Thunderbirds are go for Half Moon Bay, with the company announcing partnerships with both Thunderbirds and Moomin to design a gift and publishing portfolio across the UK.
The collaborations will see Half Moon Bay continue to grow their licence portfolio within the Half Moon Bay brand, as well as under the company’s new Ice House Books publishing imprint.
With gift shops in mind, a collection of gifts and books will be launching from January 2019, with gifting opportunities for Mother’s Day. The launch will include some of Half Moon Bay’s most successful formats to include notebooks, drinkware and lifestyle accessories, as well as new gift books under Ice House Books.
“It makes perfect sense for Half Moon Bay to move into gift books with the new list from Ice House Books offering engaging and accessible content for our existing customer base to enjoy,” explains Etta Saunders Bingham, Half Moon Bay’s head of licensing and product development. “Our mini hardback range features quirky, fun material that reflects popular culture and features some of the characters from our product ranges.”
The Moomin range takes original artwork from Tove Jannson’s most popular books and comic strips, focusing on the characters and their quotes to create an illustrated range featuring stylised florals and rose gold detailing. The range gives a nod to the environmentally aware aspect of Moomin, with the inclusion of a rice husk Huskup travel mug and a bamboo lunch box alongside notebooks, kitchen textiles and pin badges.
A Moomin Comfort Food cookbook will include recipes for pancakes and jam, done the Moomin way, offering “some tasty little recipes to enjoy alongside excerpts from the Moomin cartoons – perfect for some Moomin-style family fun in the kitchen,” highlights Etta.
The Thunderbirds collection meanwhile, features artwork of iconic vehicles and characters with a particular focus on Lady Penelope and Brains. Featuring key quotes against character-appropriate colour palettes, the range will include a variety of drinkware, stationery and lifestyle accessories. The Lady Penelope’s Boss Lady gift set comprises a Boss Lady mug and gift handbook featuring original artwork and genuine quotes from the Thunderbirds archives.
“Half Moon Bay have taken a fresh, fun approach to Thunderbirds, infusing this nostalgic brand with a contemporary feel that will appeal to fans old and new,” commented Steve Green, EVP Kids Content and Distribution at ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
Top: New for January 2019 from Half Moon Bay, the Lady Penelope Boss Lady gift handbook.