In the annual ‘One to Watch’ contest for new brand licensing concepts, brand Lulu by artist Renée Graef has been adjudged the winner. This was declared by the License Global magazine.
The contest was held in conjunction with Licensing Expo. Organized by UBM and sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA), Licensing Expo, the world’s largest and most influential licensing industry event is in its last day today (May 25).
Steven Ekstract, Global Publisher, License Global said, “The Lulu brand really stood out among the entries we received because of its detailed brand concept. Beyond being beautifully executed and visually appealing, Lulu’s adventures around the world will foster a vital sense of curiosity and exploration in children. Retailers and parents today are looking for more than just a cute brand, they want products with a philosophy and a purpose, and Lulu, as well as all of our ‘One to Watch’ finalists, deliver on that demand.”
The Lulu brand was selected from over 35 submissions all of which are brands making their debut into the licensing marketplace this week at Licensing Expo.
The winner and four finalists were selected by the editorial board of License Global magazine, the official publication of UBM’s Global Licensing Group which organizes Licensing Expo among other global brand licensing events.
In order to be considered, brands must be exhibiting at Licensing Expo for the first time this year and cannot have been licensed on more than two products prior to Jan. 1, 2016.
The Lulu concept features a friendly fox who explores the world’s cities with her two sidekicks namely Pufferson, a well-informed owl and Lars, a reluctant penguin.
Lulu relishes both the famed highlights and the unexpected corner of each town she visits, with the help of a local guide and through her travels, brings the world to children’s homes.
As the winner of the ‘One to Watch’ competition, Renée Graef’s Lulu will receive a range of promotional support from License Global magazine both during and after Licensing Expo.
The four finalists of the One to Watch competition are:
A Tiny Teddy Named Cuds: Cuds is a teddy bear with a unique beginning. His creator, artist Robert Aragon, suffered a stroke at age 33.
When he sat down to draw again after two years of artistic inactivity, he discovered that drawing straight, steady lines was difficult, and as a result, the squiggly cuddly Cuds was born. The character is now a champion of the belief that everyone can overcome difficulty to pursue their dreams.
The F2: The F2 Freestylers, Billy Wingrove and Jeremy Lynch are the No. 1 football YouTubers in the world.
They blend technical difficulty with stunning synchronization, humour and unrivalled access to some of the true icons of the sport to create engaging and entertaining digital content.
They have amassed a huge online following with 3 million Facebook fans, 4 million Instagram followers and 850 million views on YouTube.
Lolli Swim: Lolli is a fun, flirty and fresh swim brand that has been making a splash in the specialty and department channels.
The brand’s diffusion capsule with Target, Sugar Coast by Lolli, was one of the retailer’s best-selling swim lines in early 2017 and kick-started the Lolli licensing program, which looks to extend the brand into other apparel and accessory channels.
Susan Rand: Rand creates bold and textural art using a range of mixed media including fabric, magazine collage and plywood. Her artwork celebrates the feminine in elegant lines and appeals to forward-thinking, educated Millennial women looking for a bold, unconventional approach to art and beauty.
