Rights & Brands is expanding its North American presence with the opening of R&B USA – a new US office based in Los Angeles.
The move marks an important step in the company’s ambition to bring stories that matter to new audience around the world, with Moomin and Pippi Longstocking leading its focus in the US market.
R&B USA – formally registered as R & B Licensing – will strengthen Rights & Brands’ local presence and support the development of long-term partnerships with licensees, retailers, agents and other strategic partners across North America.
Moomin will be a key focus for the US operation as Rights & Brands builds on the property’s growing presence through successful partnerships with companies such as Lush, BonBon NYC, Barnes & Noble and Aurora. With a new Moomin animated feature film from Annapurna planned for 2030, R&B sees an opportunity to further develop Moomin’s US presence and is aiming to build stronger relationships with partners and create new opportunities ahead of the film’s release.
“We are thrilled to see new American fans discover the Moomins at an unprecedented rate, and are excited to build out the brand presence in the US with companies that share our ethos of storytelling,” commented Thomas Zambra, ceo at R & B Licensing. “There is tremendous potential and a real need for wholesome, whimsical, legacy content. We will continue to invest at an increasing rate in experiences that delight fans, new and old and are excited for this next chapter in the US.”
Roleff Kråkström, ceo at R & B Licensing AB and Moomin Characters, continued: “We see significant opportunities for our brands in North America. Moomin’s brand awareness in the US has increased by 4% in less than a year, alongside strong sales performance. With a local presence, we can build on this momentum and position ourselves to develop publishing programs and master license contracts directly from the US. This is an important step in our ambition to grow globally while remaining true to the stories and cultural legacies we represent.”
Alongside Moomin, Pippi Longstocking, the classic character created by author Astrid Lindgren, will be another key focus for R&B USA. With new screen adaptations in development, including a TV series and feature film produced by StudioCanal, Rights & Brands sees opportunities to expand Pippi’s reach and develop new partnerships that connect the character with new audiences in the US.
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