KidKraft, the brand known for wooden playsets and outdoor play structures, has filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 relief in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. KidKraft made the value-maximizing move to effectuate its sale to Backyard Products, a company with several outdoor brands under its umbrella. “Today’s announcement marks an important step forward for KidKraft that will position us to continue investing in our industry-leading products and delivering for our valued customers well into the future,” says Geoffrey Walker, President and Chief E ..read more

Retailers, saddle up: Professional Bull Riding (PBR) is getting its first licensed trading cards in 20 years.  Leaf Trading Cards is the exclusive licensee for PBR trading cards, a deal which was brokered through global licensing agency IMG. The first cards released will feature autographs of the riders, as well as photography of notable PBR moments and iconic coaches. “This partnership represents a fusion of two iconic brands dedicated to delivering unparalleled excitement and authenticity to fans. For over 20 years, bull riding enthusiasts have eagerly awaited the return of trading car ..read more

A new leader is joining Funko on May 20. Cynthia Williams has been tapped to lead the Washington-based pop culture lifestyle brand as CEO and will serve on its Board of Directors. Interim CEO Michael Lunsford will remain in command until that date. Williams joins the company from Hasbro where she most recently served as President of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Games. The seasoned exec also held roles at Microsoft and Amazon. “I am honored to lead Funko, a company celebrated for its history of creativity and innovation on behalf of a passionate fan base,” Williams says. “Funko has built a ..read more

Disguise, JAKKS Pacific’s costume division, will continue to design, market, manufacture, and distribute CoComelon and Blippi Halloween costumes and costume accessories in the U.S. and Canada per an extended licensing agreement with Moonbug Entertainment. JJ Infant/Toddler | Source: Disguise CoComelon Dress Deluxe | Source: Disguise Tom Tom Infant | Source: Disguise Melon Infant/Toddler | Source: Disguise Disguise currently offers a full range of CoComelon and Blippi costumes for toddlers and adults. Tara Cortner, President and General Manager of Disguise, is eage ..read more

Hidden Pigeon Co. (HPC) has officially signed on Retail Monster as its global licensing agent, just in time for Licensing Expo, taking place May 21-23 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Retail Monster will develop comprehensive licensing programs for author Mo Willems’ character brands, including Elephant & Piggie, The Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and more. Our primary goal at HPC is to expand the world of Mo’s book-based character brands far beyond the printed page and give kids and former kids more ways to enjoy and interact with them. Partnering with Retail Monster enables u ..read more

Mattel is re-releasing three American Girl icons. The three characters are among the first six ever released. | Source: Mattel The three dolls, part of the original six, are Kirsten, Addy, and Josefina. They will be sold in their original costumes and in the original Pleasant Co. packaging, which reads “The American Girls Collection.” Each will include a retro paperback book with some refreshes to the storylines and verbiage. Mattel has also re-released birthday outfits for each doll as well as corresponding Happy Birthday! paperbacks. Kristen, Addy, and Josefina were among the first American ..read more

Mattel has named Karen Ancira its new Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, effective May 15.  Ancira plans to embrace her history of developing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in her new role. “It is an honor to join this world-class leadership team to lead and enhance Mattel’s thriving culture and develop new People and Culture programs to help everyone succeed in this next exciting chapter for the company,” she says. Ancira will report directly to Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel.  Karen is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of ..read more

The LEGO Group has revealed two sets inspired by famous art and architecture in Paris. The 1,503-piece LEGO Art Mona Lisa set and 4,383-piece LEGO Architecture Notre-Dame de Paris set are available to preorder today. Both sets are for builders ages 18 and up. The set includes a frame. | Source: The LEGO Group The ART Mona Lisa set is 1,503 pieces. | Source: The LEGO Group The LEGO Art Mona Lisa set ($99.99) will be released on Oct. 1 and reflects the colors that Da Vinci used when creating the piece, before the paint aged. The set also includes a drum-lacquered gold, detachable ..read more

Rob Auerbach, Owner and CEO of CandyRific, died on the morning of May 7, leaving behind a lasting mark on the world of toys and candy. Auerbach, alongside partners Michael and Paul Roberts, founded CandyRific in 2000. His work focused on bringing popular licenses to the company’s products. Auerbach had a keen eye for both licensing and branding opportunities within the candy industry. Thanks in part to Auerbach’s’ efforts, CandyRific now offers products featuring a variety of franchises, including Disney, Marvel, PAW Patrol, and more. Prior to his time at CandyRific, Auerbach founded Rainbow ..read more

Emoji Co., known for its immediately recognizable Emoji brand, has appointed Cronus Global as its exclusive licensing agency representing the brand in the U.S. and Canada.  The Emoji brand has more than 25,000 designs, with its popular icons used frequently in communications across various platforms. With Cronus Global as its exclusive representative, Emoji Co. hopes to see the brand expand further with new licensing partnerships and other collaborations. The new deal comes just in time for the upcoming Licensing Expo from May 21-23. Together, we aim to further cultivate the presence of ..read more