Viz characters coming to a store near you
Metrostar, the licensing agent for Viz, has announced licensing agreements with two brand new partners for Viz.
CardMix will be developing a range of Viz greeting cards and online personalised greetings based on the hugely successful and ever so slightly funny Viz Top Tips whilst over in apparel, Spike Leisurewear will be developing a range of t-shirts based on the Viz characters themselves.
Both product ranges will launch Autumn this year. CardMix taking the product into the high street and independent retailers, through to department stores while Spike will preview product at the International Autumn Fair in September.
Claire Potter, managing director at Metrostar, is delighted with the new licensing partners, commenting: “Over the past six months Metrostar have increased their licensing resource and efforts, very specifically targetting the growth of Viz into some key categories. To have the first greeting card ranges in-store and new apparel product previewing at the International Autumn Fair later this year will be a huge asset to the brand”.
Clearly the efforts are starting to pay dividend. Viz apparel from Famous Forever is enjoying considerable success in Next where separate t-shirt designs of Sid the Sexist and most recently, Johnny Fartpants are to be augmented by a rather brilliant Johnny Fartpants underwear range by Brand Alliance later in the Summer. Johnny Fartpants is also the lead adult character for Asda’s Father’s Day campaign and more supermarket success is expected with a range of Brand Alliance t-shirts for Tesco in the autumn. Widening the retail distribution further and in addition, The Officers Club will be launching a range of Viz t-shirts and apparel in all their stores from the autumn.
First published in 1979, priced 20p (or 30p to students), Viz is now an icon of British popular culture with a monthly readership of over 400,000. With a wide demographic appeal in a market now actively embracing the incredible humour of Viz, Claire is predicting further growth: “The resurgence of interest at retail in the Viz brand is very encouraging and we are now capitalizing on this through discussions with key manufacturers for gift and toy products while extending the apparel offering into new product categories.”
.
Social Links