TOTAL LICENSING
cal TV. Today, after ratings successes
in 2006 and 2007, a multi-category
license has been awarded in order
to expand SpongeBob’s business in
China. A recent promotion in early
2008 with KFC saw over 4 million
units of premiums given out in 1
month – doubling quantities the year
before for a similar promotion. A
further surge in popularity is expect-
ed as the show returns to CCTV in
January 2009. In Japan, SpongeBob’s
consumer products program was
launched in November 2005, well be-
fore the character started airing on
television. In fact, according to Indra
Suharjono who leads the business in
Asia, many Japanese consumers be-
lieve the design to be cheese and not
ing licensing program!” Pharell by Nigo, the founder of Bath-
a character! “Initial product in Japan
SpongeBob now has thirty local licen- ing Ape. The partnership with the
appeared well before the series was
sees including Sony Creative Prod- biggest apparel company in Japan pro-
televised and the product lines were
ucts, Sega and Bandai. SpongeBob duced special SpongeBob B-Movie
aimed at ‘office ladies’ i.e. women aged
claimed #1 position in Japan when shirts that were available in over 65
20 to 40. It wasn’t until 2007 that the
leading toy store KiddyLand intro- stores nationwide. Flying high on his
series began airing on NHK, by which
duced a promotion in all its 80 stores success, SpongeBob was tapped by
time SpongeBob already had a thriv-
nationwide and made SpongeBob its Singapore Airlines for a 2-year deal
Property of the Month wherein the airline gave out branded
in March 2006. Indra lunch boxes and special edition toys
Suharjono sought an during flights. In South Korea, NVCP
innovative collabora- is currently working with Memorette
tion that resulted in to release a SpongeBob 64 gigabyte
popular demand for USB stick storage device. SpongeBob
products. The Bathing has licensed all major categories in
Ape and SpongeBob Asia. The region has produced a very
collaboration took wide range of merchandise from sim-
Japan by storm and ple boxer shorts in Australia, to cute
sold out on the first mobile phone cases in Korea, to safe
day of launch in Janu- scooter helmets in Taiwan. Promo-
ary 2008. The range tional partners in the region have
was made up of about
70 SKUs including one
collaboration plush
worth $300
and mobile
phone straps at
$30. The Bath-
ing Ape-Sponge-
Bob collaboration
T-shirts became
very popular and saw
hiphop mogul Pharell
Williams frequently
sporting a SpongeBob
shirt. Moreover, a spe-
cial yellow crocodile
SpongeBob-inspired
pair of sneakers was
especially made for
90
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