Welcome to Fuggler™, the irreverent ‘Funny Ugly Monsters’ owned by Libertas Brands
Enter the world of Libertas Brands: the new, dynamic IP management and consultancy company centered around value, innovation, and – most importantly – fun. Established in 2023 by Stuart Grant and Mark Kingston, Libertas Brands creates high-quality and exciting content, products, and experiences that enhance the lives of consumers and fans across the globe. The company is the IP powerhouse behind some of the toy industry’s favorite brands, including the ownership of the iconic Fuggler™ brand, as well as representing the Meccano and Erector brands in all categories outside of toys, under an exclusive arrangement with Spinmaster, Inc.
Retail Merchandiser sat down with Libertas Brands’ Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Kingston, to delve deeper into the vibrant, mischievous world of Fuggler™ and to learn more about how the company is expanding the brand across categories, territories and multiple touchpoints, while staying true to its distinctive DNA. Mark begins by elaborating on the range of product collections that are available across Libertas Brands’ portfolio.
“Libertas Brands owns and controls the Fuggler™ IP and we license it to best-in-class partners across a wide range of product categories,” he explains. “Zuru Toys is a key partner and will be launching over 200 different Fuggler™ SKUs throughout 2026, including bag-clip plushes, the core 9” plush, our Bigg Fugg range, the Fuggler Max construction range, and an assortment of pet toys under its very own ‘Bonkers’ brand.”
Collectible figures are another fast-growing pillar for the brand. “Our global exclusive partner in this space is the fast growing and nimble toy company, PMI Toys. They have developed a strong lineup of 2.5-inch collectible figures and keychains that come in blind bags as well as in open formats, along with a range of hugely successful motion activated ‘Farting Fuggler’ figures and Fuggler™ squishies. Furthermore, our global partnership with Hunter Price International covers additional product categories such as stationery, novelty gifting, health and beauty, homewares, games, and puzzles.
“We also have an exciting new Fuggler™ ‘Deluxe Puppetronic’, coming from the innovative team at Wow!Stuff, along with costumes from Spirit Halloween and apparel and accessories from Difuzed, Isaac Morris, Poetic Brands, and The Jacob Company,” Mark continues. “Alongside that, our partnership with Trends International is across posters and stickers, whilst Surreal Entertainment offers a host of products across seasonal gifting, car accessories, and home décor. The home electronics and phone accessories category is covered by our partnership with Aduro and RhinoShield, and we also have publishing partnerships with Centum Publishing, Lake Press and Little Brother Books. Globally, we now have over 50 licensees, and counting, on the Fuggler™ brand, with many new licensees to be announced throughout 2026.”
Brand resonance
The ‘Fuggler™ name, quite literally, stands for ‘Funny Ugly Monster’, and it’s easy to see why. Each character has its own distinctive personality and is created deliberately imperfect, with exaggerated features such as button/vacant eyes, crooked or missing teeth, oversized ears and unexpected unique design details, such as wacky underpants! There’s a Fuggler™ for every color of the rainbow, and fans are drawn to their weirdness and relatability.
“At the heart of the Fuggler™ brand is the ‘ugly but cute’ emotional hook,” Mark says. “These characters are chaotic, flawed and humorous – which makes them highly relatable. They tap into the relief from overly polished and aspirational toys, as well as from the stresses and strains in today’s world,” Mark elaborates. “Instead of a complex lore or backstory, we focus on the Fugglers’ attitudes and archetype (mischief makers, oddballs, outcasts, troublemakers) while having unique personality cues such as wonky or missing realistic teeth, vacant eyes, and funny names and expressions. Fugglers focus on visual comedy, which is a universal language, and that’s a big part of why the brand resonates so strongly across global markets.”
To complement the traditional Fuggler™ characters, the company also collaborates with other big entertainment brands, such as Gremlins, Jaws, Spongebob, and Lord of the Rings, to name a few. Through these collaborations, customers can own a Fuggler™ inspired by their favorite television or movie character, however, as Mark goes on to reveal, there’s a thoughtful vetting process behind any prospective collaborations to ensure their suitability and success as well as to protect brand integrity.
“Our strategy for third-party collaborations is to ensure that these ranges will never exceed more than ten to 15 percent of the Fuggler™ range,” he shares. “We invite other IPs into the Fuggler™ universe using a clear filter: Will it survive being ugly? Can it be self-aware? Can fans accept the parody level of the interaction between the Fuggler™ and the third-party IP? And most importantly, does the end product still feel unmistakably like a Fuggler™? That last point is a non-negotiable.”
Unique experiences
Looking ahead, Libertas Brands is focused on extending Fuggler™ beyond traditional plush through a joined-up omnichannel strategy. The FuggClub app continues to evolve as a unique digital trading card platform that allows fans to collect digital assets while managing their physical collections. In conjunction with this, the brand is also excited to launch its new Fuggler™ gaming app called ‘Reckless Runner’ – a fun and equally chaotic game where fans can become their favorite Fuggler™ and race through a series of different environments, tackling many obstacles along the way. By leveraging this omnichannel approach, Fuggler™ goes beyond a traditional plush brand: it’s an experience – an immersive world with which kids, teens, and adults alike can fall in love.
“Fuggler™ is evolving into a fully rounded brand experience,” Mark shares. “We’re building long term engagement through products, digital platforms, and complementary content. We have focused on our core goal of ‘playful chaos’ by leaning into character creation, with our Fugglers having unique personalities and attributes with a clear DNA. Our priority for the year ahead is to continue driving newness into the Fuggler™ brand. Our partners at Zuru Toys will launch 160 individual SKUs just on Fuggler™ plush, complemented with over 40 new lines in construction and pet toys. This is also being replicated within our collectible figures range from PMI Toys, with three different series launching in 2026,” he adds.
“Later in the year, Wow!Stuff will debut the innovative Fuggler™ Deluxe Puppetronic range, with further expansion planned across fashion, with some exciting collaborations with some of the world’s leading fashion retailers, stationery, homewares, health and beauty, CPG and novelty gifting,” Mark concludes, excited for the future ahead. “Our focus will be on providing fans with opportunities to both indulge in their love for Fugglers while also having unique experiences – through consistent newness in products and content. Fuggler™ is a unique brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously and provides an imaginative escape from the everyday. It offers retailers a brand with standout shelf presence, cross-category reach and a clear point of difference. There is a Fuggler™ for everyone!”