NYC-HQ’d Marvel Entertainment has named Toronto-based Segal Licensing as its new Canadian licensing agent. Segal will oversee all sales, retail, merchandising and marketing of the Marvel brand in the territory.
Marvel has a library of over 5,000 high-profile characters built over more than 60 years of comic book publishing. Its character licensing to date includes feature films, home DVD, consumer products, video games, action figures and role-playing toys, television and promotions. The upcoming 2008 feature films Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk should give Segal more than enough grist for the licensing mill to turn up the heat in the Canadian market.
Founded in 1994, Segal is a member of the Draft FCB family of agencies, which in turn is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. Segal’s client roster includes Sony PlayStation, Virgin Mobile and Unilever Canada, and it is the Canadian licensing agency for TV, film and character-based properties including DreamWorks Animation, Paramount Pictures, Fox Studios, Peter Puck and Toopy and Binoo from Spectra Animation.
Segal is looking to expand Canadian relationships, develop new ones and work with retailers to secure more promotional support and distribution channels for Marvel’s portfolio, says company president Stuart Pollock. ‘Segal Licensing is thrilled to be working with the super heroes of the licensing industry. We look forward to phenomenal success by continuing to build on the strength of these amazing properties with strategic, brand-building promotions and retail programs.’
A version of this story first appeared in KidScreen Daily.
