Tuesday, July 05, 2022

Kellogg’s Unveils Apple Jacks Slime Cereal

Kellogg’s has partnered with Nickelodeon to launch Kellogg's® Apple Jacks® Slime, a brand new cereal inspired by Nickelodeon's iconic green slime!


Kellogg's Apple Jacks Slime is a sweet, green apple flavored cereal that turns milk green right before your eyes.

Apple Jacks typically has the flavor combination of apples and cinnamon, but with this limited release, Kellogg’s has gone with a green apple, removing the cinnamon entirely.

Nickelodeon has previously teamed up with Walmart to release Nickelodeon Slime ice cream and pops, and Nickelodeon Slime sauce (green ketchup). Nickelodeon and FYE also previously teamed up to release Reptar Cereal, based on the iconic cereal in Nickelodeon's beloved animated series, Rugrats, which also famously turns milk green.

Boxes of Kellogg's® Apple Jacks® Slime are on supermarket shelves today!

Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon shows old and new on Paramount+. Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


Original source: Ghostbusters News; Additional source: @CandyHunting.

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Shari Hanson Promoted To EVP, Physical Production And Visual Effects For Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Animation

Shari Hanson has been promoted to the role of Executive Vice President (EVP), Physical Production and Visual Effects at Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation.


In her new role, Hanson will continue her work on Paramount’s live-action features, while expanding into the realm of hybrid animation/live-action titles at Nickelodeon. The longtime physical production exec came to Paramount in 2015, having previously worked at companies including Industrial Light & Magic.

Prior to joining the physical production team nearly seven years ago, Hanson worked with Paramount on several of its film franchises. She began her career at Industrial Light & Magic in 1994, where she oversaw over 200 commercials, music videos and feature films. At the company, which was founded by George Lucas, Hanson was a visual effects producer for several CGI-heavy films such as Hulk, The Day After Tomorrow, The Island, Mission: Impossible 3 and Transformers.

She later transitioned to freelance and continued to work in visual effects on films such as Rango, Star Trek, The Lone Ranger and Terminator Genysis, as well as with directors including Ang Lee, J.J. Abrams, Michael Bay and Gore Verbinski.


Hanson’s promotion comes as Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios work to streamline their strategy for production.

Announcing Hanson’s promotion today (July 5) was Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios’ President of Worldwide Physical Production, Lee Rosenthal. Read his memo circulated internally at Paramount and Nick below.

Dear Team,

As our organization continues to move forward with the overall strategy for aligning and optimizing the production groups across Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios, I want to share an exciting update with you.

I am proud to announce that Shari Hanson, an exemplary executive, and invaluable member of our team, is being promoted to Executive Vice President of Physical Production and Visual Effects for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation. In addition to her work on Paramount’s live-action films, Shari’s portfolio will expand to include our hybrid animation/live-action titles produced at Nick Animation.

As we all know, Shari is a great physical production executive and trusted partner to our producers, as witnessed on The Lost City, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Gemini Man and Crawl. With this newly created hybrid role, we have an amazing opportunity to bridge our VFX and production work in unique, collaborative ways moving forward. Given her thirty-year track record in production and VFX and strong, trusting filmmaker relationships, I have no doubt Shari will elevate our VFX operations as we continue to ramp up our slates in ’23-’24 and beyond.

Prior to joining us as a physical production executive in 2015, Shari worked with Paramount on several of its most beloved franchise properties. After beginning her career in advertising, her passion for visual storytelling led her to Industrial Light & Magic in 1994 where she moved up the production ladder on over 200 commercials, music videos and feature films. During an era of immense visual effects innovation, Shari was a visual effects producer for several groundbreaking films such as Hulk, The Day After Tomorrow, The Island, Mission: Impossible 3 and Transformers. Building on her filmmaker and studio relationships, she transitioned to freelance and continued to VFX produce, associate produce and co-produce tentpole films such as Star Trek, the Oscar®-winning Rango, The Lone Ranger and Terminator Genysis. Shari has worked repeatedly with many of the industry’s most revered directors including Ang Lee, JJ Abrams, Michael Bay and Gore Verbinski.

It’s incredible to think how much we’ve accomplished as a studio since the start of the year, and I’m just so grateful and proud to be part of this team.  I hope everyone is really feeling our momentum and understands how important our expertise is to the broader organization.

Thank you to everyone for your commitment, hard work and passion — and please join me in congratulating Shari on this new role!

Lee


Original source: Deadline; Additional source: Variety.

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Leo & Marshall Save Animals on the Ferris Wheel 🎡| PAW Patrol Rescue Episode | Cartoons for Kids | PAW Patrol Official & Friends

Leo & Marshall Save Animals on the Ferris Wheel 🎡| PAW Patrol Rescue Episode | Cartoons for Kids | PAW Patrol Official & Friends


In this PAW Patrol CAT Pack rescue episode, baby animals get stuck on the Ferris wheel! It's up to Leo and Marshall to get fired up and save the day!

Stream CAT PACK: A PAW PATROL EXCLUSIVE EVENT on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

PAW Patrol fans can stream full episodes of PAW Patrol, PAW Patrol: The Movie and PAW Patrol Live! At Home featuring "Race to the Rescue" on Paramount+. Try it FREE today at ParamountPlus.com.


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Paramount Plus Latin America Adds New Season of 'Danger Force'

#DangerForce, nueva temporada, disponible en #ParamountPlus #shorts | Paramount+ Latinoamérica


Henry está listo para seguir combatiendo el crimen, ¿tú lo estás? 👊👊 Danger Force, nueva temporada, disponible en Paramount Plus. ParamountPlus.com


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Summer on TeenNick Israel

קיץ ישראלי בטין ניק | פלמ"ח בת השוטר ועוד
ערוץ טין ניק


כל הסדרות, מההתחלה, כל היום!  

#טיןניק #קיץישארלי #בתהשוטר

קיץ ישראלי בטין ניק | זיגי וספיידרז ועוד
ערוץ טין ניק


כל הסדרות, מההתחלה, כל היום!  

#טיןניק #קיץישארלי #זיגי

More Nick: UMI And Ananey Studios Collaborate On ‘Pisces Lane’ for Nickelodeon Israel!

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Celebrate SpongeBob's Birthday Month | Nickelodeon Taiwan

慶祝《海綿寶寶》生日月★跟著海綿寶寶跟派大星一起遊玩★(SpongeBob SquarePants)
慶祝《海綿寶寶》生日★一起陪他狂歡度過(SpongeBob SquarePants)


杰德影音Portico Media


#海綿寶寶 #SpongeBobSquarePants #nickelodeon


Originally published: July 04, 2022.

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NICKFLUENCER | TOP 5 HYSTERICAL MOMENTS IN HENRY DANGER | Nickelodeon Portugal

NICKFLUENCER | TOP 5 MOMENTOS HISTÉRICOS DO HENRY DANGER | Nickelodeon em Português


Os heróis sofrem de descontrolo emocional? Oh yeah! E, para comentar com “sensibilidade” esses momentos clássicos do Henry Danger, estão lá eles: a Catarina, a Inês Teixeira, a Inês Nobre, o Pedro Amândio e a Atchiiim. E tu estarás aí para julgar a performance deles na hora dos desafios!


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Nickelodeon to Premiere New 'The Loud House' Episode 'Puns and Buns/Food Courting' on July 8

Catch brand new The Loud House, premiering Friday, July 8, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT, followed by all-new The Casagrandes at 7:30, only on Nickelodeon! Check out the promo below!


Puns and Buns/Food Courting: Benny struggles to rein in Luan and her practical jokes when she becomes his coworker at the Burpin' Burger. (#613B/#614B)

Watch The Loud House & The Casagrandes on Nickelodeon and Paramount+!

Watch A Loud House Christmas on Paramount+!

Watch The Loud House Movie on Netflix!

Subscribe to the official The Loud House & The Casagrandes YouTube channel!: https://at.nick.com/LoudCasaSubscribe


Originally published: June 18, 2022.

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Nickelodeon to Premiere 'The Barbarian and the Troll' in Australia and New Zealand on July 18

Nickelodeon Sets Out For Adventure In The Barbarian And The Troll.

All-New Live-Action Puppet Comedy Series. Premieres Monday, 18 July At 11.45am On Nickelodeon in Australia and New Zealand.


The quest is yet to come in Nickelodeon’s all-new live-action puppet comedy series, The Barbarian and the Troll.

The series, which will premiere on Monday, 18 July at 11.45am on Nickelodeon channels in Australia and New Zealand, follows Evan, a bridge troll in search of adventure and Brendar, a fierce female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother.

In the series premiere, Evan the troll decides to burn his bridge and venture out into the world of Gothmoria for the first time to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a singer. He soon meets Brendar, who had been expelled from the Royal Order of Warrior Princesses and is now known as a “feared and revered” barbarian.  After Evan convinces Brendar to bring him on her quest to vanquish the evil demon, they cross treacherous terrain to confront bizarre and magical creatures and encounter an eclectic puppet cast of wacky characters.

The series stars Spencer Grammer (Rick & Morty) as the voice of Brendar, Gothmoria’s most feared and revered warrior; and Drew Massey (Mutt & Stuff, Sid the Science Kid) as Evan, a bridge troll with a dream of becoming a singer. Joining Massey as puppeteers and voice talent are Colleen Smith, Allan Trautman, Sarah Sarang Oh, Nicolette Santino, Peggy Etra, James Murray and Jeny Cassady.  Plus, the series also features the voice of comedian Gina Yashere.

The Barbarian and the Troll is co-created and executive produced by Mike Mitchell (Trolls, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) and Massey. Mitchell also serves as the show’s primary Director.  Production of The Barbarian and the Troll for Nickelodeon is overseen by Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action; and Shauna Phelan, Senior Vice President, Live-Action Scripted Content.

The Barbarian And The Troll.

Premieres Monday, 18 July At 11.45am On Nickelodeon.

Click below for a sneak peek of The Barbarian and the Troll.


In additional news, Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand recently premiered the brand new animated series, Best and Bester!



Originally published: July 05, 2022,


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Peppa Pig Making Waves With Cleaner Seas Project and Major New Initiative to Mark World Oceans Day

This summer, Hasbro’s Peppa Pig is making waves with a major retail and brand marketing initiative to mark United Nations World Oceans Day, which launched on 8 June. The initiative brings together high-profile ecological, educational and retail partners – including Cleaner Seas Project, Twinkl and George at Asda – to help encourage young families to learn all about our oceans and what they can do to help protect them for future generations.


Educational publisher Twinkl has created free Peppa Pig educational activities and resources to help raise awareness throughout primary schools, early years providers and families at home about the little steps people can take to make a big difference to our seas.

Tackling the issue from the shore itself, Cleaner Seas Project has started its mission to complete a total of 11 beach and river cleans, with schools invited to join events across the UK throughout June.

Retail partner George at Asda is building on the success of last year’s Plant with Peppa environmental education initiative with an exclusive range of clothing and homeware featuring ocean-themed designs sourced with more sustainable materials such as Better Cotton and in some products up to 83% recycled materials. The collection is now available in 435 UK Asda stores and displayed alongside dedicated World Oceans Day POS featuring key product and a QR code directing consumers to the Twinkl resources. Utilising its extensive store footprint, George at Asda’s World Oceans Day range includes boys’ and girls’ clothing, footwear and accessories, with prices starting from £4.50.

Cat O’Brien, Retail Director Europe and Asia at Hasbro, says: “We are thrilled to be working with George again on this Peppa Pig World Oceans Day campaign. At Hasbro, everything we do is centered in our purpose: making the world a better place for all children, fans, and families. In October 2021, we launched our first Peppa Pig purpose-driven campaign all about educating young families around the importance of helping our planet by planting trees. We are excited to embark on the next campaign, which aims to help children learn more about our oceans and what we can do to help reduce litter reaching our shores.”

Supporting the campaign and boosting awareness of the initiative amongst families is celebrity ambassador and mum of three, Vogue Williams, who took to the shore of the River Thames armed with a host of young litter pickers from a local nursery to undertake the brand’s very first Peppa Pig shore clean-up under the guidance of Cleaner Seas Project. Vogue also took part in a media press junket and photoshoot to help spread the word of the initiative across national media on World Oceans Day to motivate young families to get involved.

Avril Greenaway, CMO, Cleaner Seas Project, adds: “It’s no secret that Peppa Pig and her friends are heroes to preschoolers across the UK, so we were absolutely thrilled to work with her and Twinkl to provide guidance on the eco-educational activities and resources as well as carry out the all-important beach and river cleans for this campaign. Our goal is to drive positive change, no matter how big or small, so by working collaboratively with Peppa and Twinkl to help kids take their first steps towards being more environmentally aware has been fantastic. We think this collaboration will be hugely successful and, partnered with Twinkl’s wealth of resources, we think it will provide families with a simple and fun way to get involved to support the cause.”

Jade Snart, Sustainability and Compliance Expert at George, says: “We are very proud to have partnered with Peppa Pig again, this time to help celebrate World Oceans Day, raising awareness of cleaner oceans and a more sustainable planet. A number of the products within the George range have a sustainable element to them as here at George we’re committed to doing the right thing by our customers and the planet.”


Source: Licensing.biz; Lead image: PreschoolNews.net.

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Nick Jr. Live! to Visit Argentina in July 2022

Nick News Brief: Nick Jr. Live! Baila con ritmo, a brand new live stage show for preschoolers, will be visiting the Plaza de la Música in Argentina on 23 & 24 July, 2022!



Vacaciones de invierno: Paw Patrol, Dora la Exploradora y más llegan en el show de Nick Jr. Live!

Se trata de un espectáculo con varios personajes populares de la televisión que llegará a la Plaza de la Música el 23 y 24 de julio.

Este 23 y 24 de julio llegará a Córdoba Nick Jr. Live! Baila con ritmo, un espectáculo infantil con varios personajes populares salidos del universo televisivo de Nickelodeon.

“Vení a disfrutar de este show donde podrás cantar, bailar, aplaudir, disfrutar y moverte junto con los amigos de Nick Jr. que ya conoces: Bubble Guppies, Paw Patrol, Dora la exploradora, Shimmer y Shine, las pistas de Blue, Blaze y Top Wing en un inolvidable musical espectacular”, indica la gacetilla de prensa del show producido por Paralelo Producciones.

En el show, el personaje de Nick Jr. se une a su co anfitriones Dora, Pawn Patrol (Marshall y Rubble), en su show que los trae por primera vez en el mismo escenario para lograr una aventura única.

Además estarán Molly, Gil, Deema, Nonny (de Bubble Guppies), Rod y Penny (Top Wing), Shimmer, Shine, Nazboo (Shimmer & Shine), Blaze (Blaze y los Monster Machine), Blue (Las pistas de Blue), Butterbean (Butterbean´s Caffe).

Entradas anticipadas en edenentradas.com.ar, desde 1100 pesos a 7150 pesos.

###


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HoloToyz Unveils ‘Paw-some’ New PAW Patrol AR stickers and Tattoos

The HoloToyz X Paw Patrol range includes packs of Stickers and Temporary Tattoos with characters that come to life using the kid-safe HoloToyz app.


Irish fun-tech toy company HoloToyz has unveiled what it believes to be the world’s first range of Paw Patrol Stickers and Temporary Tattoos that come to life through the magic of Augmented Reality (AR).

“To date, our favourite 3D characters have lived on the big screen,” commented Kate Scott, co-founder & CEO, HoloToyz. “Now, our partnership with Paw Patrol gives children the opportunity to bring their favourite characters to life in their homes in a way that has never been done before.”

The HoloToyz X Paw Patrol range includes packs of Stickers and Temporary Tattoos. Each pack includes 10 characters that come to life using the kid-safe HoloToyz app. The HoloToyz app is free to download and doesn’t require registration, while there’s also no in-app advertising and no in-app purchases are required.

Declan Fahy, co-founder & sales director, HoloToyz, explained: “In the past, downloading apps has been perceived as a barrier to the user experience. What sets us apart is that our HoloToyz app works across our entire product range, eliminating the need to download several applications for different products. The user experience is extremely easy. We wanted to create an experience that was equal to – if not better – than the speed and performance of social apps available today. Simplicity really is key.”

Kate added: “It’s worth noting that one of the main reasons HoloToyz was founded is because we have seen an upsurge in the use of social media by children across the globe. Children clearly love playing with AR filters and effects, but social media platforms can be a dangerous place for them to do so. They are only a swipe away from content that is inappropriate for their age.”

Each interactive character performs a unique motion that’s fully loaded with sound to add to the immersive experience. Once the character is placed in the room, children can take photos and videos with their heroes as if they were standing right beside them and share these with friends and family.

The company recently enjoyed a very succesful London Toy Fair, where it was the recipient of an Editors’ Choice Award.

HoloToyz has also just revealed that it is developing a line of Paw Patrol wall decals and books, which will be released later this year.

To find out more about HoloToyz, click here.

For wholesale and distribution enquiries, contact the HoloToyz team at sales@holotoyz.com or call +353868600252.

PAW Patrol fans can stream full episodes of PAW Patrol, PAW Patrol: The Movie and PAW Patrol Live! At Home featuring "Race to the Rescue" on Paramount+. Try it FREE today at ParamountPlus.com.


HoloToyz: Rebooting augmented reality for Generation Alpha

Fresh from a €1m Series A, HoloToyz is taking the lead from Tim Cook and going all in on AR for the next generation of children’s toys.

The founders of HoloToyz know they are trying where others have failed.

“AR [augmented reality] has previously been tried in the toy industry, but the timing was not right for a number of reasons and the user experience was poor,” said CEO Kate Scott.

Future Human

“Fortunately for us, we were able to learn from those who have tried this in the past and we are bringing a much higher standard of quality and user experience to market at the right time.”

That time, for founders Scott, Declan Fahy and Paul Cosgrave, was 2020 – an interesting time for anyone to start a business.

Luckily, the HoloToyz team were able to use the transformation of business brought on by the pandemic to their advantage. The pivot to digital meetings lowered the bar for emerging start-ups to access the world stage.

“[It] helped us to meet people across the globe without the associated travel costs and ‘dead’ time,” said Scott. “It has also made it easier to secure meetings with the larger companies that might not have had the time or slots at busy trade shows.”

The Nuremberg International Toy Fair, or Spielwarenmesse, for example, is the world’s largest toy fair hosting trade visitors, journalists and selected guests at a multi-day event.

Scott, Fahy and Cosgrave litmus-tested HoloToyz at the event in early 2020 and were so pleased with the results they decided to pack in their day jobs and focus 100pc on the new start-up. But by the time the 2021 event came around, the world of events had changed and HoloToyz had to present its product virtually.

“Nickelodeon contacted us after seeing our live presentation on Spielwarenmesse’s Instagram account,” recalled Scott. The pandemic was not going to stop this start-up in its tracks.

HoloToyz partnered with Nickelodeon and is preparing to launch a range of tattoos, stickers and books for the popular Paw Patrol series in the coming months.

The company has also started discussions with Sega to create a Sonic the Hedgehog range this summer, in time to ride the wave of popularity the ’90s gaming character is experiencing via a cinematic reboot.

‘We founded HoloToyz with our parent hats on’
– KATE SCOTT

HoloToyz’s physical products pair with a “kid-safe app” to bring 2D characters and creatures to life in 3D augmented reality.

“By finding the right balance between digital and physical play, we are introducing exciting new technologies to young children in a safe environment, without forgetting the centrality of the user experience,” said Scott.

The goal, she added, is to “create and own an AR category” that is internationally known. “We believe we have what it takes to become the number-one loved and trusted fun-tech toy that bridges the gap between physical and digital play.”

Balancing physical and digital play while ensuring a healthy relationship with technology is top of mind for the HoloToyz team.

“We founded HoloToyz with our parent hats on and we have seen first-hand how much fun our children have playing with the AR filters on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, etc. However, these are not safe platforms for children as they are only a swipe away from content that is simply inappropriate for their age,” explained Scott.

“A quick scan of the app stores will show you just how many apps are available for children aged three and up. However, this is offering a digital-only experience and most applications either charge you to download, include in-app purchases or bombard your child with in-app advertising.”

Targeted advertising for children is something that will be stopped in the EU in the near future, if the European Commission has anything to do with it, but there are still many issues to address when it comes to children and technology.

It’s of particular concern when it comes to Generation Alpha, the demographic coming up after Gen Z, in a tech-saturated world we have yet to succeed in regulating effectively.

“We are targeting millennial parents and Generation Alpha,” Scott explained. “Millennial parents have grown up in an age of digital revolution and are the first to experience social media and emerging technologies. As parents, they are not afraid to share and enjoy digital experiences with their children and they recognise this is the world their children will grow up in.

“They are also the first generation that has come to expect a more intimate relationship with brands and so expect a higher level of honesty, transparency and quality from brands, particularly those they are purchasing for their children.”

Scott also noted how these new parents value toys that tap into STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and that Generation Alpha stands to gain from this exposure at a young age.

“It is estimated that by the time they are eight years old, they will surpass their parents in technology skills. They will never know a world without the internet of things, smart technology and virtual reality,” she said.

‘We are targeting millennial parents and Generation Alpha’
– KATE SCOTT

Scott and co are not alone in pitching augmented reality as the next big thing. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that AR will “pervade our entire lives”. This is helped by the fact that today’s smart devices are often already equipped with the sensors needed to create AR experiences. HoloToyz’s success hinges on connecting to these devices.

“HoloToyz is operating in the connected toy market. The product spectrum of this market is segmented into smartphone-connected devices, app-connected drones, console-connected toys and tablet-connected toys,” said Scott.

“In 2021, the size of the global toy market was $93bn. The global connected toy market size is expected to grow from $7.6bn in 2020 to $18.9bn by 2027.”

It’s a huge opportunity for the small but growing team based in Tara, Co Meath.

“Our team are veterans of the tech and gaming industry for over 40 years and help us to ensure the quality of animations and technology used in creating HoloToyz is unparalleled,” said Scott.

She herself has a background in communications and marketing, including roles at Independent News & Media (now part of Mediahuis) and Rothco, part of Accenture Interactive.

Sales director Fahy was also at INM and this is his second company with Cosgrave, with whom he co-founded Bash Products. Bash saw success in bringing its version of the famous red Solo cup to Ireland and has since branched out to a wider range of partyware.

HoloToyz, meanwhile, has added a global sales manager, product developer, “industry-specific” financial consultant and business adviser to the its team, and partnered with a creative team that specialises in the toy sector. The company’s tech partners are also shareholders in the business.

The first HoloToyz products hit the market in December 2020 and they are currently available in more than 14 countries.

2022 continues to hit high notes for HoloToyz, starting with a silver award in the editor’s choice category at the London Toy Fair. This was followed by an appearance at Enterprise Ireland’s Start-up Showcase. HoloToyz has been identified by Enterprise Ireland as a high-potential start-up and has just completed a €1m Series A round from the State agency and other investors.

“Our focus for the coming months is to launch our licensed products to market and work on growing our footprint globally,” said Scott.

###


Irish toy company HoloToyz raises €1m in funding

Firm plans to expand its team to support global expansion

Irish toy company HoloToyz has raised €1 million in funding as it plans to hire new staff to support its expansion in the global market.

The company, which makes interactive toys for children in the three to 10 age group, is planning to expand its team, hiring staff in administrative roles, sales, marketing and technology, joining experts it has contracted to work on international sales, product design and engineering and finance.

The latest funding round was led by Irish tech veteran John Herlihy and Molten Ventures’ Brian Caulfield, who were early investors in the company.

Other backers in the round include Shipyard Technologies chief executive Garry Lyons, Movidius cofounder Sean Mitchell and MongoDB’s Shalena O’Connell, along with a number of investors through the HBAN Angels network. The company has also been backed by Enterprise Ireland through its High Potential Start-up programme.

“The first thing we’re going to be doing is hiring Irish-based people to be able to help grow this both from an admin perspective because that takes a lot of the heavy weight and heavy duty away from Kate and I, but also in sales and marketing as well,” said cofounder Declan Scott.

“The second is going to be development of new products. In toys it’s really important that every season you innovate, but also refresh your brand. So developing new products, but also working more along the lines of core toy products.”

The company was founded by husband-and-wife team Declan and Kate Scott with business partner Paul Cosgrave, and its platform uses augmented reality to create interactive experiences for children.

The product range includes books, wall decals, tattoos and stickers with everything from monster trucks and dinosaurs to pets and unicorns that come to life through the use of a smartphone or tablet app.

The company has also signed a deal with Nickelodeon that will see interactive products featuring the Paw Patrol characters launched later this month.

The company is also planning to develop its line of toys further, with new products set to launch in the coming months.

“The reason that we set up this business was to marry the physical product with digital play,” Ms Scott said. “Kids today love technology, but we don’t want them to lose touch with physical.”

“There’s a lot of research to show, psychologically, the importance of cognitive development with cause and effect toys like Lego building and creating art activity. So we’re bringing our more creative thinking into that to create more hardline creative products like sticker makers and badge makers.”

Getting the right mix of investors is crucial to HoloToyz’s growth plans in the coming months.

“We had a few angel groups that were interested in investing and we handpicked the ones that we felt were right,” Ms Scott said. “We have a good, smart group involved. They all have relevant experience in scaling businesses, but also from a tech point of view.”

###


Originally published: March 14, 2022.

Original source: Toy World Magazine.

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How Paramount Plus Became a Contender in the Streaming Wars

Demand for the service’s programming has made it one to watch — just a year after it replaced CBS All Access


Paramount+, the streaming service from Paramount Global, launched just over a year ago, replacing the long-running CBS All Access, and in that short time, has become one of the major competitors in the streaming wars, bouncing to the top of some Wall Street analysts’ lists as one of the most intriguing platforms to follow.

The total four-quadrant streaming offering — meaning having content that appeals to men and women, over and under the age of 25 — is on par with what’s available on competitor platforms such as HBO Max, Hulu and Netflix. 

How did Paramount+, which has just over 40 million paid subscribers as of its first-quarter 2022 earnings report, end up becoming a potential front runner — and what is drawing people? 

More than a quarter of all demand for titles on Paramount+ comes from CBS titles, according to Parrot Analytics‘ data (via WrapPRO), which takes into account consumer research, streaming, downloads and social media, among other engagement.

This includes titles like Hawaii Five-O, NCIS, and Blue Bloods, all of which were top 10 titles on Paramount+ in the United States in Q1 of 2022. All three shows have a combined aggregate demand about 67 times the average demand of all other series in the U.S. 

It’s not surprising that CBS originals and catalog content make up the vast majority of demand. CBS has one of the longest running catalogs of beloved series, including many comedies and procedurals, that people still seek out. Partner this with new franchise series like Yellowstone spinoff 1883, and Mayor of Kingstown (from Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan), as well as long-running crime shows like Criminal Minds, and there’s no doubt that CBS and series related to its programming are a draw for a large swath of viewers. 

The second-highest source of demand for Paramount+ comes from Nickelodeon programming. SpongeBob SquarePants is the most in-demand series on Paramount+, with 66.5 times the average demand of all other series in the U.S. as of Q1 2022. That puts the beloved animated series in the exceptional category, which only 0.2% of series reach. PAW Patrol, one of Nickelodeon’s most successful kids’ franchises in recent years, was the second most in-demand series in the same period. It generated 31.6 times the average demand of all other series in the U.S. This puts it in the outstanding category, which 2.7% of all series reach.

Paramount+ originals (such as the previously mentioned 1883 and Mayor of Kingstown, as well as the Star Trek franchise) make up just over 11% of all demand for Paramount+ content, while Comedy Central series make up about 7.5%. Other series — including titles from MTV and BET, for example — make up another 31.4% of demand. This also includes licensed content on the platform from other parties. 

Much like some of Paramount Global’s competitors, audience demand for content means that it’s also extremely lucrative to license out content to other parties. When looking at the demand share for CBS content on other platforms where it’s available, Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max come in first and second, respectively, with 4.5% and 4.4% of the demand for their catalogs coming from CBS programming. Hulu follows with 4%, then Peacock with 3.% and Netflix with 2.2% in Q1. Considering the size of these catalogs and the importance of originals, maintaining an average of about 3.7% is a good sign of the value of CBS’ catalog.

Paramount’s big bet on streaming is a strategic shift from a few years ago, when it pivoted from having multiple smaller services (including BET+) to being more of a “content arms dealer” — Paramount’s film studio sold off its Coming to America sequel to Amazon in the middle of the pandemic, while Viacom licensed out most seasons of South Park to HBO Max and cut an output deal with Nickelodeon and Netflix that includes animated movies based on The Loud House and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

A few questions Paramount must answer as it focuses more clearly on its in-house streaming platforms: How much of the content licensed out to other streamers will end up on Paramount+ exclusively at some point in the future? And, more importantly, what type of content works well for Paramount+ to license out (and won’t negatively affect the growth of its own subscriber base) while also providing programming to its competitors, such as Netflix and Hulu, which in turn helps them retain their own subscribers?

All of these questions will be answered in the years to come as streaming strategies are further established. What’s evident is that Paramount Global, and Paramount+ as a service, are shaping up to be a stronger competitor than many in the industry thought at first.

Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon shows old and new on Paramount+. Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!


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January, February and March 2022 on Nickelodeon Channels in Germany, Austria and Switzerland | Highlights

Below is a round-up of Nickelodeon's January, February and March 2022 programming highlights for Nick, Nicktoons and Nick Jr. channels in Germany (Deutschland), Austria (Österreich) and Switzerland (Schweiz)!