, Looney Tunes Show and Thundercats, properties that are accompanied by major premieres in the cinema and on television.  This year, June has seen the grand opening of the third part of Batman, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, by Christopher Nolan, and in December 2012, the sequel to the biggest trilogy box-office success in the history of the cinema ‘The Lord of the Rings’ will debut on the big screen – ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.’ The film is directed by Peter Jackson, based on the JRR Tolkien novel.

Among the companies licensed by WBCP that have been inspired by these films to create their product collections are names such as Mattel, master toy for the Batman license; Lego; Zara (Grupo Inditex); Springfield; Indeca; Knight Models; Rubie’s; Dis Dos; Forcover; Espadas y Sables or Ediciones Laberinto, among many others.

TCNE

Turner Cartoon Network Enterprises are currently working with a strong portfolio of properties including Ben 10, Bakugan and Generator X, all of which are performing well on Boing in Spain.

El Corte Ingles launched an apparel range last winter for Generator X and have recently launched a new range for spring and summer with further collections scheduled for autumn and winter.

In line with the expansion of Turner’s pre-school business, they are focusing on very strategic licensing partnerships for LazyTown – the property that advocates healthy lifestyles to children – that will bring long-term value to the brand. LazyTown is also drawing-in a large audience on Boing in the region.

Mar Romera, Territory Manager for Turner CN Enterprises Spain and Portugal, believes that there is a definite trend and need to incentivise purchases at retail.

Edebe

Edebe now have three art-based licenses within Spain and Portugal and their programme comprises Catalina Estrada, Charuca and El Pez.

Elastic Rights

Elastic Rights have recently been granted merchandising and licensing rights for Famosa’s Pinypon in Spain and Portugal. Famosa, a leading Spanish toy manufacturer, owns a number of brands including Nancy, Nenuco, Barriguitas and Pinypon, a classic mini doll created by Famosa which became a hit during the 70s and 80s and was reborn in 2009 with a new brand strategy.

In three years, Pinypon shared the top growth position with Hasbro within the mini doll category not only in Spain but also in France and Italy.

Today, Pinypon is being extended into a long-term licensing programme with a broad portfolio of licensed products.

Hasbro

Hasbro Global Brand Licensing and Publishing, the licensing-out division of Hasbro, started operations in Iberia in late 2010 with a portfolio of over 1600 brands. Hasbro Studios are producing animation for four of their top brands, including Transformers and My Little Pony which are being delivered to Boing in Spain for broadcasting. Additional brands currently in Hasbro’s Spanish portfolio include Playskool, My Little Pony, Nerf, Littlest Pet Shop, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and Subbuteo, Action Man or GI Joe and Battleship.

Finally Hasbro Spain will be re-launching Furby with a major marketing and publicity campaign.

Enjoy

Enjoy, the brand and fashion licensing agency in Spain, is working with a number of local brands including Devota & Lomba, Angel Schlesser, Roberto Torretta and Amaya Arzuago. In addition, they are representing their first international fashion brand – Marie Claire.

In terms of their fashion brands, Enjoy has developed retail, loyalty and marketing promotional programmes with the brands and key licensees.

FC Barcelona

The Nike Clubs and Federations department manages the licensing rights of a number of leading football clubs including, of course, Manchester United Football Club, FC Barcelona, Juventus and Turin.

In terms of Spain, in July, 2002, Nike and FC Barcelona joined forces to create FCB Merchandising (FCBM) to exclusively manage the Barça brand licensing and retail rights worldwide. The objective was to elevate the Barça brand globally by offering access both domestically and, of course, internationally.

Jelly Jamm

Spanish production and distribution company Vodka Capital has finalised a series of strategic licensing and merchandising deals for its hit musical comedy series Jelly Jamm as the licensing activities move into full gear in 2012.

Building on a set of international PayTV and FreeTV broadcasting partners which have taken Jelly Jamm into kids’ home in over 150 countries, Vodka Capital’s  agents -  which include El Ocho in Spain and Portugal in Mexico - have been setting up deals for the popular animated series.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest is an agency devoted to brand management, distribution and licensing internationally with a focus on Europe and Latin America.

Amongst the company’s key properties are those from Kotoc, one of Spain’s fastest-growing 3D animation producers. The properties include Laland, and Sendokai Champions.

Nottingham Forest also represents Mouk, a French property which was originally a book and has recently made the leap to the small screen (Disney Channel). Nottingham Forest handles the licensing programme for Mouk in Spain and Portugal.

Luk International

Barcelona-based Luk have a number of properties in their portfolio including Doraemon, a television property aimed at children aged four to eight. The series airs on Boing several times each day and on Cartoon Network. In Portugal the series is aired on Panda.

Doraemon is the subject of a significant licensing programme with around twenty licensees. Other properties represented by Luk include Shin Chan.

Osborne Group

The Osborne Group is one of the oldest food and beverage companies in the world, founded in 1772 by Thomas Osborne Mann. The group is 100% family owned with currently over 270 shareholders belonging to the sixth and seventh generations.

The Osborne Group focuses its activities in four main areas: Spirits, Iberian products, Restaurants and Wines. Besides this main business area, Osborne also manages the licensing of its most well-known brand, “EL Toro de Osborne”. Three years ago, Osborne began to license El Toro. Today there are more than 30 licensees who develop and manufacture El Toro Products.

Imira

Imira Entertainment, one of Spain’s leading production and distribution companies, specialising in youth programming, has signed a raft of sales in Iberia from its extensive library of third party content.

In Spain, RTVE has acquired ZDF Enterprises’ animated Tempo Express for Free TV and TV Extremadura has taken free TV and online rights of Millimages´ Skyland.

In Portugal, public broadcaster RTP has committed to Pororo from Iconix Entertainment, as well as further episodes of HIT Entertainment’s Fireman Sam, while SIC has picked up the series and TV Movie of Lightning Point.

Kukuxumusu

The Kukuxumusu Drawing Factory was set up in 1989 in Pamplona and is dedicated to creating designs to be developed into a number of different media in different territories.

While the property is proving popular in overseas markets (Mexico through Televisa for example), in Spain Kukuxumusu continues to increase its number of licensees and recently signed a company creating collections of picture cards which will be sold in Spain as well as in Andorra and Portugal.

Mendia

Mendia Licensing has a major licensing programme for Asterix and Obelix. The property will be the subject of a new movie this Fall with Gerard Depardieu as Obelix and Catherine Deneuve as the Queen of England.

In terms of retail, Oysho stores are selling a wide range of underwear, nightwear and home wear range. In addition, a new album, the 35th will be launched in 2013.

Further properties in Mendia’s portfolio include Felix the Cat which is currently enjoying its sixth season at the Women’s Secret stores, as well as MoshiMoshiKawaii, Garfield, and Fab Animals.

Big Storm Studios

Gombby’s Green Island is Big Storm Studios’ debut production. Gombby’s Green Island is the first long-form Portuguese production, made 100% in Portugal.

Suma Licensing

V&S Entertainment has extended its partnership with Suma Licensing to manage “Everything’s Rosie” in both Spain and Portugal. The first series of “Everything’s Rosie” began broadcast on Canal Panda in Portugal in March this year and will air twice daily at weekends until June when the series will be broadcast daily, Monday to Friday. There is an extensive licensing programme already in the pipeline, with product due to launch in time for Christmas 2012, led by Toy and DVD releases.

The licensing programme continues to expand in Spain with PR and marketing activities to support the launch of new product from licensees such as IMC for secondary toy and SAICA for outdoor, beach and wheeled toys.

CPLG Iberia

CPLG Spain has won numerous awards, from both the industry and licensors which is a tribute to their continuing success; recently Copyright Promotions Spain was awarded by the Marketing B2B Magazine “Estrategias” with the Gold Award as Best Spanish Licensing Agency in 2011 as well as has been awarded by 20th Century Fox with a Gold Homey Award, together with Nestlé/Nesquik, as best Worldwide Promotion within Fox’s brands for the Rio Movie Promotion and with a Silver Homey Award, together with Arluy (The Simpsons Cookies Licensees) as best Licensee of the Year.

El Ocho Licencias y Promociones

Spanish agency, El Ocho Licencias y Promociones, currently manages over twenty brands covering most of the categories of licenses.

A good example of their expansion to other areas is the development of the licensing programme of the Kimmidoll brand that began in late 2010.

Apart from managing of the rights for Spain and Portugal, the agency also has the rights for Italy, Greece, UK and Mexico. El Ocho began in business with national brands like Los Lunnis and Pocoyo.