Ahead of Brand Licensing Europe next week, Mind Candy revealed a monster licensing program for global kids hit Moshi Monsters, with more than 40 UK licensees on board, another 60 signed internationally, and six recent hires bolstering the global licensing team. Mind Candy’s head of global licensing, Darran Garnham, has grown the team from two to nine people, and increased its partner lineup from nine to more than 100 since January.
Licensing Partners
UK: The company started this year with a toy launch from Vivid (master toy partner). Its premium partner lineup included Penguin (publishing), Topps (trading cards), Winning Moves (Top Trumps), and SkyJack (magazine). Mind Candy has since announced deals with Ty (beanie babies), Activision (Nintendo DS), and Mega (construction blocks). With more than 40 licensees now signed up for the UK, new partners hitting shelves this side of Christmas include E-max (claybuddies), Lazerbuilt (DS accessories), Prima Games (game guide for the DS), Smith and Brooks (daywear), Cooneen and Misirli (nightwear and underwear), Character World and Worlds Apart (bedroom textiles), Gemma International (greeting cards, party wear), Paper Project (stickers), Amscan (foil balloons), Lightbody’s (cakes), Bon Bon Buddies (confectionery – advent calendars), Spearmark and Milkshake Creations (lunchware and tableware), Trademark (bags), and H Grossman (wheeled).
U.S.: The U.S. program now has more than 50 premium partners on board across softlines, toys and games, hardlines, publishing, novelty, activity, back-to-school, and celebration. Category announcements will follow in the coming weeks.
Australia: Mind Candy’s local licensing agent Fusion has brought in 11 partners across categories including a QSR, softlines, and apparel. Deal announcements will follow.
European plans are currently in development with announcements imminent.
Team Expansion
UK Team
Clare Wiggins joins from Chapman Entertainment as head of Moshi Live and is set to establish and develop the live experiences for Moshi users. Mind Candy is looking at all formats from a live music tour to immersive branded attractions in theme parks.
Ex-Disney exec Sarah Hodges joins as retail partnership manager, working with licensees and retailers to head up the strategy for Moshi at retail.
Long-standing Mind Candy producer Jack McCall has made an internal move to head of product development, working closely with all partners to ensure the integrity and fun of the brand is carried through within every product.
Matt Shone joins from Firebox as contracts & royalty manager, and Dave Tovey, Mind Candy’s UK licensing manager, remains central to the team, having joined at the start of this year.
U.S. Team
Caitlin Gutekunst joins as licensing manager, Americas, reporting to Eric Karp, head of licensing, Americas within Mind Candy’s New York office. Brad Schultz was recently announced as head of Moshi TV, working out of Los Angeles on a new VOD platform that’s currently in development.
Mind Candy is currently looking into plans for international expansion with further announcements anticipated early next year.
Michael Acton Smith, CEO and founder of Moshi Monsters will talk about the company’s growth and future plans during his keynote speech at Brand Licensing Europe, October 18, 1 p.m., at the Licensing Academy, which is open to all BLE attendees.