Rick Blanco

The Cartoon Network Collective was an exciting initiative designed to grow CN's adult collector segment by pairing celebrated artists with CN's top brands. The result of that collaboration was then used to curate product extensions and exclusive content for a direct-to-consumer approach via e-Commerce.

"Mojo Jojo" by Travis Louie One of the amazing artists that contributed to the Cartoon Network Collective. As the network relaunched The Powerpuff Girls in 2016 to a whole new generation of fans, The Collective also appealed to the original fans while still aligning with franchise tentpoles.

"Dexter's Laboratory Tribute" by CHOGRIN Another commissioned contribution to the Cartoon Network Collective. This program tapped the nostalgic factor of historical IP but with a new approach and vision.

"See the Unknown" by Anthony Petrie "Over the Garden Wall" was an Emmy Award winning mini-series that first aired in 2014. Since its debut, it has grown a passionate following through the rich storytelling and visual motifs steeped in early Americana. Despite the seasonality of its content, The Collective provided OTGW an ongoing platform for continued development and engagement with its fans.

"Adventure Time Card Wars Kingdom" by HYDRO74 This contribution to The Collective was originally designed as a poster to coincide with the latest launch of the successful Card Wars series of games, but also became a logical choice for a custom laser-etched skate deck by KARVT.

These two style guides represent an evolution of the brand from a product perspective. With several seasons under its belt, the strength of Adventure Time's iconic characters and the show's visual language allowed for greater elasticity when infusing trends. It began to cross over into more fashion and lifestyle categories while still retaining the critical proprietary elements.

Nooka's approach to minimalist and artistic time pieces became an exciting choice for a licensed series of watches.

Assortment of product development for Adventure Time.

Assortment of Softlines development for Adventure Time.

Assortment of Hardlines development for Adventure Time. The AT adaptation of Monopoly was one of their top-selling licensed brands.

We garnered great success with the CN publishing program. By shifting comics away from "on model" executions and embracing stylized interpretations, the audience grew beyond traditional, licensed childrens comics. Adult focused titles like the "Adventure Time Encyclopedia" were critically acclaimed hits and helped pave the road to initiatives like The CN Collective.

Assortment of product development for Regular Show.

Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are here to save the world before bedtime! This style guide captures the juxtaposition of "cute but fierce" in both tone and execution. With the strategic approach of blending fashion, lifestyle and iconic characters, this property works from the catwalk to the toy aisle.

The Powerpuff Girls X Moschino. Jeremy Scott's interpretation of this classic CN property was launched at Milan Fashion Week in 2015 and then unveiled as part of the Spring Collection worldwide.

The global relaunch of Ben 10 wiill revitalize the franchise and bring a new audience to connect with this 10-year-old boy who can transform into 10 different alien forms.

The success of the Bandai toy line helped make Ben 10 a global franchise for nearly a decade with key drivers like the Omnitrix, a robust 4" action figure line and innovative successes like the Creation Chamber platform.

Window view of Adventure Time Feature Shop at Toys-R-Us Times Square which coincided with the inclusion of Adventure Time's character balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Interior view of Ben 10 / Secret Saturdays Feature Shop at Toys-R-Us Times Square.

Dedicated Ben 10 space in the former flagship store at Toy-R-Us Times Square.

Ben10 and Bakugan feature shop rollout at Toys-R-Us stores.