The first series of the Smileys new collectibles series will launch with Team Moods
The Smiley Company - February 2020THE SMILEYS, a brand new collectibles concept from The Smiley Company, is all set to launch at retail in February 2020 after debuting to the trade at Hong Kong and Nuremberg Toy Fairs. Created in partnership with Splash Toys, this new brand extends The Smiley Company’s famous archive of icons into the hot collectibles market targeting kids 6-12.
The first series of The Smileys collectibles series will launch with Team Moods. The new Smileys are here!...and boy, are they moody! There are happy Smileys, sad Smileys, silly, crazy, and bad Smileys to collect, along with new and exclusive accessories to create your Smiley characters. Mix & Match to show the world how you are feeling! The series will launch with blister packs of 3 and 5 Smileys, which include a secret Smiley and also blind boxes for toy distribution and blind bags for kiosk distribution.
After a successful soft launch to the trade in recent weeks, retail listings are already secured with France and Benelux’s leading retailers including; Auchan (400 stores), Carrefour (500 stores), Intermarché (1200 stores), Leclerc (700 stores), and King Jouet (200 stores). The first series of collectibles – Team Moods – will feature (three and five-pack) blister packs, blind boxes, and blind bags that will launch initially in February 2020.
Speaking about the new IP, VP Brand Strategy at Smiley Lori Heiss-Tiplady said, “We are so excited to announce that we have already secured key European retail listing for our new collectibles IP, The Smileys. Bringing our SmileyWorld icons to life in a whole new way, and making them even more appealing to kids. This new world, with characters, locations, and stories, will provide the perfect foundation for an entirely new line of brand extension opportunities and deepen the brands’ reach into key categories, including toys & publishing.”
Heiss-Tiplady added, “As a business that is fully focused on helping kids explore their emotions through play and having fun, unique mix and match play pattern of The Smileys creates endless possibilities for self-expression. Helping kids learn about themselves and their emotions while playing is important to us, and emotional intelligence - or EQ - is a massively important phenomenon that Smiley is uniquely connected to.”
The Smileys retail launch will be supported by an extensive TV Commercial, with the campaign scheduled to run in France from February through to June 2020, and spots already booked on; TF1, Gulli, Tiji, Boomerang, Boing, CartoonNetwork, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Piwi, TéléToon, Nickelodeon Junior, Nickelodeon 4 Teen. The Smileys will also launch its website and YouTube channel, featuring a series of webisodes that will explore the world of The Smileys and their friends.
The Smileys showcased at the recent edition of BLE, receiving critical acclaim as WGSN’s licensing industry trend experts revealed that it topped the list of properties to keep an eye on in 2020.
