By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
King Features Syndicate has announced expansion into new territories for its iconic comic characters, Popeye and Olive Oyl.
Building upon its already successful global licensing program, King Features has signed several new agents to support growth in the new territories which include J&M Brands in Benelux, Wildbrain CPLG in the Middle East, and Black White & Orange in India.
Popeye and Olive Oyl’s popularity continues to skyrocket across Europe. J&M Brands will continue to expand the characters’ presence in Benelux, which is comprised of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
J&M Brands will focus on releasing new apparel, collabs, food, health and beauty products through sustainable partnerships that align with the Popeye brand and resonate with European audiences.
This year, King Features will introduce two new eco-conscious Popeye partnerships. School of Life Projects in the Netherlands incorporates renewable materials into their collection to preserve traditional artisan crafts. The apparel brand, A-Dam, also located in the Netherlands, develops their garments using recycled and organic materials.
In the Middle East, Wildbrain CPLG is expanding Popeye and Olive Oyl’s reach in new territories including Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates with fashion retailer Riva Fashion and product distributor, Trucare FZC.
Black White Orange Brands recently brokered a deal with Universal Sportsbiz Pvt. Ltd. for a successful Popeye collaboration with the popular Indian youth fashion and apparel brand, WROGN.
WROGN was co-created by Indian cricket star, Virat Kohli, who served as the face of the Popeye campaign. The Popeye x WROGN collection includes a range of 28 shirts that feature classic Popeye poses paired with the graphic WROGN logo.
“We’re tremendously proud of the growth and success that the Popeye brand has experienced globally and look forward to the brand’s continued expansion with our newest international agents and partners,” said Carla Silva, VP/GM, global head of licensing at King Features.
“There’s something extraordinary about the iconic Popeye and his universe that truly transcends across all cultures.”
King Features’ expansion into new territories comes on the heels of several successful Popeye initiatives, including apparel collections from ICEBERG, Moncler, Intimissimi Uomo and Mey, and NFTs from UNDONE and MADWorld.
The company also signed sustainability-focused partnerships with the Popeye Sail Club powered Pick a Pier in partnership with Blue Flag, and an Angry Birds Friends x Popeye tournament in support of the ocean clean-up organization, The SeaCleaners.
King Features is a premier producer and distributor of popular intellectual properties and a leader in classic character licensing and franchise development.