WildBrain CPLG (formerly Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, also known as CPLG) is a brand licensing agency founded in 1974.[citation needed] Headquartered in London, CPLG also operates offices in Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Munich and has recently expanded its global reach by opening new offices in Toronto[1] and Japan.
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Formerly | Copyright Promotions Licensing Group (1974–2020) |
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Company type | Subsidiary |
CPLG | |
Founded | March 4, 1974 |
Headquarters | , England |
Services | Brand licensing |
Parent | DIC Entertainment (2006–2008) Cookie Jar Group (2008–2012) WildBrain (2012–present) |
Website | cplg |
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1968 | FilmFair London is founded |
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1971 | DIC Audiovisuel is founded |
1972 | Strawberry Shortcake brand is first developed |
1974 | CPLG is founded |
1976 | CINAR and Colossal Pictures are founded |
1982 | DIC Enterprises is founded |
1984 | Ragdoll Productions is founded |
1986/1987 | Andy Heyward takes over DIC Enterprises and renames it DIC Animation City with help from both Bear Stearns & Co and Prudential Insurance Co Jean Chalopin retains DIC Audiovisuel and establishes Créativité et Développement |
1988 | Studio B Productions is founded |
1992 | Epitome Pictures is founded |
1993 | Capital Cities/ABC purchases DIC Animation City, renaming it DIC Entertainment |
1994 | Both Wild Brain and Red Rover Studios were founded |
1995 | Platinum Disc Corporation is founded |
1996 | The Walt Disney Company purchases Capital Cities/ABC, which included DIC Entertainment as well CINAR buys FilmFair's library |
1997 | Decode Entertainment is founded |
1999 | Wild Brain acquires Colossal Pictures' employee base |
2000 | Andy Heyward re-acquires DIC Entertainment from The Walt Disney Company with help this time around from both Bain Capital and Chase Capital Partners |
2002 | Nerd Corps Entertainment is founded DIC Entertainment rebrands themselves onscreen as The Incredible World Of DIC |
2004 | Halifax Film Company is founded Michael Hirsh takes over CINAR and renames it as Cookie Jar Group |
2005 | Platinum Disc Corporation merge as Echo Bridge Home Entertainment |
2006 | Decode and Halifax Film merge as DHX Media DIC Entertainment acquires CPLG Ragdoll Productions forms a joint-venture with BBC Worldwide called Ragdoll Worldwide Wildbrain acquires stake in Kidrobot |
2007 | DHX Media buys Studio B Productions Wild Brain becomes Wildbrain Entertainment |
2008 | Cookie Jar Group purchases and folds DIC Entertainment House of Cool absorbs Red Rover Studios |
2010 | DHX Media buys Wildbrain Entertainment Peanuts Worldwide is founded |
2011 | Decode Entertainment and Red Rover Studios both close |
2012 | DHX Media buys Cookie Jar Group Wildbrain Entertainment acquires Kidrobot as a whole |
2013 | DHX Media acquires Ragdoll Worldwide from Ragdoll Productions and BBC Worldwide; despite that though, Ragdoll Productions themselves remain independent |
2014 | DHX Media buys Epitome Pictures, Nerd Corps, and Echo Bridge Home Entertainment's family content library, as well as Family, the Canadian English and French Disney Junior channels, and the Canadian version of Disney XD National Entertainment Collectibles Association acquires Kidrobot from Wildbrain Entertainment |
2016 | The WildBrain multi-channel network launches Studio B and Nerd Corps merge as DHX Studios |
2017 | Wildbrain Entertainment closes DHX Media buys Peanuts Worldwide and Strawberry Shortcake |
2018 | Halifax Film becomes Island of Misfits |
2019 | DHX Media rebrands as WildBrain Epitome Pictures closes the WildBrain MCN becomes WildBrain Spark |
2020 | CPLG becomes WildBrain CPLG |
2021 | Echo Bridge folds into SP Distribution |
2023 | WildBrain acquires House of Cool |
2024 | WildBrain Spark merged into its parent company as WildBrain London |
History
editPrivate licensing company (1974–2006)
editCPLG once represented licensors across three divisions: entertainment, sport, and design. Entertainment brands included Elvis,[2] Spider-Man, Peanuts, World Wide Wrestling, Bob the Builder, Sesame Street, LazyTown, Star Trek, Felix the Cat, and Where's Waldo. England Rugby, England football, England Cricket as well as St Andrews Links and World Rally Championship are licensed under CPLG's Sport division. Design brands include Skelanimlas, Valerie Tabor Smith, Janneike Brinkman and Whatever It Takes.
DIC and Cookie Jar Group Subsidiary (2006–2012)
editIn 2006, CPLG was acquired by DIC Entertainment, which in turn, merged with Cookie Jar Group in 2008.[3] The merger between Cookie Jar Group and DIC Entertainment was finalized when Cookie Jar Group paid US $31.5 million to cover outstanding equity with DIC. The total value of the deal was $87.6 million.[4]
DHX Media/WildBrain Subsidiary (2012–present)
editIn October 2012, CPLG's parent company, Cookie Jar Group, was acquired by fellow Canadian media company DHX Media (today WildBrain), with ownership of CPLG shifting to that company.
In 2020, after the rebranding of DHX to WildBrain, CPLG was renamed WildBrain CPLG.
References
edit- ^ "CPLG: News: CPLG opens office in Canada". CPLG.com. Dec 8, 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
- ^ "CPLG signs Elvis". Licensing.biz. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06.
- ^ Castleman, Laura (September 1, 2008). "Cookie Jar Filling up and Cutting Back on Overlap". KidScreen.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011.
- ^ "Cookie Jar and DIC Entertainment to merge, creating independent global children's entertainment and education powerhouse" (Press release). Cookie Jar Group. June 20, 2008. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved December 20, 2008.