NBCUniversal Brand Development Group, a subsidiary of the American media and entertainment company, has appointed Black White Orange as its licensing and merchandising agent to expand its various brands in India and South Asia. The Mumbai based merchandising and licensing company will bring NBCUniversal’s expansive portfolio, including major franchises such as Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ Despicable Me, as well as Universal and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World and Universal’s Fast & Furious to the South Asian market.
In addition, Black White Orange will manage licensing for upcoming films like Illumination and Universal’s The Secret Life of Pets; and classic films from the studio’s library, including Back to the Future and Jaws. It will establish, grow and expand NBCUniversal’s business in India, as well as in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and other South Asian markets.
As NBCUniversal enters into the Indian and South Asian markets for the first time, Black White Orange will unleash each film’s potential in the form of authentic licensed merchandise such as apparel, toys, stationery, gifts, novelty, back-to-school, home décor, innovative non-traditional categories and more.
Black White Orange, CEO and Founder, Bhavik Vora said, “Through franchise properties including Fast & Furious, Jurassic World and Minions, NBCUniversal has seen massive box-office success in India. We are proud to bring these phenomenal properties to such a huge fan base in India on the consumer products platform.”
NBCUniversal Brand Development Group, Consumer Products International, Senior Vice President, Marc Low said, “The NBCUniversal portfolio boasts some of the biggest properties in movies and TV with fans that span across age groups, making it one of the most sought-after propositions in India. We are excited to venture into the Indian and South Asia market, and delighted to have found a partner in Black White Orange to build the Universal brand in India and South Asia and help us reach our fans in these key and growing territories.”
Black White Orange, which launched in September 2015, has also signed on leading brands like Sesame Street, YouWeCan, The Emoji Company and bCreative. The addition of NBCUniversal to its client list further strengthens its position in the Indian licensing industry.