Branded entertainment company Big Tent Entertainment appointed Kirsten Fallon as vice president of global business development. In her new role with the company, Fallon will be responsible for development of pop culture icon Domo and PixFusion in Latin America, Europe, Russia, Turkey, Middle East, and North Africa. Additionally, Fallon will be responsible for select global retailers for all Big Tent Entertainment brands.

Fallon brings to Big Tent Entertainment more than 20 years of licensing experience in brand management, sales, product, and retail development. Most recently, Fallon served as Ludorum’s U.S. vice president of retail marketing and development. Prior to Ludorum, Fallon worked for Peanuts Worldwide, formerly United Media, where she led retail strategy and development for Peanuts, Fancy Nancy, Beatrix Potter, and Mary Engelbreit. Fallon also represented adult brands, including Food Network, Iron Chef America, History Channel’s Ice Road Truckers, Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, Dilbert, and Hallmark’s hoops&yoyo, during her tenure at United Media.

The international retail presence for Domo continues to thrive as Big Tent Entertainment announced new products designed to further establish the brand on a global scale. International licensing agencies, including Brand and Licensing Group (BLG), Carmen Ariza Licensing, CTM Concept TV & Merchandising GmbH, Stella Projects, and Televisa Consumer Products, have brokered new agreements on behalf of Domo and Big Tent in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Product ranging from apparel to accessories will roll out across these territories throughout 2011 and beyond.

BLG signed Cordez to launch fashion and travel bags and accessories across Brazil. Carmen Ariza Licensing signed Sunset International bv to introduce apparel and accessories across Eastern and Western Europe. CTM Concept TV & Merchandising GmbH tapped Tex-ass Textilvertriebs GmbH to release apparel for men and women throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Stella Projects partnered with Impact Rock Pty Ltd to release posters across Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. For retail in Mexico, Televisa Consumer Products signed Barcel to develop a line of chewing gum available; Best Trading S.A. de C.V. to release back-to-school stationery, supplies, and school kits available; Bienes de Consumo Internacional S.A. de C.V. to release notebooks, binders, and journals; Granmark S.A de C.V to release a line of stationery and gift items; and Musul to launch a line of gift bags.

Big Tent Entertainment is seeking to “domo-nate” retail with its new licensing deals for Domo, the mascot of the Japanese public broadcaster NHK who became a viral Internet sensation.

Big Tent added four new licensees for Domo, which it describes as “the reigning poster child for personalized, user-generated content.” Buckle Down, Lava Lite, SalesOne, and Underboss Production have inked multiyear agreements to create quirky accessories and novelty items that will hit retail this fall.

Domo’s popularity has led him from viral breeding grounds, including YouTube, Facebook, and Flickr, to occupy products like Buckle Down’s belts and accessories. The company will release a line of Domo web belts, leather belts, and silicone belts, as well as pet accessories including collars and leashes.

Lave Lite will create lamps featuring Domo, and Underboss Productions will produce one-piece Domo union suits for adults. SalesOne will release a collection of accessories, which include terry cuff wristbands, cuff links, and tattoo sleeves, along with an array of body jewelry, such as ear plugs, fake ear plugs, magnetic ear plugs/earrings, barbells, and navel rings.

Big Tent Entertainment, the North American licensing agent for the Discovery Kids and TLC brands, announced today it has expanded its relationship with Discovery Communications, Inc., to include the network Science. As the exclusive North American licensing agency of record for the newly rebranded Science, Big Tent Entertainment will build a consumer products program centered on the overarching Science brand, as well as the network’s lineup of ground-breaking programming, such as Punkin Chunkin and How It’s Made.

The Science licensing program will place an emphasis on partnerships which are rooted in both science and pop culture while promoting experimentation and understanding of the mysterious world around us. Big Tent Entertainment will focus on the tween, teen, and adult male demographics in the following initial key licensing categories: electronics, novelty, toys, activity/kits, do-it-yourself, apps, décor, and outdoor.

Currently in more than 68 million homes, Science generated its highest-rated quarter ever earlier this year with more than 33 million viewers. Science is geared toward the thought provocateur—the individual who is unafraid to ask the killer questions of “how” and “why not?” This month Science unveiled an all-new futuristic look and logo called Morph, inspired by the constant transformation of energy and passion for exploring the unknown.

Discovery Communications, Inc., the world’s number one nonfiction media company, formed new licensing deals with home textiles leader, Franco and Cosrich Group, Inc., the leader in licensed health and beauty products. The new lines will be part of Discovery Kids branded products, the No. 1 real-world entertainment brand for kids.

Through the long-term agreements, Franco has signed on to produce a comprehensive line of bedroom and bath accessories while Cosrich will create an array of children’s bath activity sets. The deal was brokered on behalf of Discovery Communications by Big Tent Entertainment, the North American licensing agent for the Discovery Kids brand.

The collection created by Franco will feature rugs, draperies, blankets, bath and beach towels, throw blankets, and vinyl place mats. The bath activity products from Cosrich will include soap, body wash, bubble bath, shampoo, bath crayons, sponges, stone paper sheets, fizzing bath rocks, and foam pieces for kids, using eco-friendly materials and packaging. Product will be available at mid-tier and mass retailers throughout the United States and Canada beginning holiday 2011.

Big Tent Entertainment has signed multi-year renewed deals with two of its Domo licensees.

Concept One has extended the term of its licensing contract with Big Tent to include Domo-themed computer sleeves, silicone phone cases, rubber bracelets, bikinis, booty shorts, belt buckles, new bags, headwear, cold weather accessories, small leather goods, flip flops and slippers.

Dark Horse Comics has expanded its agreement with Big Tent by creating Domo tin lunch boxes and PVC figures, which will be sold at retail in sets.

Products will hit retail throughout the year.

Discovery Communications, Inc., has announced the launch of TLC Baby, a brand of products dedicated to new and expecting parents.

Discovery Communications and Big Tent Entertainment are developing a comprehensive consumer products program for TLC Baby that represents practical items for “the everyday life, made simpler.” Big Tent Entertainment will focus on securing several foundation partners for the TLC Baby brand across multiple categories including learning and development, health and safety, bath, feeding, electronics, furniture, room decor, bedding/blankets, layette, and apparel.

Big Tent Entertainment, which currently represents Discovery Kids, is the newly appointed U.S. licensing agency of record for the overall TLC brand, including TLC Baby.

PixFusion, which deals with personalized entertainment and composite imagery across all media formats, announced today that it has entered into a patent licensing partnership with Slapstick Sports, LLC, a division of Virginia-based advertising agency Williams Whittle, for its sports fan interaction website. Through the agreement, Slapstick users can “get their game face on” by utilizing PixFusion’s patented photo-personalized video technology to digitalize themselves into the identities of their favorite athletes and coaches. The first sports organization to license the Slapstick application is the NHL’s Washington Capitals, with additional teams to follow in the coming months.

The Washington Capitals’ Slapstick feature will launch during the NHL playoffs in mid-April to help generate online excitement for the players, team, and coaches and enable fans to digitally express themselves in a personal way for both the Washington Capitals and their opponents.
The Slapstick application is easy-to-use; simply upload a photo and select from four sports-centric scenarios including being a ranting player, coaching the team, answering questions from the press, or downloading a still shot. Users can personalize their own photo by choosing from various facial hair options, hats, and headgear, as well as their choice of a home or away jersey. Once the photo has been personalized, Slapstick users have the option of adding a voice to their creation. For 99 cents, users can call a toll-free number to insert their message into their Slapstick photo or video, which can then be shared via email with friends and family or posted on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can also create a free video using the application’s text-to-speech function.
The Slapstick deal was brokered by Big Tent Entertainment, the marketing agent for PixFusion.