Countless licensed products made their debut at American International Toy Fair, held February 12-15 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Our roundup below summarizes just a portion of the new and expanding licensing programs for popular properties showcased at Toy Fair.

Ludorum’s Licensees Ride the Rails at American International Toy Fair

Chuggington will continue riding the rails into toy stores and onto TV screens this year with support from Ludorum’s licensees and Disney Junior, which will premiere the third season of Chuggington to coincide with the launch of the 24-hour Disney Junior channel on March 23. Disney now holds the rights to 46 episodes. Several of Ludorum’s licensees for Chuggington unveiled new products at the American International Toy Fair, held February 12-15 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Read more…

U.S. Partners Find Waldo at Toy Fair

Classic Media signed new consumer products partners for Where’s Waldo? in the U.S. The new Where’s Waldo? program will hit retail timed to Waldo’s 25th anniversary, which commences this fall. Read more…

Moshi Monsters Mania to Hit U.S. Retail

Moshi Monsters fans will soon be able to hold their virtual characters in their hands, hug them in their arms, and wear them on their bodies. Mind Candy, the entertainment firm behind the global children’s property, is launching a huge Moshi Monsters merchandising program in the U.S., set to hit mass-market and specialty stores nationwide beginning Q1. Read more…

Classic Media and Pressman Toy Introduce Tinga Tinga Tales Board Games

Pressman Toy Corporation signed a licensing deal with Classic Media to develop games based on the new preschool series Tinga Tinga Tales. Pressman Toy’s games will be available at mass and specialty retailers nationwide in August. Read more…

Mr. Potato Head Rises at Toy Fair

Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced new partnerships timed to coincide with Toy Fair. WBCP awarded The Bridge Direct, Inc. the master toy license for Looney Tunes. WBCP also partnered with Wonder Forge for preschool products, which will include DC Super Friends. Both companies previewed their lines at the American International Toy Fair. WBCP also partnered with PPW Toys, under a licensing agreement with Hasbro, Inc., to launch a line of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head figures. Read more…

Official Marvel Colognes and Perfume Launch at Toy Fair

Jads International, LLC debuted its line of Marvel prestige colognes and perfumes at Toy Fair in New York City. The Avengers Cologne Set, Black Widow Perfume, Infinity Formula for Men, and Mischief Cologne will be available to the public in April in the U.S. and Canada. Read more…

New Tetris-Themed Products Introduced at Toy Fair

The Tetris Company, LLC, the exclusive licensor of the Tetris brand, and its merchandising agent, Licensing Works!, announced several new Tetris-themed products from licensees Techno Source, Paladone, and Fundex, which showcased their new Tetris products at Toy Fair. Read more…

Jakks Pacific Sings a New Tune with Deal for Toys Inspired by Songify App

Jacks Pacific signed a license agreement with Khush, a developer of intelligent music applications, to create a new product inspired by the Songify app. Songify, developed in part by YouTube sensations The Gregory Brothers along with Khush, launched this past summer as the first mobile app that turns speech into music instantly. Jakks Pacific plans to bring the technology to the toy aisle this summer. Read more…

Hasbro Scores a Direct “Hit” with Gaming and Toys from Universal Pictures’ Battleship

Hasbro, Inc. will turn one of its timeless brands into a multimedia entertainment property this year with the release of Universal Pictures’ epic action-adventure Battleship. Hasbro will augment the experience of the film with an action-packed line of Battleship-themed toys—both in the gaming realm, where the Battleship brand originated, and in a brand new line of Kre-O building sets—as well as an expansive line of licensed goods, several of which debuted at Toy Fair. Read more…

Jakks Pacific Sings a New Tune with Deal for Toys Inspired by Songify App

Jacks Pacific signed a license agreement with Khush, a developer of intelligent music applications, to create a new product inspired by the Songify app. Songify, developed in part by YouTube sensations The Gregory Brothers along with Khush, launched this past summer as the first mobile app that turns speech into music instantly. Jakks Pacific plans to bring the technology to the toy aisle this summer. Read more…

Nickelodeon and Partners Unveil New Products at Toy Fair

Nickelodeon unveiled products for both new and established properties at Toy Fair, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Winx Club, Team Umizoomi, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Victorious. Read more…

Nickelodeon unveiled products for both new and established properties at Toy Fair, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Winx Club, Team Umizoomi, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Victorious.

Playmates Toys showed a new line of toys inspired by Nickelodeon’s new CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Playmates Toys’ lineup includes basic, deluxe, and collectible action figures, as well as Ninja gear, play sets, and vehicles.

Jakks Pacific and its Creative Designs International (CDI) and Disguise Halloween divisions debuted products for Winx, including a new line of dolls, play sets, accessories, dress-up, role-play items, and Halloween costumes based on the series. Building on the Winx Club doll line from Jakks, Creative Designs International has created an assortment of role-play dresses and fairy wings for girls who want to transform themselves into their favorite Winx Club member. The Jakks Pacific, CDI, and Disguise product lines are scheduled to launch this fall to coincide with the premiere of the brand new CG episodes of Winx Club on Nickelodeon.

Nickelodeon and Fisher-Price introduced new toy lines for preschool series Team Umizoomi and Dora the Explorer. Team Umizoomi products from Fisher-Price include figures, basic and learning plush, bath toys, and vehicles. Building on the past success of Fisher-Price toys inspired by Dora, new products for 2012 will include a dollhouse, play sets, dolls, role-play toys, and more.

SpongeBob SquarePants is the inspiration for new toys from Fisher-Price’s Imaginext brand. The new line includes play sets, vehicles, and figures where SpongeBob is featured in the Imaginext look. SpongeBob is also the inspiration for two new building sets from The Lego Group, which debuted at Toy Fair.

Victorious master toy licensee Spin Master, Ltd. unveiled new products for the live-action comedy series. The new line will feature fashion dolls and role play, including a new Tori Singing Doll featuring the song, “Best Friend’s Brother.” Feature dolls for additional Victorious characters, including Trina (Daniella Monet), Cat (Ariana Grande), and Jade (Elizabeth Gillies), are also included.

Classic Media signed new consumer products partners for Where’s Waldo? in the U.S. The new Where’s Waldo? program will hit retail timed to Waldo’s 25th anniversary, which commences this fall.

These new licensees join existing Where’s Waldo? partners, including Candlewick Press (publishing), Ludia (Apple mobile games), Gameloft (mobile games excluding Apple platforms), and Elope (costumes). Many of these licensees showed Where’s Waldo products at Toy Fair.

Techno Source, a division of LF Products and part of Li & Fung Limited, will be developing innovative Where’s Waldo? board games, puzzles, card games, and novelty items, including the original Where’s Waldo? search-and-find glitter wands.

Concept One Accessories will develop a diverse line of Where’s Waldo? fashion accessories for a wide variety of consumers. They will launch Where’s Waldo? bags, headwear, belts, wallets, and slippers that appeal to juniors, young men, and tweens.

Jem Sportswear and Awake will develop a line of fashion forward Where’s Waldo? fashion tops across all their divisions, including men, juniors, boys, and girls.

Alexander Doll Company, Inc. will commemorate Where’s Waldo’s 25th anniversary with a line of limited-edition dolls. The company will develop a collectible version of Where’s Waldo? soft dolls, vinyl dolls, and dolls with coordinating Where’s Waldo? accessories.

Virtual Greats will launch Where’s Waldo? virtual items online to reach a growing global virtual goods market. They can be purchased as virtual gifts/collectibles, or as elements used to enhance/accessorize user avatars and/or digital worlds.

Skinit, Inc. launched Where’s Waldo? electronic skins in November. The covers, referred to as “skins,” can be applied to a broad range of devices, including smartphones, laptops, MP3 players, gaming consoles, and everything in between.

Chuggington will continue riding the rails into toy stores and onto TV screens this year with support from Ludorum’s licensees and Disney Junior, which will premiere the third season of Chuggington to coincide with the launch of the 24-hour Disney Junior channel on March 23. Disney now holds the rights to 46 episodes. Several of Ludorum’s licensees for Chuggington unveiled new products at the American International Toy Fair, held February 12-15 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Tomy, Ludorum’s master toy partner for Chuggington, led the way with the introduction of an all-new track system for its Chuggington Die-Cast Railway. The system enables fans to build track layouts vertically for the first time by providing the stability required to achieve tall, spiraling layouts. Easy to connect and simple enough for preschoolers to build on their own, the new track system is a durable and sturdy solution for adding elevation to train sets and creating action. Tomy’s Chuggington Wooden Railway system will be augmented with new engines or “chuggers” based on the characters who will appear in the new Chuggington episodes premiering this year on Disney Junior. Feature-packed starter train sets, buildings, and tunnels will debut at key price points. All are made with classic, high-quality wood construction, which is compatible with other major wooden railway toys.

Other Chuggington licensees at Toy Fair:

• Playhut exhibited a Wilson play tent from its 2012 line
• Little Kids introduced Chuggington bubbles and bubble toys, including the Chuggington Bubble Train Whistle and the Chuggington Light-Up Bubble Chugger
• Hedstrom displayed new Chuggington playballs
• Mega Brands introduced Chuggington Mega Bloks line, which includes four sets and six buildable chuggers
• Modern Publishing showed Chuggington titles in its coloring and activity lines
• Publications International showcased its line of Chuggington electronic sound books
• Bendon Publishing introduced a proprietary publishing line as well as educational workbooks based on Chuggington’s Training Times lessons
• Trends International unveiled a Chuggington sticker line with a Sticker Flip Pack and a Sticker Dimensional Scene at the show
• Cardinal Industries, Inc. introduced additional puzzles to its Chuggington line
• Ravensburger debuted seven puzzles, including Chuggington: Four Seasons, a set of four puzzles in a collectible tin that helps teach children about the seasons; and Traintastic Crew, a 40-piece puzzleballfeaturing the colorful world of Chuggington
• Wonder Forge showcased its line of Chuggington games

New York City is slated to become the next stop on the global licensing circuit as the Toy Industry Association (TIA) launches its new Brand & Entertainment Showcase in February. Co-located with the 109^th American International Toy Fair, February 12-15, the showcase offers an impactful and convenient content connection for entertainment licensors and brand owners alike. The event provides opportunities for exclusive access to top-tier media, marketing agencies, and an audience of 30,000+ tradeshow guests from more than 90 countries. Adventure Publishing Group is the exclusive media partner of the Brand & Entertainment Showcase.

The new Brand & Entertainment Showcase satisfies increased demands from the licensing community to collaborate in a formalized setting at the show. Content providers will be able to simply show up and show off in small, private meeting spaces or large, public theaters. Turnkey presentation solutions and an audience of marketers ensure that all participants’ needs will be met.

As the largest and most important gathering for youth entertainment in the Western Hemisphere, Toy Fair last year welcomed an unprecedented surge in entertainment executives (+31 percent) and licensors (+8 percent). In 2010, licensed toys represented 25 percent of total industry sales.  In addition, the co-located Brand & Entertainment Showcase gives participants access to the important ancillary advertising, marketing, and promotion-oriented industries that are concentrated in and around the media epicenter of the world.

Adventure Publishing’s signature publications—The Licensing Book and The Toy Book—and its online communities will be a primary conduit of information and updates about the Showcase to the global community, and the key vehicles for brand advertisers during the event itself.

For more information about participating in TIA’s Brand and Entertainment Showcase, contact Jennifer Coleman, sales executive and producer (973.760.8181, jennifer@jcinc.biz); for information about advertising opportunities, please contact Jonathan Samet at Adventure Publishing (212.575.4510, jsamet@adventurepub.com).

The January/February issue of The Licensing Book is now online! In this issue, you’ll find:

• A feature on Nickelodeon at 30

• The hottest toys at Toy Fair

• The biggest news from around the industry

• A look at YMI Jeanswear

• Other features including People on the Move, Of Counsel with James Kipling, and a how-to-choose-a-property guide from brand development advisor David Niggli

We hope you like it. Check it out!

Whew. We’re back from Toy Fair, where, in addition to getting out on the show floor and seeing what there was to offer, we tweeted and re-tweeted about Toy Fair news and products that everyone else saw at the show. Were you on twitter during the show?

We saw everything from Hasbro’s Walking Iron Man to the Drip Drops, and everything in between. (We also saw a farting elephant that, although not licensed, was pretty freakin’ awesome). We hope many new partnerships were formed and that great new products were discovered.

What was the best thing you saw at Toy Fair? How did social media change how you experienced the show? How were attitudes, products, and prices different from last year? Leave some comments and let us know!