Toy World spoke to John Owen, Senior Vice President HIT Brands - Global, about the launch of Mike the Knight
relate to Mike in the same way they’ve related to Bob and Sam. Mike is a lovely character, and there’s a rich vein of humour running through the show. There are strong messages about teamwork and friendship in each programme, but most of all it is very entertaining and just great fun, which I think is a crucial element that is often overlooked. I think parents will love the show too; parental endorsement is still very important with this age group.
John Owen
TW: What’s going to make Mike the Knight stand out in the crowded pre-School market?
JO: My feeling is that there has been a move away from the more ‘off-the-wall’ Pre-School properties, and back towards more positive role models. I think this shift has really helped Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder to establish themselves as firm favourites. Kids love someone they can identify with, and I think they’ll
TW: You must be delighted that the programme will be broadcast on CBeebies?
JO: It’s a great platform to launch on. BBC put extensive promotional plans in place in the run up to the broadcast of the first episode; it was heavily trailed on-screen, whilst there were also cross-promotional activities via the website and CBeebies magazine. We couldn’t have asked for a better broadcast partner.
TW: Do you think the Medieval theme will prove popular?
JO: I really think it will. In fact, I’m surprised it’s never been done before. Mike is a Knight in training, and
the themes lend themselves perfectly to key play patterns. Our core target market is boys 3-5, although I certainly think it will be popular with kids in the 2-6 age bracket. And not just boys, we are anticipating significant interest from girls as well; Mike’s sister Evie is a key character, and the magical, mystical, fantasy elements that run through the show will also appeal to girls.
TW: You’ve done incredibly well with the licensing programme already...
JO: The team has done a fantastic job. We have 26 key licensees already on board, most of whom signed up before we’d even been able to share any content with them. I’d like to think that we have a pretty good track record in the Pre-School sector, and I’m sure that has given people the confidence to sign up early. I also think the team really enjoyed working on a property from scratch; it’s been a while since we launched something brand new and it’s encouraging to see how well it has been received by the licensing community.
Licensee Update
Hard Goods: Master Toy Licensee – Character options
Puzzle and Games - Ravensburger Electronic Learning Aids – Inspiration Works Wheeled and Outdoor – MV Sports Arts and Craft – Golden Bear
Soft Goods: Outer wear – Blues
Nightwear/Underwear – Aykroyds/TDP Dress Up and Accessories – VMC Socks – Roy Lowe Footwear – William Lamb Bags – Trademark Collections Bags/Aprons – Shreds
Homewares/Gift/FMCG: Furniture – Worlds Apart
Bedding – Character World
Wall Decor – Fine Decor Melamine – Vogue Cards and Wrap – Gemma Party Paperware – Amscan Posters – Pyramid Posters Sticker Formats – Alligator Headphones – Little Star Creations Cakes – Finsbury Foods
Publishing: Books – Simon and Schuster
Magazines – BBC Magazines Annuals – Egmont Sound Books – Publications International
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