Paladone wouldn’t be a leader in the landscape of pop-culture gifts and branded merchandise if not for the incredible library of world-famous licenses that we represent. Some brands trend up and down from year to year, some seem to stay eternally buoyant over the long term and some explode on to the scene for just a relatively short period of time. For 30 years, Paladone has been there to offer exciting trend-led gifts and merchandise that help retailers stock shelves and maximise sales.
To celebrate Paladone’s 30th birthday join us as we explore 30 of our most memorable, valuable and lucrative licenses from the past 30 years – some of which are still going strong and available to explore on our Trade Website.
Henry & Hetty
These lovable little suckers hold a special place in Paladone’s rich history because they hold the title of being Paladone’s first official licenced brand partnership. Even now, many years later, the Henry Mini desk vacuum still guarantees steady profits for retailers – and Numatic, the makers of Henry and Hetty vacuums, even acknowledges the popularity of Paladone’s products on their Wikipedia page!
Scrabble
During Paladone’s early years, the license for this beloved board game spawned some very popular Scrabble merchandise – which is unsurprising when you consider that the game is almost 90 years old and has sold approximately 150million sets in over 120 countries! Paladone’s Scrabble stickers, magnets, lights and cookie cutters are still being cherished by wordsmiths far and wide.
Pac-Man
Released to only modest success in the 1980’s, this pixelated little yellow character and his ghostly associates have grown in popularity over the course of 40+ years to become some of the world’s most iconic and recognisable video-game mascots. Longtime fans looking for a hit of nostalgia and younger consumers seeking a retro classic continue to scratch that itch from Paladone’s exciting range.
Friends
A juggernaut franchise that was born the same year as Paladone, Friends is commonly ranked among the all-time best TV shows and even now 20 years after the show’s finale you would struggle to find someone in the western world who couldn’t recite the names of the main cast. The property still generates around $1billion per year for Warner Bros, and Paladone’s Friends range has continued to be all the rage for diehard fans.
Barbie
The first lady of fashion dolls has been bringing joy to children and kidults for nearly 70 years. Not only has she touched millions of lives but she has also stayed culturally relevant and relatable through her many iterations and reinventions over the decades. The popularity of the recent Barbie motion picture proves that this brand may be one of the oldest out there, but is also one of the strongest – which was further demonstrated when Paladone’s Barbie light was shortlisted for Gift of the Year in 2024!
Crayola
More than 120 years ago the first Crayola crayon was sold. With 99% brand recognition across households in the USA, Crayola is firmly one of the most widely recognised and trusted names in the world! Its strong and familiar branding resonates with children year after year, so naturally Paladone’s Crayola lights and alarm clocks are considered to be the perfect addition to any youngster’s bedroom.
Star Wars
Star Wars was already in its teens when Paladone was born, but both of these incredible brands were destined to come together and enjoy a long lasting and lucrative relationship involving everything Star Wars – across the original trilogy, the prequels, the sequels, the spin offs and the many TV series’. We’re thrilled that Star Wars has always been a part of our stellar line-up, and so are the millions of Star Wars fans that cherish Paladone’s huge range of branded products.
Disney classics
The Lion King is also 30 years old in 2024 (hey there twin!), and remains one of Disney’s most beloved animated movies. Paladone has spent many years developing into so many of Disney’s iconic characters and films including Cinderella, Mrs Potts & Chip, and the lovable alien Stitch who remains so timeless and universally recognised that Paladone’s iconic Stitch Light was shortlisted for Gift of the Year in 2024!
Beetlejuice
This quirky comedy horror brand has been a sleeper hit since the first film’s release way back in 1988. Over time the franchise has grown a devoted cult following which in turn created consistent demand for Beetlejuice branded products. With the impending release of the long-awaited sequel in 2024 we predict that demand for Paladone’s excellent range of merchandise is going to soar.
Dungeons & Dragons
The award winning table-top RPG that set off a chain reaction which still resonates through gaming and pop-culture 50 years later. Still as popular as ever in its physical iteration, DnD has also been the influence behind countless video games, TV shows, films and literary greats. It’s no wonder there’s continual demand for Paladone’s range of epic DnD merch.
Transformers
10 years before the rise of Paladone, Transformers burst on to the scene. 1984 saw the official birth of Generation 1 of the robots in disguise, influenced by the growing interest in mecha that started in Japan and quickly progressed around the world. Interest in Paladone’s Transformers products grew just as quickly after the lines were launched and stayed buoyant through the multiple spin offs, comics, TV shows and blockbuster movies.
The Lord of the Rings
Literature rarely comes in a form as epic as J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings The massive media franchise built on the back of his works regularly pumps out movies and TV shows that keep fans, both new and old, gripped. The imminent release of the anime fantasy film Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim followed by predicted blockbuster The Hunt for Gollum in 2026 will build on the success of juggernaut TV show The Rings of Power – all keeping demand for Paladone’s LOTR merchandise strong for years to come.
DC
Consult any list of the world’s most recognisable or favourite superheroes, and you’ll always find DC’s big 3 on there: Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Since the 1930’s, DC’s ever expanding roster of fan favourites has ignited imaginations and created a globally popular media franchise which has maintained high demand for Paladone’s range of DC merchandise. The long-term forecast is positive due to the release of the next Superman and Supergirl movies in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Another property which finds itself in the same age group as Paladone is Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated musical fantasy film – recognised as a film of cultural, historical and aesthetical significance. Every single Halloween and Christmas the property never fails to trend strongly meaning Paladone’s range of fun branded gifts and products fly off the shelves again and again.
Scott and Lawson
OK so this one might be a bit of a cheat; Scott & Lawson is Paladone’s own brand for practical yet novel products aimed at the discerning gentleman. Perfect for birthdays, Christmas and Father’s Day, this range has been a mainstay in supermarkets over the years and remains popular due to the friendly price range and the feel-good factor associated with small fun practical gifts.
Hello Kitty
Celebrating her 50th Birthday in 2024, Kitty White has become everyone’s favourite kawaii cat! Initially only popular in Japan due to her British roots, Kitty slowly gained traction across the rest of the world and is now part of a franchise worth over $8 billion per year. Paladone is proud to say that our Hello Kitty merch continues to be a favourite for the fans, and a revenue spinner for retailers.
FIFA World Cup
This license was no-brainer when you consider that the beautiful game (aka Football/Soccer) is the world’s most popular sport. And Paladone’s FIFA World Cup merchandise flies off the shelves every 4 years when millions of fans glue themselves to their TVs to find out who will be lifting the planet’s most recognisable trophy. While supporters are celebrating their team’s wins (or ruing the losses), many of them will be clutching a Paladone FIFA World Cup mug, wearing a pair of Paladone FIFA World Cup socks or sipping from a Paladone FIFA World Cup water bottle.
PlayStation
Another iconic brand that shares the same birthday as Paladone is Sony’s PlayStation. Maintaining the record for best-selling console in the world, the PlayStation has managed to retain the majority share of the video game console market across it’s long and illustrious lifetime. Paladone’s PlayStation light recently popped up at the 2024 champion’s league final so it seems we’re still as popular as Football!
Xbox
If you caught the recent Xbox showcase you’ll already know that 2024 and 2025 are set to see this innovative 22-year-old brand undertake a paradigm shift which will significantly change the video gaming landscape and position Xbox as the creator of the best gaming experiences worldwide. Not only will gamers be clambering to join the revolution, they’ll also be clambering for Paladone’s Xbox goodies!
Harry Potter
Paladone was already 3 years old when the first Harry Potter book was published and since then the Wizarding World has become one of the world’s biggest franchises. With a long-running TV series faithful to the original books being announced to air in 2026, Paladone’s Harry Potter and Wizarding World products will be evergreen for years to come.
Marvel
One of the world’s biggest comic book and media franchises – containing some of the worlds most loved and cherished superheroes – comes to life through Paladone’s huge range of Marvel products. The MCU keeps growing through its movies, TV shows and comics generating constant demand for Paladone’s Marvel-ous lights, gifts and merchandise.
Demon Slayer
If you haven’t already experienced it, our recent review of the world’s most profitable Anime franchises highlighted exactly why Paladone’s Demon Slayer products can be found on the shelves of shops (both physical and virtual) worldwide. A new season dropped in June 2024 which has re-energised the retail landscape for this juggernaut brand.
Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig turns 20 in 2024 and this super-popular preschool brand has a presence in more than 180 countries. The award-winning series’ popularity has resulted in multiple theme parks, resorts and video games so it’s no surprise that Paladone’s Peppa Pig lights are tipped to be a massive hit this Autumn and Winter.
Minecraft
Now 15 years old, Minecraft’s enviable record as the best-selling game in history still hasn’t been beaten and is the reason why Paladone’s huge range of Minecraft products continue to fly off the shelves. With a new movie coming in 2025, demand is expected to skyrocket!
Minions
In 2010 we got our first glimpse of the small yellow creatures who exist only to serve the most evil of villains. Having starred in a number of hugely-grossing animated films, and endearing themselves to both adults and children, they are now a household name. Paladone’s favourite Minion is Bob. So we made a Bob Light and everyone seems to love it!
Stranger Things
In 2016 Netflix dragged us back to the 80’s with this epic sci-fi horror that was underpinned by a huge variety of nostalgic and recognisable influences. The series resonated so strongly viewers that demand for Stanger Things merch went sky high. The show’s popularity developed throughout the following seasons and Paladone are now gearing up to release an update to their already fabulous range that will complement the fifth and final season in 2025.
The Last of Us
This modern day phenomenon started life as a critically acclaimed computer game (ranked as one of the greatest video games EVER) and has spawned a hit TV show that is now commonly accepted as one of the best game-to-screen conversions of all time. Paladone’s Firefly Logo Light has become a must-have for any fan of the games and/or the TV series.
Game of Thrones & House of the Dragon
It’s hard to believe that the book which started it all was published almost 30 years ago. After violently exploding on to the scene due to the shock value and high-stakes drama of the TV series, Game of Thrones took the world by storm and spawned the House of the Dragon spin off series to keep momentum going once the original series’ run ended. With season 2 of House of the Dragon recently hitting screens, hardcore fans continue to treat themselves to Paladone’s branded HotD products.
Bridgerton
This clever and diverse regency drama series has resonated hard with multiple core demographics through its exploration of contemporary themes. The release and reception of the latest 3rd season has demonstrated that the property still has so much more to give, despite the secret identity of Lady Whistledown being revealed back at the end of the first season – and Paladone’s range of merchandise has been a surefire hit in the homes of thousands of Bridgerton fans.
Squid Game
Netflix’s most watched series is making a return for its second season in 2024 (with a third season rumoured to be hitting screens in 2025). After the success of the initial launch in 2021 – augmented by the trending Korean Wave and a spin-off reality TV show – this property will just keep growing with Paladone’s LED Neon Light fast becoming a firm fan favourite.
Over the last 30 years, it has been proven that time and time again Paladone is the market leader in trend-led branded pop-culture merchandise. Paladone’s people are the biggest fans of the licences they represent, and the team is perfectly positioned to guide retailers and distributors on “the next big thing(s)” that will be flying off the shelves and into the hands of fans worldwide. So here’s to the next 30 years of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy, Horror, Heroes, Villains, Animation, Games, Toys and Lights. Happy 30th Birthday Paladone.
