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It is said that cats have nine lives, but the lifespan of a cat as we know it is almost 50 years.
This September, cartoon feline Heathcliff will celebrate his 50th birthday. Originally created by cartoonist George Gately and debuting on September 3, 1973, Heathcliff has included an original comic, two animated series, a feature film, and even a comic book published by Marvel Comics. The franchise has grown to include
In the run-up to Heathcliff's impending 50th birthday celebrations, licensing agency Licensing House has joined in to take Heathcliff around the world and shine a spotlight on his new best friend, Jimmy the Frog.
“With Heathcliff approaching its 50th anniversary, it is a great time to launch a broader licensing program, and at a time when the iconic comic is returning to consumer trends.” Licensing Haus Chief Executive CEO Maria Alcaid told The. License letter.
This all starts in the Heathcliff comics, with the cat grooming his friend Jimmy the Frog to become the “next big thing,” but so far no one has noticed it. .
“He came out last year. The idea is that there's a tiny little frog that Heathcliff is trying to promote as the next centerpiece, but no one buys it. No one likes Jimmy,” says the current Heathcliff comic. says Peter Gallagher, nephew of the character's original creator. “But what's weird is that on social media, people love Jimmy.”
Heathcliff as a cultural symbol
They're targeting “a subculture of Heathcliff fanatics,” Arcade said.
“There's a very deep Heathcliff world and we're finding now, at the pitch level, that we're really attracting those people into the program, and the Heathcliff world is something you probably recognize. “We found that it was much larger than that,” Alcade said.
Another famous cat in comics, Garfield, is a domestic cat while Heathcliff is the definition of a feral cat, but don't call him a feral cat. But half a century after the cat's birth, it turns out that others are capitalizing on the cat's popularity to sell unauthorized products and give Heathcliff owners more than just hairballs. did.
“When you go to eBay, Amazon or[customized gift site]Zazzle, you see so many Heathcliff products that it's kind of shocking,” says Arcade. “Obviously we have a lot of infringements that need to be wiped out, but it also shows that there is already this voracious appetite for Heathcliff, and we need to replace these illegal products with new, fresh products. May be exchanged for licensed products.
Heathcliff becomes readable, wearable, and edible
So what's first for Healthcliff on its 50th birthday? The licensing house is aiming for the fashion and lifestyle category first, with “headwear, socks, slippers, slides, shoes, apparel and more. “We will approach everything from head to toe with items that people can enjoy.”
But there are some obvious products, like Heathcliff cat treats.
“And there are so many exciting ways to incorporate this property into food and beverage products, so I think there are a lot of great things we can pull from this brand.”
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