Brand Licensing Preview
THE FUTURE LOOKS ROSIE
John Baulch talks to V & S Entertainments Julie Quirke about the company’s hot new brand, Everything’s Rosie
F
ollowers of the kids licensing market will have noticed that there has been something of a drop-off in the girls brands sector recently, leaving a gap which licensees and retailers are looking for new properties to fill. As ever there is no shortage of
potential candidates looking to take advantage of this opportunity. One of the front runners which Toy World believes shows real promise in this area is V&S Entertainment’s hit series, Everything’s Rosie. Everything’s Rosie is an HD CGI animation which
currently comprises 52x11min episodes split over two series. The show has been broadcast on CBeebies since May 2010 and is now the channel’s top rated pre-school show. The series centres on Rosie, a little girl with a taste for adventure, and includes a cast of equally lovable characters such as Will, Holly, Big Bear, Oakley the ancient oak tree and Rosie’s best friend Raggles the rabbit. Rosie and her friends are positive, bright and inspiring role models - offering fun, laughter, discovery and timeless life lessons to pre-schoolers. A third series of the show iwill air in 2012, bringing the total number of finished episodes to 78.
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Toy World recently met up with V&S Director of
Licensing Julie Quirke to find out more about the new girl in town. First we asked Julie why she feels Rosie is shaping up to be a winner:” In a crowded market, it’s important to have points of difference. Everything’s Rosie was in development for nine years before it reached the screen, and it shows. The animation is really high quality; licensees love the rich colour palette, which allows them to produce highly attractive merchandise. As well as high production values, Everything’s Rosie benefits from a talented writing team, assembled by V&S MD Vickie Corner. It’s clear that a lot of love and care has gone into making a great show which resonates with its audience, not just a box-ticking exercise to sell licences.” A great show is the bedrock from which to build a
successful licensing and merchandising programme, so it’s no surprise that the licensing community has been quick to notice the brand’s potential. A strong UK programme is now in place, with over 20 licensees on board including Vivid Imaginations, Worlds Apart, Egmont, Blues Clothing, Roy Lowe & Sons, TDP Aykroyds, Vogue International and Zap. Julie commented:”Our partners love the fact that the central
figure is a little girl, plus six other primary characters in the show, which helps them to develop a compelling range of product.” Despite the inclination to label ‘Rosie’ as a girl’s
brand, viewing figures suggest that ‘Rosie’ appeals strongly to boys as well as girls, with a 60/40 split that is rare for a property featuring a female lead character. I asked Julie why she felt the property was held such an appeal to both sexes, and she pointed out,” Rosie is cool, she’s bold, modern, fun, adventurous and definitely not too girly. Many boys can identify with her, either as an older sister or friend, which helps us to attract an audience that features boys as well as girls.” Broadcasters across the world have also been quick
to snap up Everything’s Rosie and the series is now being shown in over 150 countries, including RTVE in Spain and RAI YOYO in Italy, another example of a home-grown property achieving success globally. V & S Entertainment’s Everything’s Rosie will be making its BLE debut at Stand C30, and with some key categories still up for grabs, Toy World believes it’s definitely worth paying them a visit.
Stand C30
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