The British Museum and ZIPANG have secured a landmark agency agreement that will bring the celebrated cultural institution to new audiences across Japan through a programme of licensing, merchandising and media partnerships.
The agreement – brokered in partnership with Andrew Eborn, president of Octopus TV – grants ZIPANG agency rights across all media sectors in Japan.
The collaboration includes the rights to incorporate the British Museum’s trade marks, imagery and other intellectual property assets, including the Museum’s character IP, ‘Bastet’, into a wide range of products and commercial initiatives.
Japan represents one of the world’s most sophisticated and dynamic licensing markets, making it a strategically important territory for the continued international growth of the British Museum’s licensing programme.
“Japan is a key territory for us, and we are delighted to be working with ZIPANG Inc. and Andrew Eborn of Octopus TV,” commented Craig Bendle, manager, product licensing at the British Museum. “Their exceptional experience, relationships and understanding of character IP brand development give us every confidence that together we will create outstanding opportunities for the British Museum and its much-loved intellectual properties in Japan.”
Kiyofumi Kajiwara, ceo at ZIPANG, continued: “We are honoured to be working with the British Museum on this exciting new chapter. Having collaborated successfully with Andrew Eborn and Octopus TV on numerous international projects, throughout my long career in the entertainment industry, I know first-hand the vision and expertise they bring. We look forward to building on those achievements and creating significant new opportunities for the British Museum throughout Japan.”
Andrew Eborn, president of Octopus TV, added: “I am delighted to have introduced the British Museum and ZIPANG Inc. This partnership represents an exciting opportunity to further develop the British Museum brand and introduce Bastet to one of the world’s most important and innovative licensing markets. By combining exceptional cultural heritage with creative commercial expertise, I believe this collaboration has enormous potential.”
(Main image, left to right: Craig Bendle, Kiyofumi Kajiwara and Andrew Eborn.)
Want to read more news like this? Simply sign up to our daily digest by clicking here. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and on Instagram (@licensing_source).