Rubie’s Costume Company, Inc., has received the 2011 Monster High North America Rookie Licensee of the year award from Mattel.

As one of the most successful children’s licenses of last year, characters from the Monster High Costume Collection include Frankie Stein, Lagoona Blue, Cleo de Nile, Clawdeen Wolf, and Draculaura. Available in children’s, tween, and adult sizes, each character comes to life with unique designs, intricate detailing, and coordinating accessories. In addition to the colorful costumes, the line also includes wigs and make-up kits.

With the expansion of the 2012 Monster High Collection, Rubie’s continues to create costumes that reflect the characters’ unique personalities while paying homage to their cool monster heritage. As they say at Monster High, freaky just got fabulous.

Here’s a roundup of additional news that has come out of Licensing Show today. Keep up with announcements through our Twitter feed, @LicensingBook.

Ink Makes Its Mark at the Homey Awards

Brand licensing specialist Ink, formerly Kidz Entertainment/EEMC, is celebrating a triumph at the prestigious Homey Awards. The Homeys are special awards given annually by Fox Consumer Products to its partners for outstanding achievement. Ink, the leading brand licensing agency for the Nordics and Eastern Europe, has for the first time won the Fox Agent of the Year award. In recent years Ink has successfully launched licensing campaigns for such Fox classics as the wildly popular Ice Age and The Simpsons, along with mega-hit Avatar, into markets as diverse as Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Fox Consumer Products has been rewarding its partners around the world with the Homey Award for outstanding achievements in movie promotion for more than 12 years. The award is given in three partner categories: retail, licensing, and advertising.

FremantleMedia Enterprises and Condé Nast Join Forces to Extend Brand Platforms

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) and Condé Nast today announced a partnership that grants FME North America licensing rights to well-known lifestyle brands Self, Golf Digest, and Epicurious. FME plans to explore opportunities to extend the established magazine and Internet brands into consumer products, and potentially to additional platforms including television.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products Enlists Alter Ego Designer for Jewelry Line

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) announced Wednesday a partnership with Alter Ego designer Erika Walton for an affordable collection of women’s high-end jewelry featuring characters from Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, and the DC Comics Super Heroes. The jewelry is designed using both vintage and new toy products to create this new whimsical line of accessories featuring the Warner Bros. characters. The Looney Tunes and DC Comics collections, which include necklaces and bracelets, are available now on the Alter Ego website and at high-end boutiques across the nation.

Paul Frank Collaborates with Robert August on Limited Edition Surfboards

Saban Brands announced today that Paul Frank, the iconic lifestyle brand, and Robert August, the legendary surfer and shaper, have partnered to create 30 limited edition surfboards. These two companies were able to take the best attributes of their industries and combine them to create something design-driven and collectible. Paul Frank’s character prints are applied graphically to Robert August’s surfboard shapes.

These limited edition surfboards cannot be bought. They will be made exclusively available for charitable fundraisers, silent auctions, and a summer promotion contest hosted by Paul Frank. Fans who visit any of the Paul Frank stores in the U.S.—including locations in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and South Coast Plaza—can enter to win one of the unique surfboards. Online promotion will also happen on PaulFrank.com and the official Paul Frank Facebook page. The limited edition surfboards feature Julius and Skurvy scatter prints in various colors finished off with a co-branded lament. These 6-foot-6-inch surfboards are designed for surfers of all skill levels.

The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association presented Toy Story 3 with the Best Licensed Program of the Year Award last night at the Licensing Show in Las Vegas. The third installment of The Walt Disney Company’s animated comedy-adventure film series, Toy Story 3 was also honored in the entertainment award category. Additionally, Hello Kitty swept the Best Character or Toy Brand category, winning three awards.

In all, LIMA presented 15 International Licensing Excellence Awards recognizing the best and most successful licensed properties and products in seven categories: Art/Design, Character/Toy, Corporate, Film/Television/Celebrity/Entertainment, Sports, Promotion, and Retailer. Nominations were solicited worldwide from across the licensing industry, and winners were chosen by a vote of the LIMA membership.

This year’s International Licensing Excellence Award winners included many recognizable brands such as Lego, Victoria and Albert Museum, Animal Planet, NASCAR, and Hello Kitty, as well as Boots, the first retailer outside the U.S. to be honored. In fact, more than a quarter of the entries were from non-U.S. companies, emphasizing the global reach of licensing.

“It is extremely gratifying to see the breadth and quality of the programs created by the licensing community from around the globe,” says Charles Riotto, president of LIMA. “The more than 220 entries represent the best of the best, and the association is proud to honor the winners for their ingenuity and for demonstrating licensing industry expertise.”

All awards are based on calendar year 2010. The winners, by category, are:

Art

• Best Art/Design Program: Victoria and Albert Museum (by Victoria and Albert Museum/V&A Enterprises)
• Best Art/Design Licensee: Dom Pérignon (for Andy Warhol)

Character/Toy Brand

• Best Character/Toy Brand Program: Hello Kitty (by Sanrio, Inc.)
• Best Character/Toy Brand Licensee: Hard Goods – Smart USA (for Hello Kitty)
• Best Character/Toy Brand Licensee: Soft Goods – Loungefly (for Hello Kitty)

Corporate

• Best Corporate Brand Program: Animal Planet (by Discovery Communications/The Joester Loria Group)
• Best Corporate Brand Licensee: Shabby Chic for Simply Shabby Chic at Target

Film, Television, Celebrity, or Entertainment

• Best Film, Television, Celebrity or Entertainment Program: Toy Story 3 (by The Walt Disney Company)
• Best Film, Television, Celebrity or Entertainment Licensee: Hard Goods – Lego (for Harry Potter)
• Best Film, Television, Celebrity or Entertainment Licensee: Soft Goods – Awake, Inc. (for Glee)

Sports and Sports-Themed Entertainment

• Best Sports Program: NASCAR Team Properties (by NASCAR and Teams)
• Best Sports Licensee: Jakks Pacific, Inc. (for Ultimate Fighting Championship)

Promotion

• Best Licensed Promotion: Dove Glee (for All by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.)

Retailer

• Best Retailer: Boots (for Strictly Come Dancing)

Overall Best Licensed Program of the Year

• Toy Story 3 (by The Walt Disney Company)

LIMA announced 69 nominees from around the world for the annual LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards. The awards, which recognize creativity and performance in trademark licensing, will be announced at LIMA’s Opening Night Awards Ceremony on June 14 during Licensing International Expo 2011 in Las Vegas.

Categories for the awards include Art or Design; Character or Toy; Corporate, Film, Television, Celebrity or Entertainment; Sports or Sports-themed Entertainment; Licensed Promotion; and Retailer of the Year.

The Overall Best Licensed Program of the Year award will also be presented. Finalists include Hello Kitty Sanrio, Inc.; JCB JC Bamford Excavators Ltd./JCB.; Consumer Products; Justin Bieber Bravado International Group; PGA Tour PGA Tour, Inc.; The Stanley Works Beanstalk (agent for The Stanley Works); Toy Story 3 The Walt Disney Company; and Victoria and Albert Museum Victoria and Albert Museum/V&A Enterprises.

Voting is open to LIMA members until May 13. The full list of nominees is below:

Best Art or Design Program of the Year

Andy Warhol
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

Artkey’s Qi Baishi
Artkey Co., Ltd.

Shopaholic, Too
Designs by Lolita, Inc./Out of the Box Licensing

The Smiley Pop Art Style Collection
The Smiley Company

Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum/V&A Enterprises

Best Art or Design Licensee of the Year

Creative Tops
Victoria and Albert Museum/ceramics

Dom Pérignon
Andy Warhol/champagne

Santa Barbara Design Studio
Lolita/glassware

Smiley Factory Ltd.
SmileyWorld Vintage/apparel

Best Character or Toy Brand Program of the Year

Hello Kitty
Sanrio, Inc.

Minnie Mouse
The Walt Disney Company

Peppa Pig
eOne Entertainment

Skelanimals
Skelanimals, LLC/Art Impressions, Inc.

Best Character or Toy Brand Licensee of the Year – Hard Goods

Fisher-Price, Inc.
TRIO DC Super Friends Batcave

JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
Big Buck Hunter Pro/TV games & Wii title

Kellogg Company
Scrabble/Cheez-It

PPW Toys
Mr. Potato Head Affinity Program

smart USA
Hello Kitty/car wraps for the smart fortwo

Best Character or Toy Brand Licensee of the Year – Soft Goods

São Paulo Alpargatas S.A./Havaianas
Woody Woodpecker/flip flops

Jay Franco & Sons, Inc.
Mickey Mouse/bath program

Loungefly
Hello Kitty/junior accessories

Best Corporate Brand Program of the Year

Animal Planet
Discovery Communications/The Joester Loria Group

ASPCA Private Label Brand
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

JCB
J C Bamford Excavators Limited/JCB Consumer Products

Jelly Belly
Jelly Belly/The Licensing Company

The Stanley Works
Stanley Black & Decker/The Beanstalk Group, LLC

Best Corporate Brand Licensee of the Year

Baccus Global, LLC
The Stanley Works/lighting & 12 volt automotive accessories

Ginsey Home Solutions (aka Ginsey Industries, Inc.)
Rubbermaid/designer bath mat collection

Nouveau Eyewear
Umbro/ophthalmic eyewear

Sakar International, Inc.
Kodak/family of products

Shabby Chic
Simply Shabby Chic at Target/bedding, bath, window

Best Film, Television, Celebrity, or Entertainment Program of the Year

Dora the Explorer
Nickelodeon Consumer Products

How to Train Your Dragon
DreamWorks Animation

Justin Bieber
Bravado International Group

Toy Story 3
The Walt Disney Company

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Summit Entertainment/Striker Entertainment

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Universal Orlando Resort/Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Best Film, Television, Celebrity, or Entertainment Licensee of the Year – Hard Goods

The Bridge Direct, Inc., dba The Bridge
Justin Bieber/dolls

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Karaoke Revolution Glee

Learning Curve Brands
Chuggington/die-cast toys

LEGO
Harry Potter/construction sets & Hogwarts board game

Rubie’s Costume Co., Inc.
Lady Gaga/costumes & accessories

Best Film, Television, Celebrity, or Entertainment Licensee of the Year – Soft Goods

Awake, Inc
Glee/apparel

Jay Franco & Sons, Inc.
Toy Story 3/bedding, bath & beach

Mighty Fine
Alice in Wonderland/apparel

Mighty Fine
Toy Story 3/apparel

National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse/apparel & accessories

Best Sports or Sports-Themed Entertainment Program of the Year

2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic
National Hockey League

ESPN
ESPN

NASCAR Team Properties
NASCAR and Teams

PGA Tour
PGA Tour, Inc.

Best Sports or Sports-Themed Entertainment Licensee of the Year

Cycle Force Group
Tour de France/bicycles & accessories

JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
Ultimate Fighting Championship/action figures, playsets & role play

K’NEX
NASCAR/building sets

PB Teen
NFL/bedding

Sportcraft
ESPN/indoor & outdoor recreation

Best Licensed Promotion of the Year

Burger King’s The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Ultimate Experience
Summit Entertainment/Striker Entertainment

Chuggington Traffic Safety Cross-Platform Promotion
Ludorum/Super RTL

Dove Glee For All
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

Gillette Fusion ProGlide Limited Edition Armed Forces Licensed Razor Program
U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard

Green’s Free Irwins Apron
Irwin Family

Mr. Happy Should’ve Gone to Specsavers
Chorion

SGI Apparel & Kohl’s Bakugan Gift with Purchase Program
Nelvana Enterprises/Cartoon Network Enterprises

Best Retailer of the Year

Boots
Strictly Come Dancing

Forever 21
Minnie Mouse

Lowe’s
Sesame Street

Target
Toy Story 3

Wal-Mart
Toy Story 3

Wal-Mart
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Rubie’s Costume Company received the 2010 Costume Vendor of the Year Award from BuySeasons, an Internet retailer specializing in costumes, accessories, party supplies and seasonal décor.

“We are extremely excited and honored to be selected to receive this distinctive award from the most recognizable and largest Internet retailer in the Halloween Industry,” Executive Vice-President Howard beige said in a statement. “I would like to express my sincere thanks for BuySeasons continued support and patronage and look forward to working with them and helping them grow for many years into the future.”

“We have a great relationship with Rubies,” Daniel Haight, president and CEO, BuySeasons Inc.  said. “They deliver on all of the things you would expect from a partner of the year, great costumes, quality products, and timely delivery. Above all else though, their ability to react and work with us to develop new costumes that reflect the most recent trends in pop culture has been a Halloween game changer.”

Viacom International Media Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc., today announced Street Surfing as the pan European sponsor of the Nickelodeon 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards. Street Surfing’s new Wave Scooter will be featured in all promotional activity in a build up to the April 2 show.

Street Surfing’s new Wave Scooter, called the Whiplash Scooter in the UK, will be featured on on-air billboards, all marketing and press materials, and presence on KCAs international online destinations.

The sponsorship also includes an online competition with the chance for the winner and their family to attend the show in Los Angeles. The Grand Prize winner will also be the first to road test Street Surfing’s new Wave Scooter through a test course in Los Angeles the day before the show. Additionally, 11 runner-up winners will get a scooter.

The sponsor markets include Austria, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, UK, France, Ireland, Italy and Belgium.

The Grammys, the Oscars, the TOTYs… the brand-new KidScreen Awards. It’s awards season! Last night KidScreen handed out its inaugural 27 prizes, and Sesame Workshop took home a lot of the hardware. Here’s a partial list of winners:

PRESCHOOL CATEGORY

Best Animated Series 2010
Bert & Ernie
Sesame Workshop/Misseri Studio

Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series 2010
Sesame Street
Sesame Workshop

KIDS CATEGORY

Best Animated Series 2010
League of Super Evil
Nerd Corps Entertainment

Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series 2010
FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman
WGBH Educational Foundation

TWEENS/TEENS CATEGORY

Best Animated Series 2010
Total Drama Island
Fresh TV

Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series 2010
Escape From Scorpion Island
The Foundation TV Productions

FAMILY CATEGORY

Best Animated Series 2010
Figaro Pho
Vishus Productions/Australia Broadcasting Corporation/South Australian Film Corporation

Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series 2010
Design Squad
WGBH Children’s Programming

CREATIVE TALENT CATEGORY

Best Writing 2010
Newsround
BBC Children’s

Best Music 2010
The Electric Company
Sesame Workshop

Best Voice Talent 2010
WordGirl
Scholastic Media/Soup2Nuts

Congratulations to everybody! For a complete list of winners, go KidScreen’s website.