RUBIK’S BRAND ANNOUNCES EXCITING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SMILEY COMPANY, EXPANDING THE ICONIC CUBE INTO NEW RETAIL SECTORS

Launched for the first time at Las Vegas Licensing Expo 2016, The Smiley Company has been appointed as the master licensee outside puzzles for Rubik’s Brand. This exciting new venture will see the two companies work collaboratively to shape a licensing programme to expand the iconic Rubik’s Cube concept into a new world of product categories and to develop this business globally.

Rubik’s Brand had been looking for a partner to manage its growing non-toy merchandising categories and in particular find a company with the expertise to develop a wide area of merchandise and that shared a long term vision for the brand.

The Smiley Company, who built a $200 million a year brand out of the world famous Smileyface, brings a highly innovative approach to licensing which will help craft a unique brand extension program and introduce a new vision to the type of products Rubik’s creates. With its dynamic resources and decades of experience, along with significant presence at all the major trade and licensing shows, Smiley Company will utilise its industry knowledge and networks to really leverage the Rubik’s brand and reinvent a global brand of the future.

The partnership will focus on building on Rubik’s amazing DNA and heritage, tapping into its roots in art and intelligence to develop a wide range of lifestyle categories to support the brandextension, whilst introducing a new segmentation across 3 consumer profiles: heritage, urban and geeks.

With intelligence becoming a major consumer trend today and a growing demand for brain-training puzzles and games, Rubik’s stands in a unique position to expand its product offering and capatalise on the many opportunities this will present.

David Kremer, President of Rubik’s Brand Ltd has said of thepartnership with Smiley, “We are delighted to have found a passionate brand owner with a massive track record to help take Rubik’s brand to the next level and widen the appeal across a number of sectors. Nicolas Loufrani and the The Smiley Company team are proven developers of innovative products that keep their brand as fresh and relevant today as when it first put a smile on our faces. I have no doubt that The Smiley Company’s skill, energy and enthusiasm will translate into a huge business opportunity for retail building on the world famous Rubik’s Cube, one of the most successful products of all time.”

Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of Smiley Company added, “Rubik’s is a brand that I have admired for decades, similar to Smiley in that it has massive heritage and iconicity in 1980’s pop culture and that it has not only survived the course of time, but flourished.  This represents a huge deal for us as it will be the first time we are taking care of another major brand other than our own.

There is a great synergy between Smiley and Rubik’s and I feel we are uniquely placed to exploit the brands values and real essence. I’ve been hugely impressed by the team at Rubik’s and look forward to working closely with Professor Erno Rubik and the Rubik’s Brand in creating amazing new products and retail partnerships across the globe.”