Bravado, the merchandising and brand management arm of Universal Music Group, said on Wednesday it has entered into a partnership with The Copyrights Group to license the Paddington brand in the U.S. and Canada. The Paddington children’s book franchise, created in 1958 by British writer Michael Bond, made its big screen debut in 2015, earning $268 million worldwide. A sequel is expected in theaters later this year. France-based content and media company Vivendi SA , which owns Universal Music Group and The Copyrights Group, acquired the ownership rights for the Paddington brand in 2016 — with the exception of publishing rights. With the partnership, Bravado will control the licensing of the brand across retail and consumer products in the U.S. and Canada. Shares of Vivendi have gained 6% in the year to date and nearly 9% in the trailing 12-month period.
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