JAZWARES MAKES LICENSING EXPO DEBUT WITH SQUISHMALLOWS
Celebrating 25 years of innovative play, leading toy and licensing powerhouse Jazwares brings a new level of fun to Licensing Expo Las Vegas with its wildly successful Squishmallows® plush brand. The monumental growth of Squishmallows, the #2 Toy Property* and #1 Plush** according to The NPD Group’s April 2022 report, has fueled exciting new cross-category collaborations across beauty, games, apparel, home decor, and more, adding to the brand’s robust portfolio of best-in-class licensing partners, Jazwares has announced.
Building on a phenomenal 2021, this year Squishmallows took the play industry’s top honor, the Toy Association’s coveted overall Toy of the Year award, while also hitting a 125 million plush sold milestone. On social media, Squishmallows content has officially squished through the roof, generating nearly 6.5 billion video views on TikTok, and @squishmallows (and related hashtags) has been tagged in more than one million Instagram posts. Additionally, the Squishmallows social media channels have ballooned to more than 827,000 followers, and nearly 100 global and local Facebook groups have been created by fans. In the Metaverse, the recently launched Squishmallows on Roblox game continues to surprise and delight fans ascending to the #1 Toy Game, as measured by concurrent players, with a massive 1.5M monthly active user base.
“As Squishmallows continues its evolution as a preeminent global lifestyle brand, we’re opening the door for big sky opportunities setting the stage for meaningful fan first product extensions,” said Judd Karofsky, Executive Vice President, Jazwares. “Demand for Squishmallows is skyrocketing so we’re more than ready for millions of people around the world to enjoy their favorite Squishmallows characters via a wide array of growing product categories and experiences.”
Recognizing the brand’s vast global audience and multi-generational appeal, Jazwares created its premiere Squishmallows global licensing program last fall supported by some of the biggest names in consumer and lifestyle products including Bioworld, BigMouth, BBC International, Franco Mfg., Fashion Angels Enterprises, Primary Colors, HarperCollins Publishers, amongst others.
Attendees of Licensing Expo are encouraged to experience the Squishmallows lifestyle at booth #0214 in the Bayside Exhibit Hall at Mandalay Bay. New licensee highlights include:
In the United States, Taste Beauty, a leading beauty brand for teens, tweens, and beyond, will make a unique line of lip, nail, cosmetic, and bath & body products inspired by the colorful world of Squishmallows. Additionally, The Op I USAopoly, a leading developer and manufacturer of board games and puzzles, has been tapped to create a custom Squishmallows Monopoly game with an exclusive 4-inch character. Kurt Adler will develop a line of Squishmallows ornaments and stockings, perfect for the holiday season. In Europe, an expansive consumer products licensing program will also be supporting Squishmallows with a wide array of cross-category support. Soon to be announced licensees are expected to include bath and beauty, swimwear and apparel, and bedding, as well as multiple products from world-class lifestyle brands.
Since Squishmallows debuted in 2017, each plush has featured its own lovable personality, and they have become known for their ultra-soft feel and whimsical design that have captivated fans of all ages, both online and in person. More than 1,000 Squishmallows ranging from two- to 24-inches in size have gained the attention of bona fide Squishmallows fans in more than 40 countries. Such strong brand retention has resulted in multiple line extensions, including HugMees™, Squish-Doos™, Stackables™, and Squishville™.
