Licensing International celebrated the best of the global licensing industry this week, and several kids brands got the chance to shine.

The 2026 Licensing International Excellence Awards were held this week in Las Vegas to coincide with the Licensing Expo, which officially wraps up today. The org received more than 800 submissions this year, with 223 of them making it into the finals, spanning 35 categories.

Bluey took the crown for Best Animated Brand—a competitive category where it went up against heavy-hitter kids IPs like Peppa Pig, Miraculous, Paddington, Hello Kitty, Smurfs, Chiikawa and the 2025 champ, Peanuts. (CP guru Suzy Raia recently spoke to Kidscreen about the brand’s wildly successful yearly theme strategy.) Meanwhile, the Best Toy Brand prize went to POP MART’s The Monsters (the collection that includes the immensely popular Labubu). It’s a big win for the Chinese retailer, beating out the likes of Barbie, LEGO and last year’s winner, Jazwares’ Squishmallows.

Meanwhile, KPop Demon Hunters still isn’t done racking up awards this season, with the brand’s partners picking up a total of three trophies for Best Retailer for Entertainment Brands (Spirit Halloween, pictured above), Best Publishing, Social Expression, or Back-to-School Product (Penguin Random House) and Best Accessories or Footwear Collaboration (Vans).

Preschool favorite Gabby’s Dollhouse snapped up two prizes, with Tonies (Gabby’s Cat-tastic Scavenger Hunt) and Spin Master (Gabby’s Dollhouse: Meowmazing Dollhouse). So did Universal’s live-action musical sequel Wicked: For Good, which scored wins for the Ordo electric toothbrush and a round Dutch oven collection from Le Creuset. And LEGO was a double winner, too, recognized for its Star Wars Death Star set and its collab with the Van Gogh Museum.

The kids brand winners are listed below, while a complete list can be viewed on the official website.

Best Animated Brand: Bluey – BBC Studios, Ludo Studios

Best Interactive or Digital Brand: Tetris

Best Publishing, Stationery, or Social Expression Brand: Moomin – Moomin Characters Ltd (Rights & Brands)

Best Toy Brand: The Monsters – POP MART 

Best Apparel, Accessories, or Footwear Product for Entertainment Brands: Casio Computer Co. – Stranger Things Watch

Best Appliance, Automotive, or Electronic Product for Entertainment Brands: CASETiFY x Sanrio Characters Collection (Alifish)

Best Food or Beverage Product for Entertainment Brands: Danone – Actimel Minecraft Yogurts (CAA Brand Management)

Best Health & Beauty Product for Entertainment Brands: Ordo – Wicked: For Good Electric Toothbrush

Best Home Décor or Homeware Product for Entertainment Brands: Le Creuset Group AG – Wicked: For Good Signature Round Dutch Oven

Best Interactive or Digital Product: Tonies – Gabby’s Cat-tastic Scavenger Hunt

Best Publishing, Social Expression, or Back-to-School Product: Penguin Random House – KPop Demon Hunters: For the Fans! Little Golden Book

Best Toys, Games, Novelties, or Role Play Product (ages 0-8): Spin Master – Gabby’s Dollhouse: Meowmazing Dollhouse

Best Toys, Games, Novelties, or Role Play Product (ages 8+): LEGO – Star Wars Death Star

Best Accessories or Footwear Collaboration: Vans x KPop Demon Hunters

Best Apparel Collaboration: Star Wars x Columbia

Best Experiential or Location-Based Initiative: The Wizard of Oz at Sphere

Best Hardlines or Packaged Goods Collaboration: The LEGO Group x Van Gogh Museum

Best Licensed Promotion: Peanuts Starbucks Promotion

Best Retailer for Entertainment Brands: Spirit Halloween – KPop Demon Hunters