NBC Universal merges Universal Brand Development and Universal Parks & Resorts Merchandise Group to form new division

NBCUniversal has merged its Universal Brand Development and Universal Parks & Resorts Merchandise Group arms to form a new Universal Products & Experiences division.

The mission of Universal Products & Experiences is to extend the company’s characters and stories by bringing them to life in immersive experiences, in product and across digital initiatives.

The division will be led by current Universal Brand Development president Vince Klaseus and report directly to Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts.

“Joining these two talented teams into one group creates a powerhouse division focused on compelling consumer products and experiences both inside and outside our theme parks,” said Mark Woodbury.

“Our goal is to create products and experiences for fans that are as innovative and compelling as our lands and attractions. This team can now deliver and execute that on a much larger scale.”

Vince Klaseus added: “We’ve built a robust, successful, and expansive CP business over the last few years, and now by combining the creativity and innovation capabilities of the theme park’s direct consumer and retail skills, we’re going to take our collective business to new heights for consumers, our team, and the company overall.

“2022 has been a phenomenal year for our CP business with properties like Jurassic World, Minions, and Gabby’s Dollhouse taking off to new heights. That strength plus the phenomenal theme park performance and guest experiences makes this team coming together even more powerful. I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together with the combined team focused on new areas of growth and collaboration across physical and digital product categories and retail.”