TOTAL LICENSING
of inflatable SpongeBobs to put on cable with kids 2-11 and kids 6-11 Movie earned over $85,000,000 in
their roofs. These were so popu- in 2005. In fact, Where’s Gary revenue in the United States and
lar that a number were stolen. Of was the highest-rated episode it was announced late in 2004 that
course, this made the news and gave of SpongeBob ever with kids SpongeBob would be continuing with
SpongeBob yet more public- 6-11. a new season due in 2005. Hillen-
ity!” At this point, retail hit the burg did not actually leave the show
By 2005, SpongeBob was $3bn mark and the series but resigned from his position as the
in its fourth season in became the most widely show’s executive producer. The job
the US, and had been distributed show in MTVN now belongs to Derek Drymon, with
the lead- history: SpongeBob was Paul Tibbitt taking over Drymon’s job
syndicated into more as creative director.
than 170 markets and The first market to follow the US
translated into 26 lan- was, as one would expect, Europe.
ing kids’ guages. Consumer Prod- But all was not plain sailing. As Jean-
show on broadcast uct programs were in place Philippe Randisi, Senior Vice Presi-
and cable television in twenty-two countries. In dent and Managing Director, Europe,
for four years. The Australia almost 50% of kids Canada and Latin America explained,
half-hour special episode of owned some SpongeBob “Our first European TV exposure for
SpongeBob SquarePants merchandise; SpongeBob was SpongeBob was in Summer 2002”.
Where’s Gary on Friday, number one in the Gameboy But, at the time, TV didn’t really want
Nov. 11, marked the high- charts and number three in to buy the series. In the end, Germany
est-rated program all formats in the UK. and France took it on to test it – if
on all TV with kids In late December 2005, ratings were OK they would agree to
2-11 for the year be- SpongeBob arrived in buy it. There was a huge amount of
hind the SuperBowl Asia when he debuted on skepticism from mainstream televi-
and the SuperBowl China and Japan’s leading sion.”
kick-off, and the high- broadcasters. The skepticism proved to be unfound-
est-rated play on all of The SpongeBob SquarePants ed and very quickly broadcasters re-
84
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