The caped crusader is celebrating his 75th anniversary in style as Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) has revealed new product lines and partnerships that have been initiated across the EMEA region, marking another record year for Batman.
In Russia, collaboration between the country’s biggest apparel retailer TVOE and the Institute of Business and Design has encouraged over 100 fashion design students to enter a competition to design a range of Batman apparel inspired by the 75th anniversary logo styles. The winners of the competition, organised by WBCP’s licensing representative for the territory, ELC, will see their own garments on shelf, for sale, in TVOE stores. Elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe a direct-to-retail deal with Pa?abahçein Turkey will also celebrate the 75th anniversary.
Pilar Zulueta, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA, says, “The Batman brand can be described as a true entertainment powerhouse. It continues to attract fans of all ages, buoyed by the trend for nostalgia and for Super Heroes, and supported and inspired by the fantastic slate of new content coming from DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. It has been a tremendous 75th year so far, with partners using the anniversary to create exciting new products. Our plans for the franchise will sustain their business and continue to delight fans far, far into the future.”
In the UK, a spectacular six-date tour will take place with retail partner Smyths with support from partners Rubie’s Costumes and The LEGO Group. The tour will include exciting Batman 75th anniversary-themed photo opportunities for children and adults alike. In Italy, where apparel categories are especially strong, Original Marines has supported its special Batman lines with stylised shop windows and special edition pins, which are free with a purchase and available as competition prizes online. Amazon Italy has featured a dedicated cross-category page offering Batman games, toys and home entertainment products. Online retailer IBS also has a Batman 75th anniversary shop, and the comic licensee RW Edizioni will implement a Batman 75th anniversary cross-category area in comic shops this autumn.
In Germany, the Luxess Group has created a fragrance line inspired by Batman. “Batman Begins – The New Dark Fragrance for Men” is a product line that appeals to adult fansand evokes Batman as a strong and masculine icon. The eau de toilette, which was launched in Müller stores, comes in a distinctive bat motif shaped bottle and is now available widely at retail, accompanied by a range of additional personal care products.
The Super Hero trend is continuing with momentum across the region as H&M’s global deal for DC Comics Super Heroes continues to build and, in the UK, Primark reports huge success with its DC Comics range of t-shirts.