TOTAL LICENSING
chaos in his underwater world.
The show began its second season in
SPONGEBOB IN AUSTRALIA
2000 with more high-quality anima-
tion and even more episodes. By then
Since launching SpongeBob SquarePants into the Australian market in 2000,
it was clear to the world that Sponge-
Haven have developed the license to become a well-recognized brand over a
Bob had opened the door to other
variety of categories and demographics. Haven are expecting 2009 to be ‘The
cartoons to use more “adult” senses
Year of the Sponge’ as he celebrates his 10th anniversary globally by painting
of humor. Back in 2001, these included
famous squares around the world yellow, cul-
The Fairly OddParents. SpongeBob,
minating in a massive New Years Eve Sponge-
however, remained solidly the leader
Bob event in New York’s Times Square.
and the most popular of all these
”SpongeBob has been a consistent favourite
shows.
amongst Australian and New Zealand kids”,
By 2001, SpongeBob had become an
reports Nickelodeon Business Manager, Sam
icon of pop-culture. He featured in full
Arcadipane. “At this year’s Nickelodeon Kids’
page articles in Entertainment Weekly,
Choice Awards SpongeBob was voted the
numerous stories in the New York
most favourite Nick cartoon by over 1.2 mil-
Times and the Los Angeles Times as
lion kids”. Since the launch of consumer prod-
well Jane magazine and US Weekly. Ac-
ucts into the market in mid-2002, the brand
tor Rob Lowe (a fan of the show) was
has been a lynchpin of the Nickelodeon
photographed by
stable. “The SpongeBob brand continues
his son holding
to grow steadily for us,’ continues Arcadi-
the SpongeBob
pane. “2009 sees the launch of exciting new pro-
plush for In Style
grams in newly developed SpongeBob plush, and
magazine.
boys and girlswear apparel into mass retail”.
It soon became
Youth retailer Jay Jays, recognizes SpongeBob’s retro
clear that whilst
appeal and have released SpongeBob accessories including T-shirts, thongs,
SpongeBob was
belts, bags & underwear. “Tapping into this more mature target market with
designed as a
SpongeBob’s nostalgic appeal ensures the brand’s longevity. SpongeBob really
show for children,
has become an icon in less than a decade,” reports Arcadipane.
it’s adult appeal
In New Zealand, SpongeBob’s Consumer Products continue to rise: - with
was very high.
the best selling seasonal confectionery range, and a robust publishing pro-
According to
gram. In April last year, the ‘Atlantis Squarepantis’ event was held at New
research, much
Zealand’s The Warehouse. The multi-tiered two week promotion was aligned
of the appeal
with the launch of ‘Atlantis Squarepantis – The Movie’ on the Nickelodeon
has a lot to
channel and featured product launches, meet and greets, POS, on-line and
do with the
on-air promotional drivers.
absurd way
“With the possibility of launching on FTA in Australia in 2009 and a QSR
underwa-
promotion slated for the 3rd quarter, it really does look set to be the year of
ter life and
the Sponge!” says Arcadipane.
situations are
represented, and
are also many water jokes
with the situa-
made. The most com-
tions, references, and words used,
mon one is the one
which younger viewers might not un-
in which you set a
derstand. Certain innuendos also are
fire under the sea.
intended to go over younger viewers’
Of course, part
heads. For example, SpongeBob tried
of the show’s
to show his Grandma that he was a
appeal has
mature adult by wearing sideburns
to do with
and a derby, and listening to free
the child-
form jazz or when Squidward tricked
like nature
SpongeBob and Patrick into thinking
of Sponge-
he was a ghost, a coral reef sculpted
Bob and his
like Toulouse-Lautrec’s can-can girls
best friend,
stands in the background. These are
Patrick Star,
jokes most children would not under-
both of whom
stand. Numerous marine biology in-
are adults but
jokes are woven into the show. There
78
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132