Gaming entertainment company Rovio Entertainment Corp. has appointed IMG as the exclusive worldwide consumer products licensing agent for its “Angry Birds” franchise.
The partnership will give Rovio the opportunity to develop a holistic consumer products strategy for the mobile app-turned-blockbuster across all content and platforms.
“Over the years, Rovio has worked with a number of agents around the world, supporting us greatly in making ‘Angry Birds’ available to fans everywhere in various physical forms,” Rovio CEO Kati Levoranta said. “While we continue to focus on developing and publishing memorable gaming experiences and content, in IMG we have found a partner with whom we aim to deliver a more strategic and globally consistent licensing programme that’s aligned with our core business.”
“Angry Birds” launched in 2009 as a video game app on mobile devices, and still draws tens of millions of users to its original form with 4.5 billion downloads to date. However, its popularity quickly rocketed the brand into a multi-platform franchise with two animated movies, a television series, and a flurry of consumer products.
“The evolution of ‘Angry Birds’ from mobile game to worldwide global pop culture fixture is perhaps one of the most impressive achievements in recent times in new original animated character creation,” said Bruno Maglione, president of licensing at IMG. “Working closely with Rovio, we are enthusiastic about the potential to take this franchise to new levels of success as it embarks on its next decade.”