Showing posts with label Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Monday, March 09, 2020

LeapFrog Announces New 'Blue’s Clues & You!' Toys Joining Expanded Infant and Preschool Learning Toy Collection

LeapFrog® Announces New Blue’s Clues & You! Toys Joining Expanded Infant and Preschool Learning Toy Collection

Interactive New Products on Display at 2020 North American International Toy Fair®


NEW YORK, February 22, 2020 -- Today LeapFrog® Enterprises, Inc. announced the expansion of its award-winning infant and preschool collection, anchored by an exciting feature line of toys based on Nickelodeon’s hit preschool series Blue’s Clues & You! LeapFrog’s innovative, educational toys encourage a child’s natural curiosity and love of learning with curriculum-based content that makes learning exciting! The new products are on display at the 2020 North American International Toy Fair®.

"We’re so excited to welcome Blue’s Clues & You! to the LeapFrog family, so kids can continue learning with characters they love,” said Andy Keimach, President, VTech Electronics North America, LeapFrog’s parent company. “We’re a perfect pair because we both help build preschoolers’ confidence through interactive and fun learning games and challenges."

A remake of the groundbreaking, curriculum-driven interactive series Blue’s Clues, Blue’s Clues & You! has a new generation of preschoolers searching for clues with beloved puppy Blue and new live-action host Josh (Josh Dela Cruz). LeapFrog is bringing Blue’s Clues & You! to life with toys that enable kids to play along with the series by using their very own Blue’s Clues & You! Really Smart Handy Dandy Notebook and Blue’s Clues & You! Play & Learn Thinking Chair to help solve their own game of Blue’s Clues. Children can also play with puppy pals Blue and Magenta with new learning watches and educational, interactive books.

In addition to Blue’s Clues & You!, LeapFrog is expanding its collection of infant and preschool toys with engaging new products that encourage important skills at an early age. With a unique, innovative talk-back feature that lets kids speak and hear responses, the Speak & Learn Puppy™ is an interactive friend that teaches ABCs, 123s, emotions and language development across three levels of play. A complement to the best-selling Learning Friends® 100 Words Book™, the 100 Animals Book™ is fully bilingual, introducing kids to 100 animals in both English and Spanish. Leaning into learning through pretend role-play, LeapFrog is introducing the Pick Up & Count Vacuum™, that scoops up and recognizes included dust play pieces, the Purrfect Counting Purse™, that encourages put and take play in an adorable fabric cat purse and the Yum-2-3 Toaster™, which introduces colors, opposites, numbers and more through a cute, friendly toaster.

The new products will be available at retailers nationwide later this year. Highlights include:

Blue’s Clues & You! Really Smart Handy Dandy Notebook: Let’s use our Blue’s Clues & You! Really Smart Handy Dandy Notebook to answer the phone, just like Josh in Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues & You! and learn with eleven app icons that introduce shapes, colors, counting, health and hygiene, weather and music. Talk on the phone with Blue and Josh, check email with Mailbox or dance along to playful songs and tunes inspired by the series. It’s interactive learning fun with our favorite Blue’s Clues & You! friends. Ages 2+ years.

Blue’s Clues & You! Play & Learn Thinking Chair: Take a seat in the Blue’s Clues & You! Play & Learn Thinking Chair just like Josh and Blue in the Nickelodeon series Blue’s Clues & You! Search for clues, then sit in the chair to hear fun phrases from the show and explore the Handy Dandy Notebook on the armchair to learn colors, shapes and numbers. Press the light-up buttons to listen to clues, music and sounds. Then, use logic and problem-solving to figure out Blue’s Clues. For more pretend play fun, you can celebrate Mail Time by opening a letter with Mailbox. Ages 2+ years. Available exclusively at Walmart.


Speak & Learn Puppy™: Bailey, the plush Speak & Learn Puppy™, comes to life with head movements, ear-flapping and real-time responses. As little ones learn to babble and talk, this progressive learning toy provides three learning levels to keep pace with their development. Four paw buttons and a light-up collar prompt Bailey to interact with your child across a range of content including animals, animal sounds, food and feelings. In Talk mode, Bailey has conversations with children and creates stories from their responses, depending on the learning level selected. Bailey repeats what your child says in a fun and interactive way in Babble mode. Start Learn mode by pushing the paw button to hear Bailey interact with children about letters and numbers. Ages 12+ months.


100 Animals Book™: A perfect companion to the award-winning Learning Friends® 100 Words Book™, the 100 Animals Book™ takes learning further with interactive pages that feature animals from 12 categories. Kids have a natural curiosity about animals, and this book provides lots of opportunities for exploration with illustrations and photographs of one hundred fascinating animals. Three modes teach about animal names, animal sounds and fun facts. Switch to the bilingual setting to hear songs, animal names and fun facts in Spanish and English. Interesting facts about animals and their habitats along with early science awareness make this book a must-have addition to any little learner's library. Ages 18+ months.

Pick Up & Count Vacuum™: Count on picking up learning as you play with the Pick Up & Count Vacuum™. Roll the pretend vacuum over the dust pieces, and the smart sensor recognizes the color of each piece and counts as they are picked up! With 10 unique dust pieces and three play modes, this toy teaches colors, numbers and counting from one to ten with six learning games and three playful songs. In Pretend mode, children can role-play clean-up time with a variable height vacuum that keeps the learning going as kids grow. Number mode teaches math concepts like counting and subtraction as little ones pick up dust pieces. Five light-up panels match the brightly colored dust pieces to reinforce color names and recognition in Color mode. As you push the vacuum to pick up dust pieces and win games, celebrate by watching the colorful lights and bouncing balls inside the spinning canister. All the dust pieces fit inside the attached bin for easy cleanup and storage. Ages 2+ years.

Purrfect Counting Purse™: Little ones will love the Purrfect Counting Purse™ and everything in it! This soft, multi-textured, fabric cat purse comes with loads of personality, accessories and learning content. An interactive tiara features five light-up jewels. Select Learn, Pretend or Music mode to add playful variety to your child's learning. Press the jewels from one to five to learn about numbers and counting, colors and shapes. Toddlers love to fill things up, unload and fill again, and this two-handled purse stands upright and wide open to make this easy. Fine-motor skills get a workout as little fingers pick up and place the five included accessories: blue rectangle pretend smartphone, green square ID tag with kid-safe mirror, orange triangle key set, red heart comb and purple non-removable circle coins in a coin purse. All accessories store inside the purse. Enjoy the take-along cat friend who loves to teach with humor. Ages 6+ months.

Yum-2-3 Toaster™: The Yum-2-3 Toaster™ is a friendly, play toaster with a sunny smile, a light-up mouth and toast that pops up with a bounce! As little ones pretend to make breakfast, they interact with the toaster to hear numbers, counting, colors and opposites. Place bread in the pretend toaster and turn the dial to explore counting and opposites. Nine pretend play pieces include two slices of bread, a jelly jar and lid, an egg and bacon, all served up on a plate with a fork and knife. The delightful pop-up action of the toaster engages children with music and learning content. Three food buttons teach colors, food names, recipes, numbers and counting, and play fun songs. Serve up breakfast with a side of learning! Ages 12+ months.

For more information, please visit www.leapfrog.com.

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About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is the leader in innovative learning toys for children that encourage a child's curiosity and love of learning throughout their early developmental journey. For more than 20 years, LeapFrog has helped children expand their knowledge and imagination through award-winning products that combine state-of-the-art educational expertise led by the LeapFrog Learning Team, innovative technology, and engaging play – turning playtime into quality time that helps children leap ahead. LeapFrog's proprietary learning tablets and ground-breaking developmental games, learn to read and write systems, interactive learning toys and more are designed to create personalized experiences that encourage, excite and build confidence in children. LeapFrog is a subsidiary of VTech Holdings Limited, which is based in Hong Kong. LeapFrog was founded in 1995 by a father who revolutionized technology-based learning solutions to help his child learn how to read. Learn more at www.leapfrog.com.

--End--

Update (2/24) - There's a slew of new toys hitting the market this year inspired by the show. From helping children practice their colours and letters to teaching them how to tell time, we have a feeling these developmental playthings will be all the rage in 2020. Keep reading to get a look at these new Blue's Clues and You! toys, which would all make for awesome gifts! Photos: POPSUGAR Photography / Murphy Moroney:


Official LeapFrog® Enterprises, Inc. press release via CNW:

LeapFrog® Announces New Blue's Clues & You! Toys Joining Expanded Infant and Preschool Learning Toy Collection

NEW YORK and TORONTO, March 9, 2020 /CNW/ - LeapFrog® Enterprises, Inc. announced the expansion of its award-winning infant and preschool collection, anchored by an exciting feature line of toys based on Nickelodeon's hit preschool series Blue's Clues & You! LeapFrog's innovative, educational toys encourage a child's natural curiosity and love of learning with curriculum-based content that makes learning exciting! The new products were on display at the 2020 North American International Toy Fair® late last month.

"We're so excited to welcome Blue's Clues & You! to the LeapFrog family, so kids can continue learning with characters they love," said Andy Keimach, President, VTech Electronics North America, LeapFrog's parent company. "We're a perfect pair because we both help build preschoolers' confidence through interactive and fun learning games and challenges."

The new products will be available at retailers nationwide later this year. Highlights include:

Blue's Clues & You! Really Smart Handy Dandy Notebook: Let's use our Blue's Clues & You! Really Smart Handy Dandy Notebook to answer the phone, just like Josh in Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues & You! and learn with eleven app icons that introduce shapes, colours, counting, health and hygiene, weather and music. Ages 2+ years.

Blue's Clues & You! Play & Learn Thinking Chair: Take a seat in the Blue's Clues & You! Play & Learn Thinking Chair just like Josh and Blue in the Nickelodeon series Blue's Clues & You! Search for clues, then sit in the chair to hear fun phrases from the show and explore the Handy Dandy Notebook on the armchair to learn colours, shapes and numbers. Ages 2+ years.

In addition to Blue's Clues & You!, LeapFrog is expanding its collection of infant and preschool toys with engaging new products that encourage important skills at an early age. Highlights include:

Speak & Learn Puppy™: Bailey, the plush Speak & Learn Puppy™, comes to life with head movements, ear-flapping and real-time responses. As little ones learn to babble and talk, this progressive learning toy provides three learning levels to keep pace with their development. Ages 12+ months.

100 Animals Book™: A perfect companion to the award-winning Learning Friends® 100 Words Book™, the 100 Animals Book™ takes learning further with interactive pages that feature animals from 12 categories. Kids have a natural curiosity about animals, and this book provides lots of opportunities for exploration with illustrations and photographs of one hundred fascinating animals. Ages 18+ months.

Pick Up & Count Vacuum™: Count on picking up learning as you play with the Pick Up & Count Vacuum™. Roll the pretend vacuum over the dust pieces, and the smart sensor recognizes the color of each piece and counts as they are picked up! With 10 unique dust pieces and three play modes, this toy teaches colors, numbers and counting from one to ten with six learning games and three playful songs. Ages 2+ years.

Purrfect Counting Purse™: Little ones will love the Purrfect Counting Purse™ and everything in it! This soft, multi-textured, fabric cat purse comes with loads of personality, accessories and learning content. Toddlers love to fill things up, unload and fill again, and this two-handled purse stands upright and wide open to make this easy. Ages 6+ months.

Yum-2-3 Toaster™: The Yum-2-3 Toaster™ is a friendly, play toaster with a sunny smile, a light-up mouth and toast that pops up with a bounce! As little ones pretend to make breakfast, they interact with the toaster to hear numbers, counting, colors and opposites. Ages 12+ months.

Learn more about the new products at www.leapfrog.ca or follow @leapfrogcanada on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About LeapFrog
LeapFrog is based in Emeryville, California, and was founded by a father who revolutionized technology-based learning solutions to help his child learn how to read. LeapFrog is the leader in innovative learning toys for children that encourage a child's curiosity and love of learning throughout their early developmental journey. LeapFrog® products combine state-of-the-art educational expertise and innovative technology to help expand children's knowledge and imagination through play.

SOURCE LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces First Licensing Partners for 'Blue’s Clues & You!'!

Originally published: Sunday, February 23, 2020.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Preschool, Nick Jr. and Blue's Clues & You News and Highlights!

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

Nickelodeon Russia Launches 'Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Toy Line

Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) has announced the launch of a new collection of toys inspired by Nickelodeon's hit animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Russia! The new Rise of the TMNT product line features action figures designed after the popular cartoon characters, their weapons and their vehicles, as well as game sets and sets for role-playing games. The line will be refreshed every six months to keep fans interested in the toys.


Petia Toncheva, Senior Director of Distribution, Digital Media and Licensing in Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries and CIS at Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), said: “Viacom International Media Networks regularly conducts research on children's audiences. They show that modern children are rapidly changing their interests, tastes, and even behaviour patterns. Last year, Nickelodeon announced the restart of the [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles] brand and introduced the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in response to the new needs of Generation Z. The collection of toys featuring the characters of the new animated series is a long-awaited event for all fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and gives them the opportunity to become part of the world of their favourite characters in it's new format."

To support the launch of the new Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensed products, a 360-degree promotional campaign is being held both in retail and in the media. For example, in flagship Детский Мир stores, Point-of-Sale (POS) materials featuring the new Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles branding have been posted, and in November 2019 and February 2020, toy sales in Детский Мир were supported by advertising on the Карусель channel, as well as on other television channels. The news follows the Карусель channel launching Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in September 2019.

Particular emphasis will be placed on supporting the toys online. On the official Gulliver YouTube channel, subscribers will be able to see both unique content based on the animated series as well as unpacking videos. The campaign will also feature the well-known science fiction writer Oleg Roy, who is starring in videos featuring items from the collection on the YouTube channel.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is constantly supported on Nickelodeon: on both the linear TV channel and across all digital platforms. For example, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first premiered on Nickelodeon Russia's (Россия) YouTube channel and have already amassed 6.2 million views. On the Nickelodeon website, fans can visit the official Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show page to find out more about their favourite characters, watch videos and play games, all localised in Russian. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles regularly airs on Nickelodeon, and is additionally available to view on Wink, МТС ТВ and IVI.

The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy collection can be found on the shelves of key retailers in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, including Детский Мир.

Below is Nickelodeon Россия's official press release announcing the exciting news!:

Опубликовано 02.12.2019

VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS ПРЕДСТАВЛЯЕТ НОВУЮ КОЛЛЕКЦИЮ ИГРУШЕК ПО МОТИВАМ МУЛЬТСЕРИАЛА «ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ ЧЕРЕПАШЕК-НИНДЗЯ»

В новой линейке игрушек представлены многофункциональные фигурки героев мультсериала, их танки и мотоциклы, а также игровые комплекты и наборы для ролевых игр. Линейка товаров будет обновляться каждые полгода, что обеспечит поддержание интереса к игрушкам «Эволюции Черепашек-ниндзя».

Петя Тончева (Petia Toncheva), старший директор по дистрибуции, цифровым медиа и лицензированию медиахолдинга Viacom в России, Грузии, Украине, странах Балтии и СНГ, сказала: «Viacom International Media Networks регулярно проводит исследования детской аудитории. Они показывают, что современные дети быстро меняют свои интересы, вкусы и даже модель поведения. В прошлом году Nickelodeon объявил о перезапуске бренда и представил «Эволюцию Черепашек-ниндзя» в ответ на новые потребности поколения Z. Коллекция игрушек с героями нового мультсериала — это долгожданное событие для всех фанатов «Черепашек-ниндзя» и возможность стать частью мира любимых персонажей в новом формате».

Чтобы поддержать запуск лицензионной продукции, проводится 360-градусная промокампания как в ритейле, так и в медиа. Например, во флагманских магазинах «Детский Мир» размещены POS-материалы с новым брендингом «Эволюция Черепашек-ниндзя», а в ноябре 2019 года и феврале 2020 года продажи игрушек в «Детском Мире» поддержат рекламой на канале «Карусель», а также на других федеральных каналах. С сентября 2019 года «Карусель» регулярно транслирует «Эволюцию Черепашек-ниндзя».

Особый акцент будет сделан на поддержке игрушек онлайн. На официальном YouTube-канале Gulliver подписчики смогут увидеть как специальный контент по мотивам мультсериала, так и популярные среди детской аудитории видео по распаковке игрушек. В кампании также принял участие известный писатель-фантаст Олег Рой, который снялся в роликах YouTube канала с товарами из коллекции.

Бренд постоянно поддерживается Nickelodeon: как в эфире телеканала, так и на всех диджитал-платформах. Например, премьерная серия «Эволюция Черепашек-ниндзя» впервые появилась на официальном YouTube-канале Nickelodeon Россия и уже собрала 6,2 млн просмотров. На сайте Nickelodeon юные зрители могут зайти на отдельную страничку с любимыми героями и сыграть в игры на русском языке по мотивам мультсериала. Анимационное шоу постоянно транслируется на телеканале Nickelodeon, а также присутствует в ключевых онлайн-кинотеатрах, включая Wink, МТС ТВ и IVI.

Игрушки из новой коллекции «Эволюция Черепашек-ниндзя» уже можно найти на полках ключевых ритейлеров в России, Белоруссии и Казахстане, включая «Детский Мир».

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Шоу Hey, toys! В кого превратились черепашки-ниндзя? Веселое видео для мальчиков. | Игрушки Gulliver



Новое веселое видео для мальчиков в шоу Hey, toys! В кого же превратились игрушки Черепашки-ниндзя и почему? Давайте выяснять вместе! Черепашки ниндзя весело играли в замке игрушек - вот только откуда этот странный дым... Кажется, это антигерои постарались: теперь черепашки-ниндзя будут превращаться в насекомых. Надо срочно прекратить это хулиганство! Что же нам делать? Для начала надо избавиться от источника дыма и проветрить помещение, а уж потом можно заняться поиском виновных. Так за чем же дело стало? Вперед, игрушки мальчикам, наведем порядок в замке кукол и игрушек!

Любимые герои мультсериала Черепашки-ниндзя ждут тебя тут: http://bit.ly/turtles_dm

Крутые истории игрушек. Ниндзя танк для Черепашки-ниндзя! Видео игры для мальчиков. | Игрушки Gulliver



Новое видео про крутые истории игры и истории игрушек для мальчиков - новый игрушечный ниндзя танк для игрушек Черепашки ниндзя! Микеланджело испытывает новый мощный мотоцикл - он такой большой и быстрый! Будь осторожнее, Микеланджело, рядом идет ремонт. А Рафаэль и Леонардо опять спорят. Ой-ой, кажется, фигурки пропустили приезд анти героев и те увезли их на своей машине вместе со строителями. Кто же теперь наведет порядок? Микеланджело, придется нам с тобой выручить остальные черепашки ниндзя и игрушки для мальчиков. Как нам жто сделать? Есть идея! Ниндзя танк сможет преодолеть любые преграды. Скорее садимся за руль и вперед, на выручку друзьям!

Любишь игрушки и фигурки Черепашки ниндзя? Выбирай их тут! http://bit.ly/turtles_dm

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Черепашки-ниндзя — Сплинтер и битва черепашек. Ищем Шеф-повара — Игрушки Супергерои



Черепашки-ниндзя! Битва за Учителя Сплинтера. Ищем Шеф-повара вместе с игрушками супергероями.

В гостях у черепашек — Учитель Сплинтер и Злодей Шеф-Повар, которого никто не звал. Смогут ли игрушки черепашки защитить Учителя Сплинтера? О, нет, Учитель похищен!
Задача Вани - мобилизовать черепашек и вдохновить на борьбу. Супер-геройские витамины тоже не помешают. А еще у Вани есть классный набор с игрушками из мультика про черепашек-ниндзя. Магический посох, летающий рюкзак и другие супергеройские вещи. Ну очень крутая погоня за Шеф-Поваром!

Кстати, игрушки из нашего видео ты можешь найти тут: http://bit.ly/turtles_dm

Черепашки-ниндзя и динозавры Коллекта! — Почему динозавры стали злыми? — Доисторический мир в наборе


Черепашки-ниндзя и динозавры Коллекта! Почему динозавры стали злыми? Доисторический мир в игровом наборе.
Новая серия с Федором Капуки Кануки и черепашками ниндзя! Смотри, как Федор Папа Тайм знакомит черепашек с классным набором мини-динозавров Доисторический Мир! В игровом наборе карта, вулкан и фигурки животных! О-го! Вулкан огромный! А динозавры, как настоящие! Диплодок, спинозавр и даже летающий динозавр — целый парк юрского периода! К каждой фигурке динозавра прилагается карточка с его названием и описанием. Класс! Ой-ой, Федор, черепашки, будьте аккуратнее! Кое-кто хочет сделать злыми всех дино!

Кстати, большой набор мини динозавров Collecta можно купить тут: http://bit.ly/collecta_mini

Видео распаковка детям - Новые игры и игрушки: Эволюция черепашек ниндзя. Черепашки против Драксума


В этом видео про новые игры и игрушки детям нас ждет распаковка. Фигурки новинки из серии Эволюция черепашек ниндзя против барона Драксума - только посмотри, какие они крутые!

Смотри, какие у Федора новые классные игрушки и игровые наборы. Это же классные игрушки Черепашки-ниндзя из мультсериала Эволюция черепашек ниндзя. У них экипировка прямо как в мультике: одати, тонфы, бо и кусари-фундо! А еще черепашки ниндзя умеют показывать классные трюки и приемы. У Микеланджело это ниндзя-атака в прыжке. Рафаэль и Донателло продемонстрируют свой секретный прием - ниндзя-атака сальто в сторону. А Леонардо - ты не поверишь - умеет использовать атаку ниндзя сальто назад. Невероятно! Отрегулируй положение рук и черепашек, приведи в исходную позицию и отрабатывай новые приемы вместе с любимыми игрушками. Теперь барон Драксум не сможет нас одолеть - смотрите, это же он на базе черепашек! Вперед, черепашки, приключения начинаются!

А ты хочешь выучить новые трюки с любимыми супер героями? Выбирай свои игрушки тут: http://bit.ly/turtlesdm1

Классные игрушки супергерои - Новые черепашки ниндзя: веселые игры для мальчиков


Распаковывай новые игрушки черепашки ниндзя Эволюция и играй в классные веселые игры для мальчиков. Сможет ли Эволюция черепашек ниндзя помочь им остановить злодеев и предотвратить ограбление банка?

Что это там распаковывает мастер Сплинтер? Давайте посмотрим вместе с Кириллом - ого, это же новые игрушки черепашки-ниндзя из мультсериала Эволюция черепашек-ниндзя. У супер героев одежда и экипировка такие же как в мультфильме. А еще они умеют выполнять всякие крутые трюки. Микеланджело умеет выполнять ниндзя-атаку в прыжке. Черепашки Донателло и Рафаэль могут выполнить супер прием - ниндзя атака сальто в сторону. А черепашка-ниндзя Леонардо продемонстрирует атаку ниндзя сальто назад. Отрегулируй положение рук и черепашек, приведи в исходную позицию и отрабатывай новые приемы вместе с любимыми игрушками. Так круто! С такой экипировкой черепашки-ниндзя эволюция смогут противостоять любым злодеям. Например, предотвратить ограбление банка Шеф-поваром и его бандой. Или нет - давайте проверим?

Крутые новые игрушки черепашки из мультсериала Эволюция черепашек ниндзя тут: http://bit.ly/turtlesdm1

More Nick: ПРОГРЕСС Launches 'PAW Patrol' Branded Line of ФрутоKids Juice Drinks for Children in Russia!

Originally published: Wednesday, December 04, 2019.

Additional sources: Google Translate, DeepL Translator.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Russia and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles News and Highlights!

Sunday, January 19, 2020

ViacomCBS' Kathryn Hosford, Glenda Beltran and Jessica Murphy Receive Nominations in the 2020 Wonder Women Awards

Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) has announced the exciting news that three ViacomCBS staff members have received nominations in the 2020 edition of the Wonder Women awards, which celebrates top female executives, thought leaders, entrepreneurs and other changemakers for their extraordinary accomplishments and impact within the toy, licensing and the entertainment industries.


In the 16th annual Wonder Women awards, Kathryn Hosford, a Senior Designer at ViacomCBS, has been nominated for the "Creator / Inventor" award, Glenda Beltran, the Director of the Collector Toy & Fashion Collaborations department at ViacomCBS, has received a nomination in the "Licensor / Entertainment" category, and Jessica Murphy, Vice President (VP), Retail Marketing at ViacomCBS has been nominated for the "Marketing / Public Relations" award!

Honoring the brightest women in toys, licensing & entertainment, the WIT Wonder Women Awards is an annual celebration of the industry's most remarkable leaders and changemakers.

Held during New York International Toy Fair, the Wonder Women Awards is WIT's largest fundraising event and supports global programming, educational initiatives, networking events, and The WIT Foundation Scholarship Program.

Voting for the Wonder Women Awards will be open to all WIT members, from Wednesday, January 15 to Monday, January 27, 2020.

Winners of the 2020 Wonder Women Awards will be announced on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at a prestigious ceremony at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers in New York City.

“We had the most submissions to date, and our slate of 2020 Wonder Women Finalists reflects the brain trust of brilliant women making an impact on our industry,” said Karen Kilpatrick, WIT Nominations Committee Chair. “We are excited to celebrate this year’s outstanding finalists, the incredible winners and our esteemed honorees at the upcoming Wonder Women Awards.”

To purchase tickets/tables, or to sponsor the WIT Wonder Woman Awards or purchase a Digital Tribute Book ad, please visit www.WomenInToys.com.

To find out more about the 16th annual Wonder Women Awards and to meet all the 2020 Wonder Women finalists, visit https://www.womenintoys.com/wonder-woman-awards.

WIT thanks its generous 2020 sponsors, including Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, The Bandai Foundation, ViacomCBS, Jazwares, Amazon, LEGO, PlayMonster, Spin Master, VTech, and the many sponsors who support the organization year-round and help contribute to the success of the Wonder Women Awards. Proceeds from this event are used to fund scholarships, develop and maintain a full calendar of programs and networking events, and support initiatives for WIT’s members and its community.

A huge congratulations and good luck to Kathryn Hosford, Glenda Beltran and Jessica Murphy!

ABOUT WOMEN IN TOYS, LICENSING & ENTERTAINMENT

Founded in 1991, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) / The WIT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women through leadership, networking and educational opportunities. WIT serves and supports women at all stages of their careers, from entrepreneurs and startups to seasoned industry veterans. The WIT Foundation grants scholarships to deserving students enrolled in industry-related undergraduate programs. WIT has 25 chapters throughout the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, France, the UK and Australia, with liaisons in Finland, Germany, India and Lebanon. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

More Nick: 2020 on Nickelodeon | New Shows, Specials, Events, Movies, Episodes, and More | Nick Upfront 2020!

Originally published: Sunday, January 19, 2020.

H/T: LinkedIn /@Spin Master; Additional sources: LinkedIn /@Glenda Beltran, @Jessica Murphy.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

Friday, January 10, 2020

VNCP's Andrea Fasulo to Take Part in Two Panels at NRF 2020 Vision: Retail’s Big Show

The National Retail Federation (NRF) has announced that Andrea Fasulo, the Global Head of Retail Marketing Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) will be taking part in two panels at NRF 2020 Vision: Retail’s Big Show!


Retail’s BIG Show, or the NRF Annual Convention & EXPO, is the flagship industry event of the National Retail Federation (NRF). The annual event is held over three days in New York City. This year's convention & expo will take place at the Javits Center between Sunday, January 12 - Tuesday, January 14, 2020. For more information about Retail’s Big Show, visit https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com.

Below are the NRF2020 panels that Fasulo will be taking part in:

Brick-and-mortar 2.0: Making every customer count
Date: Sunday, January 12
Time: 11:00am - 11:30am
Location: The FQ Lounge

Online shopping has fundamentally changed the rules of retail. But, one rule that will never change is that the customer always comes first. Real brick-and-mortar stores provide the opportunity to deepen the customer’s relationship with a brand. Hear how leaders in the industry are focusing on the physical shopping experience to engage a wider audience.

The FQ Lounge is open to NRF members, all retailers, and members of the press. Please note that all attendees must have a conference badge.

Panellists:

- Andrea Fasulo Global Head of Retail Marketing Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products
- Kirsten Kuhlmann President and CEO Cliff Consulting
- JoAnn Martin VP, Industry Strategy and Market Development JDA Software
- Parinda Muley VP, Innovation and Business Development Macy's

Creating influencer marketing strategies with Supermodel Coco Rocha, TechStyle Fashion Group and Viacom Nickelodeon
Date: Monday, January 13
Time: 2:45pm – 3:15pm
Location: Medallia Stage, Hall E, Level 1
Featured Session

Influencer marketing has evolved into a legitimate sales channel for retail brands looking to form authentic connections with consumers. With shoppable posts launched on Instagram and Pinterest and the proliferation of video in YouTube's Stories, brands have even more ways to increase sales and engagement via influencers. This conversation will also explore authenticity, the importance of video, how data and benchmarking are being utilized, if and where micro influencers fit in, and trends our experts see unfolding.

- Andrea Fasulo, Global Head of Retail Marketing, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products
- Laura Joukovski, President of Global Fashion Brands, TechStyle Fashion Group
- Coco Rocha, Supermodel, Entrepreneur and Owner, NOMAD MGMT
- Frank Weil, Chief Customer Officer, KWI

About Andrea Fasulo
Global Head of Retail Marketing
Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products


Andrea Fasulo is the Global Head of Retail Marketing and Home Entertainment for Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP). In this role, Andrea leads three distinct areas: integrated marketing efforts for consumers across the US retail landscape; trade marketing, including producing large-scale B2B events at trade shows, presentations, sponsorships and media campaigns; and management of the global Home Entertainment business. Across all three parts of the business, Andrea and her team are tasked with driving top line growth, generating incremental consumer products volume and expanding brand equity and market share for VNCP.

More Nick: 2020 on Nickelodeon: New Shows, Specials, Events, Movies, Episodes, and More!

H/T: Retail TouchPoints; Additional source: Wikipedia.
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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Nickelodeon's Consumer Products Team Holds Huge Sample Sale to Raise Funds for Crisis UK

Nickelodeon's Consumer Products team recently held a huge sample sale at ViacomCBS Networks UK's Hawley Crescent HQ in Camden, London for a good cause! Employees had the chance to purchase a range of items including Nickelodeon toys, clothes and homeware inspired by hit Nickelodeon properties, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PAW Patrol and Nickelodeon Slime, predominantly designed for young children. Proceeds will go to Crisis UK, the national charity for homeless people.


To find out more about Crisis UK, visit https://www.crisis.org.uk.

Monday, December 02, 2019

Nickelodeon Picks Up Two Trophies at 2019 Licensing International Australia & New Zealand Awards

Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) and Haven Global took home two coveted trophies at the 2019 Licensing International Australia & New Zealand Awards!


Nickelodeon star JoJo Siwa received the "Best Girl’s License of the Year" award at the event for their licensing activities inspired by Nickelodeon star JoJo Siwa, whilst the "Nickelodeon Takes Over Pacific Fair by Showtime Attractions" on-the-ground activation won the "FMCG/Live Events Licensed Product or Campaign of the Year" award.

Voted on by industry experts, the 2019 Licensing International Australian & New Zealand Licensing Awards recognise excellence in the licensing industry, where retailers, licensees and licensors are rewarded for outstanding products and services. The awards also celebrate a special member of the licensing community for their long term contribution to the industry by inducting them into the Licensing International Hall of Fame. This year's inductees were The Original Wiggles (Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt).

Winners of Licensing International Australian & New Zealand Licensing Awards 2019 were presented with their trophies at a prestigious awards ceremony at Sandringham Yacht Club in Sandringham, Victoria on Thursday 28th November 2019.

A huge congratulations to JoJo Siwa, Nickelodeon, Haven Global and The Wiggles!

A full list of 2019 Licensing International Australian & New Zealand Licensing Awards award winners can be at https://licensingaustralia.org/2019-winners.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Australia and KFC Big Bash League Renew Partnership for Fourth Season!
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon Brazil Adds Zenon The Farmer and Zoo Songs to Portfolio

Nickelodeon Brazil (Brasil) is partnering with Leader Entertainment to bring The Children's Kingdom's hit brands Zenon The Farmer (A Fazenda do Zenon) and Zoo Songs (Canções do Zoo) to Brazilian audiences!


Angela Cortez (Nick), Roberto Pumar (Leader Entertainment), Marici Ferreira (EP Grupo) e Cristian Cabero (Nick)

The Children's Kingdom is the eleventh most viewed YouTube channel in the world. Launched in 2011, the channel features fun music and video content targeted at preschoolers. The Children's Kingdom brands have also leapt off the screen in Latin America with their own touring theatre show, bringing stories full of learning and play to more kids. Consumer products based on the brands are also in the pipeline.

A Fazenda do Zenon will debut on Nick Jr.'s platforms in Brazil in January 2020, with negotiations currently underway to bring the property to television.


Nickelodeon Brasil also revealed during an Upfront event in November 2019 that additional brands from The Children's Kingdom network will also eventually be included in the company's consumer product portfolio.


Centenas de produtos chegarão ao mercado

From EP GRUPO:

Reino Infantil no portfólio da Nick

O anuncio foi realizado nesta manhã, em São Paulo. O evento reuniu fabricantes e varejistas que conferiram as estratégias para o mercado brasileiro.

Angela Cortez (Nick), Roberto Pumar (Leader Entertainment), Marici Ferreira (EP Grupo) e Cristian Cabero (Nick)

O Reino Infantil é o décimo primeiro canal do YouTube mais visto no mundo. Lançado em 2011, os divertidos conteúdos de música e vídeos encantam os pequenos em idade pré-escolar.

As marcas A Fazenda do Zenon e Canções do Zoo chegam ao Brasil por meio da parceria entre a dona da marca – a Leader Entertainment, e a Nickelodeon.

Os videoclipes, as séries e o teatro em turnê pela América Latina apresenta histórias repletas de aprendizado e brincadeiras.

E claro que, em breve, centenas de produtos chegarão para a alegria da audiência!

A Fazenda do Zenon estreia no Nick Jr. em janeiro de 2020. E a veiculação em TV aberta está em negociação.

Centenas de produtos chegarão ao mercado

Ao que tudo indica, a parceria já é sucesso, pois os executivos da Nickelodeon afirmaram que outras marcas do O Reino Infantil serão futuramente incluídas no portfólio da área de consumer products da companhia.

Essa parceria movimentará o mercado!

E adoramos novas oportunidades.

###

Zenon The Farmer and Zoo Songs are titled La Granja de Zenon and Canciones del Zoo in Latin America.

Mais Nick: Viacom International Studios and The Mediapro Studio Wrap Production for 'Noobees 2'; To Premiere on Nickelodeon Latin America During Early 2020!

Additional sources: Google Translate, DeepL Translator.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nick Jr. Brazil and Nickelodeon Preschool News and Highlights!

Wednesday, November 06, 2019

MV Sports to Roll Out Nickelodeon Slime Inline Scooter and 14-Inch Bike in 2020

MV Sports & Leisure Ltd has announced the aweslime news that the wheeled toy specialist will expanding its partnership with Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) to launch a range of wheeled toys inspired by Nickelodeon's iconic slime in 2020!


Oozing its way in the U.K. in 2020 is the new Nickelodeon Slime inline scooter and 14-inch bike. Both will include a slime backpack blaster, which can be easily filled with specially formulated powdered slime mix and mounted onto the scooter or bike, and then slime-loving kids will be all ready for slime time!

Nickelodeon has been synonymous with slime since the number-one entertainment brand for kids introduced the green semi-viscous substance to kids in the 1980's, and Slime is the ultimate symbol of free-spirited mess and the physical embodiment of Nickelodeon's unconventional spirit. The line also expands its Nickelodeon Slime consumer product line, which also includes the Nickelodeon Slime Blaster.

MV Sports has previously partnered with VNCP to launch bikes, scooters, ride-on vehicles, skateboards, suitcases and accessories (including safety helmets) inspired by PAW Patrol and Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

More Nick: Nickelodeon. Every Age. Every Aisle. Everywhere. | Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products!

Original source: TNP.MEDIA | November 2019.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Slime News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon. Every Age. Every Aisle. Everywhere. | Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products | Licensing Source 2019 Supplement

Below is Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products' (VNCP) "Nickelodeon. Every Age. Every Aisle. Everywhere." September 2019 Licensing Source supplement, featuring Viacom's highlights from the past year and upcoming highlights for the year ahead!:

Nickelodeon. Every Age. Every Aisle. Everywhere.


At Viacom we are incredibly proud of our diverse range of brands and properties that resonate with all from pre-school through to adults. Our strength in the market is unsurprising, as humour, innovation and authenticity pulse across our diverse portfolio.

We continue to expand with a multitude of amazing brands such as YouTube sensation Ryan's World, the iconic Garfield and the return of Blue's Clues. PAW Patrol, now in its sixth year, maintains its number one preschool position for the fourth year in a row, dominating on channel, digital and retail aisles. Aside from channel we continue to stay abreast with the changing media landscape; recognising the importance of influencers and increasing the footprint of our attractions. As we look to 2020, we're excited to invest and simultaneously extend our offering across our brands to remain the number one entertainment partner of choice.

Here's a few highlights from our portfolio...

RYAN'S WORLD


• Ryan is the #2 UK influencer.

• New preschool show on Nick Jr. – Ryan's Mystery Playdate.

• Ryan's Mystery Playdate is the #1 show for preschoolers on ALL of television in the US

Ryan's World toys due to deliver over +$150M worth of retail sales globally in 2019.

• Additional CP categories for Ryan's Mystery Playdate rolling out in SS20.

PAW PATROL


• #1 preschool property since 2016.

• 91% global brand awareness.

• $1B in retail sales globally per year.

• Second theatrical, Ready Race Rescue will be coming to UK cinemas February 2020.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS


• SpongeBob SquarePants is back on Channel 5 at weekends.

• SpongeBob SquarePants is mentioned on social media every four seconds.

Feature-length film coming May 2020, starring Snoop Dogg!

• New master toy partner, Alpha Group has reinvigorated the CP programme.

New animated spin-off, Kamp Koral launches on NickToons in the UK August 2020.

BLAZE AND THE MONSTER MACHINES


• #3 property on Nick Jr.

• Globally, Blaze receives 70M average quarterly views.

• Season five launches on Nick Jr. in the UK in January 2020.

• Key categories include toys, publishing, apparel and DVD.

PARAMOUNT


• Top Gun Maverick lands in UK cinemas on 17 July 2020. Watch the Top Gun Maverick trailer here

• Rumble, a wrestling-inspired film from Paramount Animation, comes to cinemas August 2020.

• Look out for CP from Paramount's back catalogue including: Clueless, Mean Girls and Grease.

SOUTH PARK


• Episodes available on Comedy Central, Netflix, Amazon and YouTube.

• New consumer products across apparel, gifting and collectables target the ever-growing loyal fan base.

• Over the years toy partner, Funko has produced many different Pop! vinyl figures from the South Park series.

MTV


• Number 1 music network in the UK.

• MTV UK performance is up 17% YOY.

• Recent fashion collabs include H&M and Puma.

• Engagement on social streams increased 76% in 2018.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS


PAW Patrol characters come to life in brick-form with Brick Live. The first stop this summer was Blackburn with 1,000 families a day visiting the interactive exhibit. The exhibit will continue to travel the UK this year and into 2020.

This October SLIMEFEST returns for its fourth year at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, with 12,000 people set to attend the six sold out shows.

Mighty Pups - the latest PAW theatrical - released in cinemas this past May, surpassed the box office sales target reaching over £1.5M.

For licensing and retail opportunities contact viacomnickelodeoncp@viacom.com.

###

Additional highlights:

- Nick Jr. UK & Ireland will start to premiere Sunny Day season two from April 2020!

- Nick Jr. UK & Ireland will start to premiere Blaze and the Monster Machines season five from January 2020!

-- Global master toy partner Fisher Price will launch Butterbean’s Café toys at retail during Autumn/Winter 2020, followed by secondary categories rolling out during Spring/Summer 2021!

-- Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) will launch Ryan's Mystery Playdate merchandise during Spring/Summer 2020!

-- 2020 will be SpongeBob's greatest year ever!

From the September/October 2019 issue of Progressive Preschool:

With the Brand

[...]

Success also continues apace for PAW Patrol - now in its sixth year it remains the number one preschool licensed property. "The pups have truly cemented themselves as a evergreen franchise," enthuses Marianne James, vp of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products UK, Northern & Eastern Europe. "We continue to partner with Spin Master to introduce fresh new content themes and product ranges for fans. For spring 2020, a feature-length special episode - PAW Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue - will be released in cinemas nationwide to bring further product opportunities. Partners including Sambro, Crayola, Aykroyds, Fashion UK and Bioworld will create new products reflective of the theme."

Meanwhile, products - led by toys - for Nickelodeon's newest preschool property, Top Wing, launched this year through master toy partner, Hasbro. This was swiftly followed by publishing in April and apparel in September. Top Wing also flew into VUE cinemas with special screenings of episodes across 89 UK sites. Series [season] two launches on Nick Jr. in September with the cadets getting fresh new character outfits and vehicles.

Nickelodeon has also confirmed a partnership with Pocket.watch for preschool series, Ryan's Mystery Playdate (launching in the UK in September with series two due in Autumn 2020), while it will also manage licensing in select international markets across all product categories for both Ryan's Mystery Playdate and Ryan's World.

###

From the October 2019 issue of Toy World Magazine:

Nick be nimble

Toy World spoke to Marianne James, VP, Consumer Products, Commercial Partnerships & Experiences, UK, Northern & Eastern Europe about what the current Nickelodeon portfolio has to offer licensee and retailer partners.

How has 2019 been for Nickelodeon?

This year has seen continued change and newness for the brand, as we launched new TV series with Butterbean’s Café and Abby Hatcher, as well as new consumer products with Top Wing and Sunny Day. Paw Patrol has seen a broader expansion of its franchise into multiple touchpoints, including its first UK cinema outing with the hugely successful Paw Patrol: Mighty Pups. The showing beat its target of £1.5m, which we're now looking to build on with the next theatrical release, Paw Patrol: Ready Race Rescue, in February 2020. Looking forward, we're very excited about representing Ryan's World and Ryan's Mystery Playdate, as we head towards the New Year.

What have been your standout successes so far this year?

This year, we celebrated six years of Paw Patrol. We're delighted that the property remains the No.1 pre-school license, driven in part by our refreshed themes and content. We also launched Top Wing across our free to air Channel 5 network, with an incredible monthly average reach of over 600,000 kids. Top Wing has also seen an extremely successful launch by our master toy partner Hasbro, along with apparel and publishing.

How have you found the retail landscape for licensed products over the past nine months?

It would be remiss to say it's challenging. However, with challenge comes opportunity. Remaining nimble and offering a variety of promotional and marketing solutions with multiple touchpoints is a key contributor to success.

With latest NPD figures showing a decline in licensed toy sales for the fourth consecutive year (YoY), what can Nickelodeon and its partners do to ensure demand for product remains high?

For the right brands, there is still a great opportunity to grow great sales value. We believe that Ryan's World is a great example of this; a content creator who is achieving fantastic viewership online, and is now expanding in to the consumer products arena, with initial results proving very successful. We are excited about the opportunity to grow into new categories in the near future, epitomising our current strategy of establishing multiple consumer product pipelines to ensure that the Nickelodeon brand thrives across 'Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere.'

What big properties are you most excited about for 2020?

We expect movies to explode again in 2020. The return of the Top Gun franchise with Top Gun: Maverick by Paramount Pictures will likely prove to be one of the biggest hits of 2020, while we have a number of other new movies to energise the market, including the return of SpongeBob in this 3rd feature length film. We're also excited to introduce Rumble - a new animated monster wrestling movie from Paramount - set to be released in 2020.

What makes Nickelodeon a great partner for licensees?

We have a hugely passionate licensing team who is flexible, approachable and creative - there's always a way to achieve creativity and success. Our flexibility and experience are critical components to our success. It's what sets us apart and ensures we sustain long term partnerships in the industry, with a solutions-focused approach.

###

Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) will showcase its animation, pre-school, youth and adult licences at this year's Brand Licensing Europe, reinforcing its 'Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere' strategy. Iconic franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Paw Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be display alongside new IP acquisitions including Garfield and Ryan's Mystery Playdate.

Nickelodeon's mission is to be the home for the biggest franchises kids love. Consumer favourite SpongeBob SquarePants - celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year - continues to be a leading license, and recently announced spin-off Kamp Koral will grow the franchise further new new stories and characters introduced to the SpongeBob universe.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has continued to expand and entertain audiences of all ages, old and new, with a mix of new content, consumer products and on-the-ground experiences to drive fan excitement as the crime-fighting turtles celebrate their 35th anniversary.

Continued investment in pre-school properties is led by Paw Patrol, with new content themes and storylines, characters and product categories being added every year, growing the franchise and its properties and building it into one of the company's biggest brands.

Nickelodeon has welcomed Blue's Clues & You! and Ryan's World/Ryan's Mystery Playdate to its pre-school portfolio, while the acquisition of Garfield has helped maintain Nickelodeon's position of the place to go for the most popular franchises in family entertainment.

The company expects movies to come to the forefront. The return of the Top Gun franchise with Top Gun: Maverick by Paramount Pictures will undoubtedly prove to be one of the biggest hits of 2020, while other new movies to energise the market include the return of SpongeBob in his third feature-length film - The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge. Exciting new movie Rumble, Nickelodeon's new animated monster wrestling movie, is set to be released in 2020.

###

From Licensing Source:

“BLE is hugely important and a fantastic platform”

As the show opens its doors at ExCeL, Source asks some key licensors what BLE means to them.

Brand Licensing Europe 2019 officially opens its doors today, with the industry set to head over to the new venue of ExCeL London in their droves to check out the latest brands, trends and developments.

The event – which is marking its 21st anniversary this year and runs from October 1 to October 3 – is a key platform for licensors and agents, as a number exclusively told Source.

[...]

Meanwhile, Marianne James, vp of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products UK, Northern and Eastern Europe, simply described the show as “the perfect forum”.

“BLE is a key time of the year for us, as it is attended by the European key players in the industry across licensing and retail,” commented Marianne. “Here, we have the perfect forum to present and provide greater insight into our key franchises and initiatives, as well as inform and update the market on the exciting plans we have for our many properties across Nickelodeon, Paramount, MTV and Comedy Central.”

###

From License Global:

WHAT’S #TRENDING AT BLE 2019?

While walking the BLE showfloor, attending seminars and talking to exhibitors, License Global picked up on key trends that are defining the way the licensing community does business.

Brand Licensing Europe took place this week (Oct. 1-3) at London’s ExCeL. While walking the show, attending seminars and talking to exhibitors, License Global picked up on key trends that are defining the way the licensing community does business.

Fashion has a Sustainable Future

Fashion, the core theme of BLE 2020, was teased everywhere at this year’s ExCeL debut. Mannequins featuring some of the most progressive collaborations – from retail appeal to haute-couture design – lined the show, and the discussion of fashion’s place in licensing is just as apparent.

“Fashion licensing is at an interesting place right now,” says Anna Knight, vice president, licensing, Informa Markets, the organizer of BLE. “There’s so much going on, from sustainability discussions to haute couture collaborations. It’s providing a new way to open up brands and we want to shine a light on that, show how experiential it has been and how it links back to brands, lifestyle and art. Fashion and licensing is Zeitgeist-led, it’s visual, on-trend, inclusive and ticks all of our boxes for BLE 2020.”

With carefully considered collaborations showing no sign of slowing down, this also comes with the conversation of how these pieces are created in the future. Sustainably sourced materials and ethical collaborations are making noise (such as Tiger Tim’s partnership launch with Cotton Made in Africa, announced at BLE), and as fast fashion retail experiences stressors (think the recent Chapter 11 filing for Forever 21), this new balance could signal from consumers a sea change in how they allocate their spending.

Heritage Licensing Becomes an Export

U.K. heritage licensing has gone from small, niche gifting products to carefully curated consumer products in demand across the globe. These brands are now known for licensing artistic and educational archives with genuine authenticity, and the latest revolutions on display at the Heritage x Interiors activation stands are a testament to the work underway in new verticals.

U.K. heritage licensing has become an export, making its way to new markets such as China. The V&A is one such brand leading the way in new territories.

“It’s been a year of success and growth in China for V&A brand licensing who have been working with their exclusive agent in the country, Alfilo Brands, to push forward ambitious plans for licensing, retail collaborations and pop-up stores,” says Lauren Sizeland, head, business and licensing development, V&A. “In the last year, the V&A has grown the number of licensees within East Asia by 15 percent. Recent collaborations include a range of luxury luggage from ITO, inspired by 1920s art deco travel posters; three collections from lifestyle retail store The Beast, including The Modern Times range featuring mugs, candles, diffusers and prints, and the Beauty in Bloom range with silk pajamas and scarves; arts-and-crafts-themed tea giftsets with Twinings; and a shoe collection with Basto, who reworked the V&A archive of travel posters and Japanese Ukiyo-e prints into an exceptional footwear collection.”

This push into China with intricately designed projects is also leading the V&A to learn more about the consumer tastes of the region to increase their focus and develop new products.

Big Brands are Getting Better with Age

Major milestone anniversaries are being celebrated across the show floor, with Hasbro bringing the long-lasting brand of Monopoly to the people in special editions for its 85th, Batman marking his 80th across the year with global projects and gaming icons Activision and “Pac-Man” continuing to grow at 40.

“Thomas & Friends” is also marking its 75th, and as brands mark more milestones, the consumer products are starting to reflect not only decades of growth, but a future of creativity in terms of product design.

Rovio’s 10th anniversary brought forward a new collaboration with K-Swiss, for example, that takes the color and the mischief of the mobile game and brings it straight back to the personality-driven consumer market.

Publishing is having a moment too as classic continues to stay in style. Peter Rabbit continues to display innovative licensing programs, while Horrible Histories matures into a retro property as author Terry Deary gave us his insight into the property at BLE’s publishing activation, Beyond the Book.

The Players have Spoken

Gaming continues to grow as esports, multiplayer and narrative-driven content experiences keep us coming back to our consoles. The list of exhibitors on display at BLE 2019, from Playstation and Nintendo to Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Sybo Games and Rovio, means the gaming industry investment in licensing is real, and as the gaming culture continues to grow, so will the business opportunities.

A central highlight of BLE was The Arcade, a gaming and esports activation that celebrated gaming history and allowed visitors to interact and engage with properties and product from participating brands such Rovio, Sega, Difuzed, Bandai Namco, Disguise, Activision, Bioworld and Sybo.

Long Live the Movie Franchise

If there’s one trend to re-appear year-on-year, it’s the long-lasting appeal of sequels, reboots and title returns. With “Trolls: World Tour” and “Minions 2” being presented with pride by Universal, or “Wonder Woman: 1984” by Warner Bros., “Top Gun: Maverick” by Viacom Nickelodeon and “Ghostbusters” by Sony Pictures, the consumers are driving huge demand to see the characters they love again and again and that there is guaranteed pick-up at retail for such properties.

“We no longer license movies, we actively build licensed franchises and sequels as an integral part of our content strategy,” says Hannah Mungo, country director, U.K. and Eire, Universal Brand Development. “They allow us to introduce new characters, themes and music and they provide an event moment for retailers and licensees to build new and refreshed programs around. In a world of disruption and fragmentation, consumers are looking for strong and stable brands that they know and trust, sequels answer this brief by affording fans the opportunity to build deeper and more meaningful connections with our properties.”

“Franchises such as ‘Ghostbusters’ have a built-in audience that grow from generation to generation,” explains Jamie Stevens, executive vice president, worldwide consumer products, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “For licensing, it gives us the opportunity to provide products that feed the super fans as well as new consumers who are entering the franchise for the first time.”

“Retailers are placing big bets on movie franchises, and Paramount Pictures’ ‘Top Gun Maverick’ and ‘The SpongeBob Movie’ are two great examples,” says Mark Kingston, senior vice president, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “These franchises have strong emotional connections with generations of fans, and retailers know that the appetite for special-edition product will be strong. Movie releases also give a nice boost for our everyday ‘Spongebob’ and ‘Top Gun’ business.”

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From C21 Media:

Viacom adventures

Viacom is undergoing rapid change with the arrival of ITV Studios exec Maria Kyriacou, a merger with CBS on the cards and a distribution slate that continues to diversify. Nico Franks reports.

Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure features the iconic UK newsreader

Think of brands associated with Viacom and you’re likely to picture bright animated shows and children’s sitcoms thanks to its links with Nickelodeon, or scantily clad reality show contestants due to its ties with MTV.

What you’re unlikely to imagine is one of the UK’s most revered newsreader and journalists travelling from Mumbai to Delhi on board the Maharajas’ Express, as seen in Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure (2×60′).

“That is one of the great things about our catalogue,” says Lauren Marriott, VP of international programme sales at Viacom International Studios (VIS). “It’s so diverse, you can have Ex on the Beach and young preschool content on the one hand and Trevor McDonald on a train in India on the other.”

Due to various developments, both domestically and internationally, that are seeing it work with non-Viacom-owned buyers, VIS will arguably be bringing its most wide-ranging catalogue of content ever to Mipcom this year.

Nickelodeon famously aims to reach kids from diapers all the way up to skinny jeans. Now, partly thanks to the many deals US media giant Viacom has been doing to diversify its business over the past few years, as well as a strategy to work with third-parties, VIS has a library that feasibly goes from skinny jeans all the way up to comfortable, elastic waist-banded slacks.

Testament to this is its Mipcom slate, which features Corn & Peg, a Nick Jr show about a seven-year-old unicorn and a pegasus; Gen Z thriller The Unsettling; MTV reality show The Hills: New Beginnings; and Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure.

The latter marked the first third-party commission for Viacom in the UK when it was ordered by commercial broadcaster ITV earlier this year, a development that means its catalogue is set to grow beyond shows for Viacom brands such as Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and BET.

This comes as the Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) business in the UK and Europe undergoes significant change, with ITV Studios exec Maria Kyriacou coming in as president following the departure of James Currell earlier this year.

Kyriacou, who is currently president of international for ITV Studios, reports to David Lynn, president and CEO of VIMN. VIMN is seeking to bolster its activities in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, with VIS in the process of opening new production centres in Madrid and Manchester as part of its ongoing expansion. These join Viacom’s London-based production outfit Elephant House Studios, which has been rebranded as VIS UK.

This is part of VIMN’s wider strategy to leverage assets such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Telefe, Awesomeness and Pluto TV to build out a three-tier strategy spanning basic cable, SVoD and advertising-supported VoD (AVoD).

Jill Offman is leading the expansion of VIS in the UK and Laura Abril is heading the roll-out across Europe, building on the studio’s Latin American launch last year.

VIS’s diverse slate includes Nick Jr toon Corn & Peg

Marriott says the intention is for VIS to represent as much of the product made by VIS UK as possible, beginning with the aforementioned Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure.

The sales operation has also seen change, with long-time VIMN exec Caroline Beaton exiting as her career as a stand-up comedian takes off.

VIMN has a hefty reach, operating 120 TV networks, reaching 90 million households in 33 territories across the UK, Northern and Eastern Europe. It has launched a variety of streaming products across the region, including Paramount+ in the Nordic countries, Hungary and Poland as well as My5, Pluto TV and MTV Play in the UK.

VIS is the umbrella brand for all of Viacom’s content production and distribution activities outside of the US. The group also oversees the strategic acquisition of original content in VIMN’s core areas of kids, youth and adults, for sale to third parties around the world.

Free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters remain VIS’s key clients as a result of the way the company windows its content across its own channels and platforms, with originals airing first across VIMN’s operations, meaning premium SVoDs don’t tend to come calling for its finished product.

But Marriott says the company has still benefitted from the SVoD boom, which she believes has resulted in two major changes in the behaviour of buyers at broadcasters around the world.

Traditional buyers are looking to both compete and counter the streamers with some shows that play in the same territory they do – such as youth-skewing dramas – and the kind of factual series they tend not to be after.

“The traditional FTAs are trying to compete with SVoDs by acquiring solely for their AVoD or free VoD [FVoD] services,” says Marriott, who joined Viacom in 2008 as a sales director.

One recent example is the deal with the BBC in the UK, which has picked up seasons one and two of Emmy-winning series Zac & Mia in order to target what Viacom would call Generation Z, roughly those born between 1995 and 2015. Having bought youth-skewing US company Awesomeness last year and bringing its library into the fold six months ago, it’s a target demo VIS is now particularly geared towards.

Bought to support the public broadcaster’s strategy to diversifying its offering for older children, the show will be available exclusively via its FVoD service, BBC iPlayer.

Whereas previously they may have viewed 12-18s as something of a lost cause, broadcasters deciding to invest more in their VoD services have decided to try to claw them back from the likes of Netflix.

“VoD services of broadcasters targeting younger audiences is a definite trend, because obviously they’re not watching as much on linear,” says Marriott, who cites another Awesomeness show, Light As a Feather, as being popular with local VoD platforms. “They see it as really strong content to rival what Netflix is doing in that space,” adds the exec.

But then there’s the other strategy, where FTA networks zig where the likes Netflix are zagging.

“The emergence of the SVoDs has also meant shopping lists have become open to programming to counter them. Several years ago, you would have had the FTA channels buying up US dramas. Now that happens less and less, so there’s much more demand for self-contained factual entertainment content. That plays really well for our slate that we have from the UK,” says Marriott.

Essentially, this is programming people can watch while they’re doing other things, like cooking or ironing, which doesn’t require the same level of concentration that a foreign-language import or premium US drama does.

The latter is not something VIS deals in, with Viacom’s work in the genre coming via its rebranded cablenet Paramount, which commissioned originals such as Yellowstone, 68 Whiskey and Sexy Beast, and its studio arm, Paramount Pictures. Paramount Television has been behind high-end dramas such as Jack Ryan (Amazon), 13 Reasons Why (Netflix), Berlin Station (Epix), Catch-22 (Hulu), First Wives Club (Paramount Network), Shantaram (Apple) and Dream Team (BET).

Marriott also observes the AVoD platforms are stepping up to the plate in unscripted, following Netflix and Amazon’s lead into format acquisition, again with the aim of reeling in younger viewers.

VIS’s deal with German giant RTL Media Group’s TV Now platform is a case in point. It’s currently in production on the first remake of VIS reality dating format Finding Prince Charming and Marriott says deals for other youth-skewing reality formats in the VIS library are on the table.

VIS is also mining its back catalogue of IP to reimagine classic formats on both its networks and for new buyers, with Facebook Watch ordering a reboot of The Real World, for example. Also coming down the pipeline are new versions of Punk’d and Singled Out for Quibi, as Viacom’s fledgling units, such as MTV Studios, work with third-parties.

“It’s a really interesting new platform and definitely one to watch. We’ve always been trailblazers in coming up with new and exciting shows. And they’re still seen as new and exciting, even 25 years on,” says Marriott.

Meanwhile, the international TV industry’s consolidation continues, with the merger to form ViacomCBS ongoing, but Marriott is unable to comment on how it may impact VIS or VIMN in the short or long term.

What’s clear is that many of the changes currently underway at Viacom and VIMN are about trying to put VIS in a position to benefit from the many ways the global content business is evolving.

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From Animation Magazine:

MIPCOM Market News Round-Up

[...]

Double the Magic

You know some major fun is in store when a unicorn and a pegasus decide to hang out together. That’s what happens in Nelvana/Corus’ Corn & Peg, a fun CG-animated 20 x 22’ show that will be making the rounds at MIPCOM this month. Created by Russell Marcus (Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, Married with Children). Aimed at preschoolers, the show finds Corn and Peg working together to make their town of Galloping Grove a better place. The show focuses on a social-emotional curriculum that highlights empathy and kindness, and a school readiness curriculum emphasizing colors, math, directions and health and wellness.

“Corn & Peg is a feel-good show and we love seeing these two do-gooders gallop around their city to help their neighbors,” says Nina Hahn, Nickelodeon’s senior VP of development. “It is funny, smart and it brings in a really positive message to kids. We’re really happy to be bringing a second series soon to Nick Jr.”

For more info, visit www.nickjr.com/corn-and-peg.

[...]

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

Originally published: Wednesday, September 25, 2019.
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