Topps - Mini Merlin stickers prove hit

Asgard client Topps Europe Ltd is one of the world's biggest marketers of collectable stickers For once, though, thinking 'small' has led to renewed success. A long-time licensee of Italian football Topps decided for 2003 to refresh the product with a much smaller than usual sticker album, less that A5 in size. The result: higher sales than for their traditional product launches in 2001 and 2002. Just goes to show that even with such a traditional product as stickers, product innovation will always score!

Yoplait ride out with Thomas

Yoplait's latest license signed under Asgard's guidance is Thomas the Tank Engine. Last year licensor Gullane, now part of Hit! Entertainment, reviewed their CYD license for Thomas and, deciding that a new direction was needed, chose YDC to 'skipper' Thomas chilled dairy products into the new year. After extensive product planning and development the first new Thomas the Tank Engine products hit the shelves in April, and, as you'd expect from such a star as Thomas, have already begun to set 'track records' for new product launches in the sector.