Bulldog Licensing, one of the licensing industry’s leading agencies, has announced its plans for BLE 2026, where stand A202 will be highlighting a selection of brands that are not only varied and distinctive but also leading names in their fields – with a strong presence across diverse media.
Brands on show include the globally renowned property Care Bears, the much-loved entertainment and education property Sesame Street, preschool favourite BeddyByes, legendary darts brand Bullseye, the iconic comedy character Mr Bean, the much-loved kids’ crime-fighting show Totally Spies, the UK’s legendary Beano comic, enduringly successful children’s publishing brand That’s Not My… and trading card hit Match Attax.
And that’s not all! Exciting new additions to the Bulldog portfolio this year include Pernod Ricard’s most famous spirit brands – Absolut Vodka, Malibu and Kahlúa – and Team GB, the UK’s favourite sports team.
.png)
Care Bears™ first won hearts as a greeting card phenomenon nearly 45
years ago. Now it has a presence across multiple formats – TV,
streaming, publishing, live shows, branded cafes, meet and greets and
more, not to mention one of the most successful licensing programmes
of all time.
The property’s clear, relatable identity and universally appealing messages of kindness and caring have allowed the Care Bears brand to enjoy significant UK retail success in the children’s market across multiple categories – from toys, gaming, confectionery, tableware, puzzles, apparel and accessories to homewares and collectibles and, of course, the iconic plush bears themselves. The brand also enjoys huge sales in apparel, gifts, accessories and more as one of the key pop culture properties in the adult market. With 2025 global retail sales in excess of half a billion dollars, Care Bears is a must-have multi-generational brand with exceptional strength in the UK market.
Awareness of Care Bears continues to grow through social media, marketing initiatives, and the success of the Care Bears: Unlock the Magic TV series, which recently expanded distribution for select seasons through leading platforms, including Netflix worldwide. 2026 is seeing many more collaborations and retail placements ahead of the brand’s 45th anniversary in 2027.
Sesame Street, which has been engaging and educating children and
families around the world for more than 55 years, is a key focus for
Bulldog in the UK. Working on behalf of Sesame Workshop, the global
impact non-profit behind the iconic show, Bulldog has announced
numerous licensing deals for the much-loved brand as it continues to
grow its presence at UK retail.
Recent licence awards across gifts and novelties, arts and crafts, and stationery join Just Play’s master toy programme and a rapidly growing pre-school licensed product range at all major retailers. Sesame Street also has strong nostalgia appeal for older fans, while its continued relevance in contemporary pop culture has inspired successful ranges of apparel, badges, embroidered patches and more across over 30 UK licensees.
This strong retail and licensing performance comes at a time when Sesame Street programming is enjoying significant growth across broadcast and digital platforms including content on Netflix and YouTube globally.
BeddyByes is
a CG-animated television series that helps young preschoolers from 18
months to four years wind down for sleep and establish a daily
routine. Each episode features a unique story-driven theme and
follows a consistent daily routine in the company of lovable
characters MeMo and BaBa as they explore a whimsical, tactile world
filled with curiosity and connection. As each story unfolds, lighting
dims, music softens, and pacing slows, creating a built-in sensory
wind-down that helps children prepare for sleep..png)
BeddyByes is more than a show – it is a tool for parents that blends storytelling and a predictable daily routine that supports emotional regulation and sleep readiness, positioning the brand as both entertainment and a functional parenting resource. The series forms a key part of the BBC’s Parenting initiative which aims to support parents in key areas of child-rearing where it consistently attracts huge viewer numbers in the high-profile CBeebies Bedtime slot.
Commissioned by the BBC, created and produced by JAM Media, Dublin and made in association with RTÉ with the participation of Screen Ireland, it is consistently one of the most-watched properties on both CBeebies and iPlayer.
BeddyByes is uniquely positioned for licensing across multiple categories that naturally align with a preschooler's daily routines. Each episode mirrors real-life situations, creating rich opportunities for product development that supports both kids and caregivers. Among early signings, Aykroyds & TDP Licensing and Blues Group Limited will both be supplying apparel – daywear, underwear and, of course, nightwear – for young fans of the show. Moose Toys will be launching initial ranges from its master toy collection in autumn 2026, alongside Penguin Random House publishing its first BeddyByes book title. Announcements are imminent for a host of additional category licensees including for home, accessories and health and beauty.
The Licensing programme for Bullseye has grown substantially, after what has been an amazing period for the iconic darts brand created by Andrew Wood that first aired on ITV in the 1980s.
A revival on Sky Challenge, regular repeat showings, guest appearances, celebrity specials and a social media launch maintained a high level of brand awareness throughout the 2000s before its recent return to primetime. But that was just the start for this enduringly popular brand.
Following the massive success of the 2024 Bullseye Christmas special, hosted by Freddie Flintoff and featuring teenage darts phenomenon Luke Littler, which reached over 8.8 million people, Bullseye returned in 2025 in a brand-new series along with the show’s mascot for over 40 years, the instantly recognisable, friendly darts-playing bull, Bully. The series reached almost 15 million viewers, leading ITV to commission series 2, due to air this autumn.
Apparel, plush, publishing, Bully Beer and crisps, interactive games, calendars, and – of course – darts games are delivering huge sales right across UK retail, building on the TV success and the popularity of darts in general.
Beano, the world’s longest-running weekly comic, this year celebrates the 75th anniversary of Britain's most iconic mischief-maker, Dennis the Menace, a celebration that has included activities at the Tower of London for February half term, and both Hampton Court Palace and Hillsborough Castle in the summer holidays.
Beano has performed strongly in the themed experiences market, inspiring games, comic workshops and events at UK museums, shops, schools, parks and stately homes, reinforcing its unique role in entertaining generations of children for over 88 years. Indeed, this market is expected to be a major focus when the brand celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2028.
A Beano comic is sold every eight seconds, and Beano also reaches millions of fans and audiences across a range of touchpoints, which include YouTube, FAST TV, an animated TV show on the BBC, and an ever-expanding range of fiction titles and activity books. For every generation, Beano is a gateway into reading for fun, sparking creativity and imagination across all platforms and channels.
A strong licensing list ranges from publishing, apparel, toys and games, greetings cards, and dress-up to recent licences that include Gibsons Games for puzzles, games and card games, Woodle Designs for pet harnesses, collars and leads for dogs as featured in Vogue, Ecell for phone and tech accessories and Duck World for limited edition Dennis and Gnasher rubber ducks. 2026 will also see a host of high-profile collaborations launching in the UK with some of the biggest names in fashion.
Published by Usborne, That’s Not My… the touchy-feely book series for babies and toddlers is the best-selling infant publishing brand in the UK and a gifting favourite for new-borns as their first book. The books are designed to develop sensory and language awareness, with recent new formats including activity and buggy books.
The humour, bright colours and distinctive That's Not My… illustrations have inspired top-selling babywear, accessories, apparel, footwear, bags, a gift range and, this year will see puzzles and games from University Games. That’s Not My… has strong experiential appeal, having inspired a number of family-oriented collaborations based on the books, with more on the way. The brand is also making waves in international markets with Bulldog focused on developing the licensing opportunity in Australia and New Zealand through sub-agents WP Brands as well as operating directly with licensees and retailers in the US, where the book has already become the biggest-selling book series for Usborne’s US distribution partner HarperCollins.
Produced by Banijay Kids & Family label Zodiak Kids & Family France, the animated spy-fi series Totally Spies! The hit show originally ran from 2001 for six seasons, hooking a generation of young fans with its iconic aesthetic and powerful female leads. In 2024, a new, seventh series launched in multiple territories across Europe, Latin America and the US, with an eighth season coming soon. With a broad cross-generational audience, the licensing focus for Bulldog is targeting a strong millennials and Gen Z nostalgia market alongside brand-new fans attracted by the show’s humour, excitement and confident female leads.
Further boosted by its 25th anniversary this year, the brand has won a number of important recent licensing deals, including a new wave of fashion and beauty collaborations spanning a BonBonWhims’ jewellery and accessories line, Deco Beauty’s themed nail stickers and a capsule clothing and merchandise collection from New York label Tyler McGillivary. Standout experiential and food activations include a partnership with Buffalo Grill, iced fruit from Idalia, an ice cream activation with Tsun Scoops and a new confectionery range from Bubblegum Kids, while partners Osan Optics, Youtooz, Chaks and Hachette Heroes have extended the brand into sunglasses, collectibles, dress up and publishing with more high profile launches hitting the UK and Europe in the second half of 2026.
Bulldog is also UK licensing agent for Mr Bean on behalf of leading children’s entertainment powerhouse Banijay Kids & Family. The iconic comedy character has been wildly popular for over 35 years in both live-action and animated formats, on TV and in films as well as on multiple social media platforms where he is globally popular, engaging with audiences of all ages.
Mr
Bean tries to solve apparently minor problems presented by everyday
tasks and often causes major, and hilarious, disruption in the
process. The visual and often non-verbal comedy that drives the
character has ensured there have been no language barriers to a
success that has brought Mr Bean high awareness and enormous
popularity in TV, films and online in over 200 countries and sees the
show top the viewing charts on both ITVX and Boomerang in the UK..jpg)
Imagery from both live and animated formats (series four of the Tiger Aspect Kids & Family produced animated series premiered in 2025) informs a licensing campaign which targets both kids and adults, in categories ranging from homeware, stationery, t-shirts, toys and collectables to bags, plush, greetings cards and experiential licensing. Retailers sales across multiple categories are truly incredible and these successes are driving huge growth in the licensing programme.
Bulldog also represents Match Attax, the leading football trading card game from Topps. Match Attax has achieved significant penetration among young football fans across the UK, establishing itself as a prominent playground phenomenon, with live swapping events held across the country and strong support from parents.
Over recent seasons, Match Attax has been widely distributed across the UK and Ireland, achieving substantial retail sales through an extensive footprint spanning major retail channels. The brand also maintains a strong online presence and partnerships with some of the world's leading football properties. Licensed products include publishing from Farshore and the Match Attax-themed Football Billionaire board game, with multiple new product lines launching this year, including apparel from Blues Group and stationery and toys from RMS.
These hit brands have also been joined in Bulldog’s portfolio by two major new signings which will be promoted to visitors and potential partners at BLE.
Bulldog Licensing has been appointed to manage licensing and merchandising in the UK, Ireland and Benelux for The Absolut Company International, part of the spirits giant Pernod Ricard, on behalf of master global agent, Brand Central. It will be developing a licensing programme for three of Pernod Ricard’s most famous spirit brands: Absolut Vodka, Malibu and Kahlúa.
This strategy will be supported not just by reference to the unique and distinctive taste of each spirit but by distinctive design assets inspired by labels, logos, typefaces, bottle shapes and other associations, like sun, sea, style and sophistication, all closely linked with the three brands. These design assets, together with the brands’ instantly recognisable branding, will aid in the creation of high-impact products ranging from food and gifts to apparel and accessories.
Regarded as one of the most successful Olympic nations of all time, Team GB enjoyed a record-breaking Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina earlier this year, and Bulldog will be working to ensure that the public’s love for the brand at Games-time is extended into year-round retail opportunities.
Team GB’s online store already boasts big selling items in sportswear, leisurewear and accessories, and as interest grows ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games in two years’ time, Bulldog and Team GB will work together to expand their offering across homeware, gifting, novelties, sporting equipment, calendars, cards, stationery and more.
Bulldog MD Rob Corney says: “From beloved children’s properties, world-famous comics and iconic TV comedy characters to legendary names in darts, spirits and Olympic sports, Bulldog boasts a very diverse – and very strong – selection of brands. And BLE is a wonderful showcase for these amazing and distinctive properties. Come and see the team – and the Bulldog portfolio – at stand A202!”