Asterix, City of Friends and even astrologer Russell Grant want to up their presence by Dominic Sacco
PROPERTIES NEW and old are seeking master toy licensees following Brand Licensing Europe 2012. Classic French cartoon property
Asterix returns to the big screen in 2014 with a new computer animated movie, and licensor Les Edition Albert René is seeking a master toy licensee to produce toys specifically around the film. It already works with toy firms Jemini, Ravensburger, Cartamundi, Mondo and Plastoy. DCD Publishing, global agent of astrologer and Strictly Come Dancing star Russell Grant, wants figures, books and costumes based on dance sensation Zalza to hit shelves. Zalza is a dance craze and ITV
workout show aimed at people of all ages and abilities, created by Grant and his former Strictly dance partner Flavia Cacace. A DVD will launch next March and Zalza is targeting UK gyms.
DCD chief executive Adrian Sington told ToyNews: “We’re looking at some kind of toy aspect for younger kids; figures and also perhaps some dance costumes.” Russell Grant said he’d like to take the Zalza brand “worldwide”. He’d be happy for a figure of himself to hit shelves, which can be shot out of a toy cannon, replicating the scene out of Strictly Come Dancing. City of Friends creator and CreaCon CEO Carl Christian also told ToyNews he was on the lookout for a master toy licensee for the hit
kids’ TV show. He also revealed that the number of licensees on board for City of Friends had almost tripled during this year’s Brand Licensing Europe show. Additionally, FremantleMedia Enterprises is launching Strange Hill High on CBBC in the UK in January 2013. It is a new stop motion puppet show that the firm hopes will lend itself well to the toy market. “Strange Hill High is very unique, an amazing show and we’re so proud to be associated with it,” FME’s UK VP of brand licensing and retail Pindy O’Brien told ToyNews. “We’re looking at collectability, trading cards and it lends itself to construction toys, novelty toys, publishing, apparel and stationery. I think kids are going to love it. “From the way it looks, it will stand out on shelves, and retail has been wowed by it.” Finally, ToyNews understands that
FIFA will announce the master toy licensee for its 2014 World Cup plush toys shortly.
THE TOP PERFORMING CHILDREN’S TV SHOWS ON TERRESTRIAL AND MULTI-CHANNEL
ALL CHILDREN’S CHANNELS SEPTEMBER 2012 (SORTED BY ‘000 (AVG)
1. Tree Fu Tom......................................... Cbeebies 2. The Scooby-Doo Show ............................ CBBC 3. Charlie and Lola.................................. Cbeebies 4. The Milkshake Show Songs.............. Channel 5 5. Who Let the Dogs Out?............................ CBBC 6. The Koala Brothers............................. Cbeebies 7. Eliot Kid.................................................... CBBC 8. Horrid Henry.............................. CITV Breakfast 9. Abney and Teal .................................. Cbeebies 10. Mike the Knight ................................ Cbeebies
ALL COMMERCIAL CHILDREN’S CHANNELS SEPTEMBER 2012 (SORTED BY ‘000S (AVG))
1. The Milkshake Show Songs.............. Channel 5 2.Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers ....Boomerang 3. Horrid Henry ..............................CITV Breakfast 4. Shake It Up................................ CITV Breakfast 5. Make Way for Noddy......................... Channel 5 6. Toby’s Travelling Circus..................... Channel 5 7. Milkshake.......................................... Channel 5 8. Phineas and Ferb ...................... CITV Breakfast 9. My Phone Genie......................... CITV Breakfast 10. Rupert the Bear .............................. Channel 5
Supplied by ITV/CITV Source: Techedge/BARB 2012 (000s is the average number of children in the UK who watched an episode (in thousands))