'Turtle' Takeover

"The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" came to TV screens for the first time in 1987, followed by its first movie in 1990. Since then, the brand has impacted popular culture with five feature films, and a sixth is coming. To shell-ebrate, brands are jumping at the opportunity to lean into the nostalgia and help promote the new movie in August through brand collaborations. Here are just a few.  

Primark and Pizza Hut, in collaboration with Paramount Consumer Products, are serving a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" partnership.  

Primark announced it would celebrate "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" by releasing a limited-edition adult leisurewear collection featuring the Turtles alongside their favorite food, XXL pizza slices from Pizza Hut.  

The six-piece leisurewear collection features nostalgic "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" graphics alongside a retro Pizza Hut logo applied across tonal T-shirts, hoodies, shorts, socks and bucket hats. A second collection will drop in early November.  

 "We are thrilled to partner with Pizza Hut and Paramount Consumer Products on releasing this limited-edition adult leisurewear range," says Sarah Jackson, director, licensing, Primark. "We are known for delivering unexpected collaborations and we think the nostalgic prints will really resonate with many of our customers who grew up watching Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael and Leonardo."  

Related:Moose Toys Gets Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles License

License Global reported that Pizza Hut is also getting in on the action. The restaurant has extended its partnership with the film by launching a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"-inspired pizza named "The Big New Yorker." The pizza, as featured in the movie itself, is the biggest pizza available at Pizza Hut yet, coming in at 16 inches. The bottom crust is cut into six XXL, foldable New York-style slices.  

'The Big New Yorker' is available in Margarita and Pepperoni OR 'create your own' with any two toppings now at all Pizza Hut restaurants to dine in, delivery and pick-up.  

"We've always had a close link to the 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and are so excited to launch this collaboration," says Hazell White, head, brand and innovation, Pizza Hut. "We love the nostalgic and retro nod in Primark's limited-edition collection and can't wait to see people wearing it. We love the collaboration so much that we have launched the same pizza in the movie in our stores."  

The collection will launch with a special weekend-long event at Primark's flagship Birmingham store on July 29 and 30 before landing in Primark stores globally on July 31. The launch event will include sampling Pizza Hut's new "Big New Yorker" thinner, foldable Pizza, a DJ playing music from the early '90s Hip-Hop inspired movie soundtrack and experiential activities such as a virtual graffiti wall.  

Related:Pizza Hut Teams with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for “Mutant Mayhem’ Promos

Walmart is also jumping on the turtle train by releasing an extensive back-to-school collection inspired by the "TMNT" gang.  

Back-to-school:  

Kids' apparel:  

Food and beverage:  

Toys:   

As License Global previously reported, Moose Toys has gained the license for the property and are preparing for the film launch. Under the new licensing agreement, the toymaker's Akedo brand will be the first Moose Toys line of products to get the Ninja Turtle treatment. Akedo game pieces feature the classic characters from the animated series and are on shelves now, ahead of the upcoming film, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem." The agreement also allows for cross-collaboration with additional original brands from Moose Toys. Plans include the "Heroes in a Half Shell" debuting as characters in an upcoming line for Heroes of Goo Jit Zu in 2024.    

"As Moose Toys continues to aggressively expand its licensing program by tapping into pop culture and nostalgia, we identified Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a property that ticked both boxes and engaged with Paramount to acquire the license and bring some 'Turtle Power' to Moose," says Ronnie Frankowski, chief commercial officer, Moose Toys. "We chose Akedo as the first Moose brand to get the Turtle treatment because of the inherent similarities in brand DNA. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brings a new level of fun with a dash of irreverence to Akedo's fast-fighting action and humor-infused play and offers the perfect backdrop to welcome the crime-fighting, pizza-loving crew to the Moose family."    

The film comes out on Aug. 2. Watch this space to see who collabs with the Turtles next!