world licensing
Elmo rocks London
Late 2009 saw Hasbro sign a ten-year global deal to manufacture a wide range of toys and games based on Sesame Street characters. Hasbro’s inaugural range is now reaching retail shelves, and this year’s hero product is Let’s Rock Elmo. Dressed in a concert style t-shirt, Elmo comes with his very own microphone and two instruments – a tambourine and a drum set. Preschoolers can choose which Elmo plays, and he magically recognises which one you give him. Kids can also play along on Elmo’s instruments. For even more rockin’ fun, Elmo also interacts with other Let’s Rock instruments, which are sold separately. Let’s Rock Elmo is already proving to be a hit with retailers and consumers. Numerous retailers have already included Elmo in their lists predicting the top-selling toys for this Christmas, whilst Hasbro has put an extensive pr and marketing campaign in place to support the launch. Elmo and his performer, the effusive Kevin Clash, visited London in September, attracting widespread TV and radio coverage. Toy World met Kevin during his whirlwind visit, and found him an infectious and enthusiastic ambassador for the brand. His passion for the art of Puppetry (and make no mistake, it certainly is an art) is unmistakeable, and after three decades as the voice of the character, his love of Elmo is self-evident. Kevin told Toy World that he will be working closely with Hasbro to help them develop “more great Elmo toys that kids will love.”
Postman Pat set for screen debut
Classic Media is celebrating Postman Pat’s 30th birthday with the news of a big screen debut for the evergreen property. The brand owner has teamed up with RGH Entertainment
to produce Postman Pat: The Movie: You Know Youíre the One. Stephen Mangan (Episodes), Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent, Harry Potter’s Rupert Grint and Doctor Who’s David Tennant lead the voice cast The film finds Pat, everyone’s favourite postman, coming
face-to-face with the temptations of money, status and a shiny new suit when he enters a national TV talent show competition that threatens to tear him away from his hometown of Greendale and the friends he loves. What happens when kindness meets selfishness? When local fame meets global notoriety? A nice cup of tea is kicked aside by a frappacappucino?
Pat is set to find out as he falls for the age old
temptation of the grass being greener. The voice cast, all true Postman Pat fans, commented on working on the film. Stephen
Mangan said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be playing the world’s best-known postman in his big screen debut - he’s an iconic British hero and it’s a great script. However when I excitedly told my three year old son that I was going to be Postman Pat, he said, ‘No you’re not, dad, don’t be silly.”
Golden Bear goes Bananas for plush deal
Turner unveils LazyTown deal
In a move designed to strengthen its position in the pre-school
TV arena , Turner has announced the acquisition of Latibaer, the Icelandic owner of the LazyTown brand. The deal includes an immediate commitment to produce a
new series of the Icelandic kids TV series. Under the terms of the deal, LazyTown’s creator and star Magnus Scheving remains CEO of Latibaer and retains his management team and the series production stays in Iceland. The investment in LazyTown signals Turner’s growing ambitions in the pre-school space, given the synergies that LazyTown presents for the company’s existing Cartoonito and Boomerang franchises. The announcement follows Turner’s consolidated pre- school expansion across Europe, Middle East and Africa, with the roll out of its pre-school channel, Cartoonito across the region from September 2011. Alan Fenwick, VP Turner CN Enterprises, EMEA said: “LazyTown
is one of those rare and wonderfully inspiring brands that at its core has such a relevant health message that everyone from governments to global retailers and most importantly millions of children every day from around the world are fully embracing. We are delighted to be working with Magnus and his team as we build on this success together, ensuring that LazyTown becomes the world’s leading healthy lifestyle brand for children.”
Golden Bear has been appointed master toy partner for the Endemol property, Bananas in Pyjamas across the UK, Ireland, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America (excluding Brazil). Since first airing in July 1992 as suited characters, Bananas in Pyjamas has enjoyed success
with pre-school audiences in more than 70 countries around the world. A new CGI animated series with new stories premiered in Australia on ABC2 in May 2011 and in the United Kingdom on both Channel 5 and Cartoonito in July 2011. Golden Bear’s Bananas in Pyjamas product will roll out from autumn 2012, and will include plush and plastic toys with the inclusion of electronic and mechanical devices. John Hales, chairman of Golden Bear said: “We are delighted to be appointed master toy licensee and once again will be producing the Bananas in Pyjamas range. The programme has taken on a fantastic ‘new look’ since the original range was launched in the 1990’s and we are looking forward to developing these delightful characters.”
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