Jazwares and UGLYDOLL® Announce a New Chapter to Reimagine the Iconic Brand, for a New Generation

PLANTATION, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 17, 2026--

Some icons never go out of style, especially the perfectly imperfect ones. Jazwares, a leading global toy company, and Pretty Ugly, LLC, owner of the beloved UGLYDOLL® brand, today announced a long-term strategic partnership to usher the iconic brand into its next vibrant chapter. The collaboration will introduce an all-new line of plush and collectibles inspired by the beloved brand's iconic original artwork.

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Under the partnership, Jazwares will design, develop, manufacture, and distribute a fresh global collection celebrating the unmistakable charm, humor, and individuality that made UGLYDOLL a worldwide phenomenon. Jazwares’ UGLYDOLL line will include a full line of iconic plush, authentic multiscale figures and accessories, collectible vinyls, role-play toys and costumes, construction sets, novelties, and more. The first products are expected to be available worldwide and debut at retail in Fall 2027.

"UGLYDOLL is one of those rare brands that has built a passionate, multigenerational fan community by celebrating creativity, authenticity, and the idea that our differences are what make us special," said Judd Karofsky, Chief Business Development Officer at Jazwares. “Jazwares brings IP to life in toys and collectibles like nobody else can, and our partnership with Pretty Ugly honors the brand's incredible legacy while introducing these unforgettable characters to a new generation. We can't wait for longtime fans and first-time collectors to experience what's coming."

Since launching in 2001, UGLYDOLL has evolved from an independently created designer plush brand into an award-winning global franchise with a massive devoted fan following. Beloved for celebrating imperfections, individuality, and self-expression, characters like Wage, Ox, Babo, Ice-Bat, Moxy, and Tray have become global icons of a brand built on the idea that "ugly" is beautiful. From collectors who have cherished the originals for years to new fans discovering them for the first time, UGLYDOLL continues to prove that being different always reigns supreme.

“From the beginning, UGLYDOLL has been about creating characters that people connect with on a personal level,” said Drew Matilsky, co-founder & managing partner, Pretty Ugly LLC, UGLYDOLL. “Watching fans read their character tags and form their own emotional bonds with these dolls has always been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey. Seeing those same fans, now grown, share UGLYDOLL with their own children is truly special. We’re excited to see Jazwares continue that legacy for a new generation.”

The partnership further expands Jazwares' portfolio of globally recognized brands and reflects the company's continued investment in creating products that connect with fans across generations. Drawing inspiration from the classic UGLYDOLL artwork, Jazwares will develop a collection that celebrates the charm, humor, and personality that have made the brand a fan favorite for more than 20 years.

ABOUT JAZWARES

Jazwares, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading global toy manufacturer with a robust portfolio of owned and licensed brands. Founded in 1997, Jazwares celebrates imaginative play with a progressive focus on identifying new and relevant trends to transform into high-quality products for consumers of all ages. Jazwares engages consumers through innovative play experiences with popular brands such as Squishmallows™, Pokémon™, Hello Kitty™, Star Wars™, Five Nights at Freddy’s™, Disney™, BumBumz™, and BLDR™. In addition to toys, offerings include costumes, games, and pillows. Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, Jazwares has offices worldwide and sells its products in over 100 countries. For more information, visit www.jazwares.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

ABOUT PRETTY UGLY, LCC

Led by co-founders Drew Matilsky, Sun-min Kim, David Horvath, since 2003, Pretty Ugly LLC brought the Uglydoll brand to life through specialty retail, museums, art exhibitions and global pop culture.

ABOUT UGLYDOLL®

Uglydoll started as a handmade, plush doll that has grown into a lifestyle brand loved around the world for its design, observational soul, and unspoken yet clear message of how important it’s always been to be the real you.

​​This release contains disclosures that are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts and can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "project," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "potential," "should," "continue" or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. These forward-looking statements are based upon Jazwares' current plans or expectations and are subject to several uncertainties and risks. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, and Jazwares has no specific intention to update these statements. As a consequence, current plans and anticipated actions may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by Jazwares or on Jazwares’ behalf.

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — Thunderstorms, heavy rain and flash flooding continued to threaten a swath of the U.S. from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic Monday, extending a deadly stretch of unsettled weather.

The National Weather Service said repeated rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms would continue for one more day before a cold front sweeps the weather pattern off the East Coast on Tuesday. In the meantime, much of West Virginia, southeast Ohio and northeast Kentucky were under a flood watch through Monday evening, with high water lingering from previous storms increasing the possibility of flash flooding.

Elsewhere, hot weather posed more of a problem, particularly across the South, Southeast and Southwest. The weather service issued extreme heat warnings for portions of Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and California.

In Indiana, where days of storms and flooding left at least seven people dead, floodwaters receded in Indianapolis’ White River and rains eased in other parts of the state Sunday. But a flood warning remained in effect Monday morning for part of Randolph County in east central Indiana, where thunderstorms had dropped between 1 and 2 inches of rain by 8 a.m., and residents of half a dozen counties were urged to stay off the roads except for essential travel.

“While we have seen encouraging trends, the work is far from over,” said Jacob Spence, director of the Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency in Indianapolis, where city officials on Sunday launched a website to support affected residents.

South of Indianapolis, officials in Madison Township said firefighters and others rescued 10 people from their homes Sunday night. Others had to be rescued from their cars after attempting to drive through flooded roadways.

“This remains an active and potentially dangerous situation,” the fire department said in a social media post. “We cannot stress this enough: DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.”

A 4-year-old boy, three men and three women were among those who had died since the storms that began Aug. 11, said Liz Woods, a spokesperson for the state Department of Homeland Security.

Also, among the seven victims was a 31-year-old cyclist found dead early Sunday in a hole that opened up on a washed-out road in Henry County, east of Indianapolis. Henry County Coroner Brian Clark said the man, James Briar, appears to have gone around a barricade and fallen into the collapsed road.

Heavy rains hammered Indiana over the past week, causing rivers to crest and setting records as roads and bridges were seriously damaged or washed out entirely by the rushing waters.

More than 106,000 utility customers statewide remained without power as of Monday morning, down from a peak of around 300,000, according to the online utility tracker PowerOutage.us.

The drenching rains and destructive flooding were among the impacts of severe storms that have wreaked havoc across the Midwest and beyond in recent days. Tornadoes, heavy rains and flash flooding brought serious damage to communities from Illinois to western Pennsylvania.

The National Weather Service forecasts heavy rain and thunderstorms across the upper Ohio Valley to the central Appalachians, with the possibility of severe storms late Monday across eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

Scott Conrad, left, Joseph Workman, right, and Kesley Patterson, back to camera, push a kayak through floodwaters as they transport items from their flooded homes in Indianapolis, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy)

Darius Canler and Curtis Carey carry a TV from their flooded home in Indianapolis, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy)

Scott Conrad, left, Joseph Workman, second from left, Ronan Carey, in the boat, and Kesley Patterson use a kayak to transport items from their flooded homes in Indianapolis, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy)