LM March 2019 - ENG by BM srl

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LICENSING | BRANDING | MEDIA&DIGITAL | PUBLISHING TRADE MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW WITH DION VLACHOS OF VNCP TODAY’S HOTTEST BRANDS INFLUENCERS BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA LICENSING IS LIVE!

Editorial

Dear reader Welcome to a very special edition of Licensing Magazine. The annual appointment with the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has become a must for the European licensing industry, particularly for those working with the vast world of content for children and young people. It’s a challenging time, of course. This is a very volatile and social-media based market. The traditional retail sector is in crisis and in search of new solutions to attract the consumer. The traditional dynamics of license buying and selling seem outdated in the face of more demanding consumers. Given these developments it seems essential for BM to put forward, both in its own magazine and at the fair, content that is in step with these latest trends. That’s why, at the Fair, we talk about social media, museums, YouTube, sport licensing – in fact, anything and everything that can effectively capture the attention of today’s licensees and retailers. This magazine aims to have the same approach, with a strong focus on the main innovations proposed by the major licensors and with a view to proposing marketing and communication projects linked to successful properties that move beyond the oldstyle way of doing business. A special focus in these pages is the digital and media world, which will engage LM even more in the near future, given its new role of media partner for the Italian edition of Cartoon Digital, in the fantastic setting of Cagliari. As ever, happy reading!

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PUBLISHER BM Srl EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Daniele Passanante GRAPHIC DESIGN Francesca Wolfler SPECIAL THANKS TO Cristina Angelucci, Nepal Campagna,Simona Abriani, Chiara Pellegrini, Jane Garner, Vaughan O’Grady, English Corner PUBLISHING, ADVERTISING AND ADMINISTRATION BM Srl Via San Francesco D’Assisi, 22 - 10121 Torino Ph. +390118131579 info@bm-eu.com www.bm-eu.com PRINTING Pixartprinting SpA, a Cimpress Company Via 1° Maggio, 8 - 30020 Quarto d’Altino VE, Italy The editorial staff has taken every care to obtain from copyright holders the authorization to publish the pictures in this issue. In any cases where this has not been possible, the editorial staff would like to make it known that they are available to eligible parties to settle any amounts that are owed.

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number 25906

Contents

18 26

Cover story Rainbow

Interview

90 96

Trends

Interview with Dion Vlachos - VNCP

48 30 34 38 42 48 50 52 56 58 64 68 74 76 82 84

86 88

News

News Planeta Junior National Geographic Pokémon Company International Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products Mondo Tv Cool Things CPLG

CTC Media EQSG

Live Events Influencers and Creators

102 106

Publishing

108 113 114 115

Events

116

Trends

National Geographic Publishing Koko Rose Media

#BLTF19: Latest News #BLTF19: Funko Sponsor of Licensing Retail Lounge #BLTF19: Subway Surfers #BLTF19: TrulliTales

Kidz Global

Maurizio Distefano Licensing Victoria Licensing & Marketing

Atlantyca ForFun Media Mondadori Group Ets Licensing Mediatoon Licensing

Hasbro

118 119 120

Digital&Media

124 128

Events

130

Save the date

Popcorn Digital Wildbrain Cartoon Digital

TFNY19: What’s new from USA Children’s Media Conference

What’s next

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©Fujiko Pro

THE PINK PANT

-2019 Metro-Go

ldwyn-Mayer Studi

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For Licensing opportuniies please contact : © 20

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Markeeng@it.cplg.com

Cover story RAINBOW

Rainbow: celebrating success and looking forward to more! MOST YEARS ARE WORTH CELEBRATING FOR RAINBOW GROUP, BUT 2019 IS WORTH DOUBLE. THE GROUP CELEBRATES 15 YEARS OF ITS MILESTONE WINX CLUB BRAND AND PURSUES NEW AMBITIOUS PROJECTS LAUNCHING TWO BRAND NEW TOP QUALITY PROPERTIES.

Amazing 44 Cats The licensing spotlight is very much on 44 Cats at the moment. Rainbow’s very popular pre-school series has been attracting huge interest from the licensing world, with important agreements already signed in a number of different product categories. This fun, exciting mixture of music, entertainment and high-quality animation was actually inspired by a song – a popular children’s song that in 1968 won the tenth edition of the Zecchino d’Oro. 44 Cats was launched on Rai Yoyo in November 2018, and quickly enjoyed record television ratings. The success of the first season means that 44 Cats has been confirmed as the top show on the Italian channel for audience and share in 2019. Rainbow has already started producing the second season, which will again be made up of 52

44 Cats Deluxe Playset, Simba Dickie Group 13-minute episodes. It’s a hit on YouTube as well, with over 30 million views and 80,000 subscribers to the channel in just two months. The success of the licensing strategy

is even more impressive, with many important agreements, mostly multiterritorial, signed even before the series arrived on TV. Toy Plus, the brand’s master toy licensee, has developed a collection of cat-tastic’ toys, composed of figurines, playsets, vehicles and stuffed toys. The collection was shown for the first time in October 2018 at the Hong Kong Toy Fair; it will be available worldwide from spring 2019.

Plush 13cm, Simba Dickie GroupGroup

Collectible Characters, Simba Dickie Group

Cover story practicality and safety, the range consists of Baby Bottle water, lemon or peach decaffeinated iced-tea and a new organic range, consisting of Baby Camomile – Strawberry or Tangerine – and Baby Juicy – Pear, Peach or Apple. All products will be available from April 2019. Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball will, of course, appear on the packs, and the line is supported by two TV spots, in May and September, as well as a digital campaign and POP material.

Dance Playmat, Chicco Simba Dickie Group, a global player in the toy category, is the exclusive distributor for Europe and the Middle East, and has ensured that, starting from May 2019, all the best toy stores in Italy will have on their shelves the 44 Cats collection – a collection that incorporates the values, key themes and music of the series. In fact, while they’re having fun with Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball, children can look forward to many other launches. Starting from Christmas 2019, the toy line will expand, with new features and characters, along with musical lines and role play items. This continuing rollout will be supported throughout the second part of the year by significant advertising investment from the Simba Dickie Group. But the impressive partnerships don’t

Illustrated Book “Lampo, un grande amico” , Fabbri Editori

stop there. Gruppo Artsana, a leader in the baby care category, will develop a wide range of early childhood educational games and a nursing line for babies under the Chicco brand, a name associated with excellence in the Italian market for over 60 years. The agreement also includes 44 Cats clothing and accessories collections for Prenatal, Bimbo store and Chicco. The new 44 Cats line will be on shelves from August 2019. Again, it will be supported by a comprehensive marketing campaign organized jointly by Rainbow and Gruppo Artsana. And let’s not forget the brand’s very highprofile publishing partner, Mondadori Group. The first six books published by Fabbri Editori will be on sale from 19 March. Little fans of 44 Cats will love Missione Casa and Un gatto sulla luna, two beautiful and engaging illustrated stories. They will also love Lampo, un grande amico and Milady, gattina coraggiosa, the first two hardcover books dedicated to the feline stars. In addition, giving them a chance to interact and even sing with their heroes, kids can expect a special game book with stickers Tutti i gattini della città and a sound book Il concerto dei Buffycats. The book launch will be supported by a big marketing campaign. SAN BENEDETTO One of the leading Italian food groups on the market, San Benedetto has chosen 44 Cats for the San Benedetto Baby line of products. Emphasising quality,

San Benedetto Baby Bottle CLEMENTONI In the world of educational games, Rainbow’s long and productive partnership with Clementoni now includes44 Cats. This year will see the arrival of a wide new range of toys for fun and learning. They include puzzles, interactive games, Sapientino, Interactive Boards and Memo. The first products will be on shelves as early as March 2019.

Cover story RAINBOW GRUPPO COLUSSI Of course, we couldn’t leave out the Granny Pina’s Noodles, a recipe with all the guaranteed quality associated with Agnesi, a Colussi Group brand and the oldest pasta factory in Italy. The Agnesi Granny Pina’s Noodles are made special by the addition of a pinch of Italian tomato. This gives the noodles an original

Granny Pina’s Noodles, Agnesi

44 Cats Biscuits, Colussi

but completely natural colour, without affecting its taste. This unique product for the whole family, which brightens up the table and entertains the kids, will be available on shelves from April 2019. Meanwhile the established partnership between Rainbow and Colussi is to be further enhanced by a “Sweet & Snacks” offer. From April, little ones can enjoy 44 Cats biscuits and donuts with their breakfasts and breaks... healthy and tasty! RAVENSBURGER A European leader in the production of puzzles, Ravensburger brings together tradition and quality in puzzles that provide unbeatable enjoyment – and, from March, this will include a range of 44 Cats puzzles and memory games.

Sapientino basic, Clementoni

Cover story TRIDIMENSIONAL Tridimensional launched the first monthly 44 Cats Magazine in March. The monthly magazine contains a surprise: the first characters in a 3D collection (Lampo or Pilou) in a special set with a swing. The other characters from the TV series will be available at newsstands in unmissable orange bins. The magazine will be on newsstands every month, offering a new surprise with every issue. Designed to be enjoyed by young readers on their own or with their parents, it will contain games, activities, stories and educational content. But the Tridimensional surprises do not Puzzle, Ravensburger LISCIANI The Lisciani line of products is another highly anticipated release for the spring: two electronic products with original music from the series; puzzles in an unusual box pack; two board games; snakes and ladders; giant cards; and School of Drawing, a colouring game. This is a rich range of new products, referencing both innovation and tradition, ranging from electronic and musical games, to social games and creative activities – all ideal for the pre-school target market and in perfect sync with the contents of the show.

Sony Music, which is also scheduling a spring launch for a collection of all 21 songs in the series.

Magazine, Tridimensional

SONY Since January, the “44 Cats TV Series Volume 1” has been available in all digital stores and on all streaming platforms. This collection of songs from the first twentysix episodes of 44 Cats, is published by

44 Cats Volume 1, Eagle Pictures

Baby Touch Phone, Lisciani

EAGLE PICTURES And speaking of leaders in the entertainment industry, Eagle Pictures is another prestigious partner for the series, with an agreement for the home video distribution of the “cat-tastic” series. From 3 April, the first DVD will be available, containing volume 1 of the animated series. The second volume will be released on 17 April. Both editions will contain an unmissable collectible card, dedicated to our 44 friends-cats.

stop there. Rainbow will be supporting many other periodical products for its young fans, from colouring books to game books with stickers, sticker albums and collectible products. It is easy to understand why 44 Cats is so popular in the licensing world: the series is a great inspiration to licensees and its success is still growing – and of course partners can count on the experience of

Cover story RAINBOW Rainbow, which since 1995 has produced many properties embraced by viewers and consumers around the world. 44 Cats is a Rainbow production, in collaboration with Antoniano Bologna and Rai Ragazzi, and it represents the group’s first foray into the preschool sector. It is also the first Rainbow project jointly developed in the three production sites of the Group –Loreto, CGI Rome and Bardel in Canada – with high-level animation and an original soundtrack of songs and melodies that are the perfect accompaniment for youngsters who love dancing and singing. Of course, for 44 Cats, a title that references the popular Italian children’s song of 1968, music is a fundamental part of the show. The strong impact of the series also comes from its emphasis on edutainment and positive values, such as the importance of helping others. This component is an added value for the brand that allows it to stand out, offering children themes such as friendship and altruism that they instinctively relate to. The everyday adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball, four adorable kittens that are part of a musical band called Buffycats, are a compelling mix of comedy, music and action, with the four friends always ready to help others and creatively solve everyday problems. The four feline musicians, who live and play in the garage of the friendly Granny Pina, an adorable old woman who takes care of them, observe the world of humans from their own unique point of view.

Their childlike, comic and honest outlook inspires some wonderful adventures that always incorporate a strong music element. The response in the international television community has been incredibly positive; many of the world’s broadcasters have already acquired the rights to broadcast 44 Cats. Among the first-level partnerships that Rainbow has signed are Nickelodeon (multi-territorial), which has already launched the show in several countries around the world; Discovery Kids, which will broadcast 44 Cats in Latin America starting from March, Super RTL from April in Germany; Carousel from September in Russia; and France4 in France. And finally, there’s even more to look forward to: Rainbow’s new Events Department is working on a44 Cats show. The show’s many young fans will

Kiosk Collection, Tridimensional

be delighted to hear that the popular 44 Cats characters are on their way to many cities – along, of course, with some great live music.

Winx Club: 15 years of success and a new series coming soon Celebrations are already under way for the fifteenth birthday of Winx, the made-inItaly classic that’s a favourite of little girls everywhere. New licensing agreements and the animated show’s eighth season underline the success of a solid brand, still enjoying steady growth after many years and with a presence in over 100 countries worldwide.

Cover story inspired by the eighth season will arrive: a new series of illustrated first readers, perfect for the very young. The first two titles will be ‘Happy Birthday, Winx Club!’ and ‘A magical journey through the stars’. COLUSSI To celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of Winx, Colussi, a trusted, long-term partner, will be bringing to retail chocolate chip cookies in the shape of the magical fairies and other characters from the series. Delicious – and perfect for a true fairy breakfast – these are 100% Italian biscuits, quality guaranteed, with fun shapes and attractive packaging that includes a cut-out character on the back. The new episodes of the eighth season of Winx Club, coming to Rai Yoyo from April, are, of course, eagerly awaited.

“Guide to Winx World”, Mondadori MONDADORI Mondadori’s celebratory ‘Guide to Winx World’, in bookstores from July, is a guide book to the Winx world with lots of curiosities, tips and information about the

series. It’s perfect for readers of all ages – not just the young, but nostalgic older fans who will see this special book as a must-have. In September, a series of new stories Winx Biscuits, Colussi The fairies – the favourites of young girls everywhere – will appear with a new look that’s more refined and stylish than ever. The new season promises to amaze fans with a new, stellar theme. The Winx will be the heroines of a series of cosmic adventures in the Magic Universe to save the stars from going out! The six fairy divas will lead the audience on an extraordinary journey during which they will meet new special friends and old enemies, and surprise the fans with an unpredictable series of twists. Some of the team’s most popular transformations – including Enchantix, Syrenix and Butterflix – will be combined with a wonderful new transformation that will make Winx once again the most glamorous heroines on TV.

“A magical journey through the stars”, Mondadori

Cover story RAINBOW

Winx Birthday Cake, a project in partnership with AMPI (Accademia Maestri Pasticceri Italiani)

Created by Iginio Straffi in 2004, the magical heroines are now celebrating 15 years since the show’s launch, and Rainbow has planned a rich calendar of surprises and initiatives to celebrate the brand in a truly magical way, with something to appeal to all the generations of fans that have followed the fairies over the years. After the official opening of the celebrations during the 52nd edition of the Lucca Comics & Games convention, last January Rainbow inaugurated “15 YEARS OF MAGIX”, an exclusive travelling exhibition in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi. It set up inside the WOW Comics Museum in Milan, from where it will go on to visit various European cities.

This is an interactive exhibition, designed for children and adults, that immerses the visitor in the magic of the legendary fairy team, retracing the artistic origins of the Winx fairies and showing their evolution into a global brand. Among various special initiatives there’s been Winx Celebration Day, which took place on 28 January, with marathon showings of episodes and exclusive content broadcast by Rai Gulp and Rai Yoyo. There was also a competition – Winx Lifestyle – a collaboration between Rainbow and the Milan Polytechnic that involved design students in the creation of a concept inspired by the magical world of Winx. Thesix best exhibits will be on display at the Fuori Salone during the Milan Design Week. Finally, in collaboration with AMPI – The Italian Master Confectioners Academy – Rainbow has invited fans from all over the world to take part in a contest to create a Winx Birthday Cake. Winners of this competition to make the perfect Winxthemed cake will have the opportunity to attend a pastry-making masterclass and to participate in the magical Winx birthday party in September 2019. And the exciting news doesn’t end there! The Rainbow Group has announced a prestigious new partnership with Netflix for the live-action adaptation of Winx Club in a Young Adult TV series. To celebrate this exceptional birthday dedicated to the world’s best-loved fairies, Rainbow’s Live Entertainment division is also working on a new show for the fans and their families – a show full of special effects and cutting-edge technologies that will take its audience into a truly magical dimension alongside Bloom, Flora, Stella, Aisha, Musa and Tecna.

Club 57: the show within a show Another exciting new initiative for 2019 is the upcoming TV launch of Club 57, the amazing new co-production from Rainbow and Nickelodeon. This is a liveaction series set in a perfect recreation of the fifties that promises to enchant its young audience with an irresistible love story between the past and the present. Skilfully combining the ever-popular ingredients of music, dance, love and adventure, this is a show that is sure to succeed. Music is, naturally, one of the main elements of the show. Within the series there are in fact 16 songs, accompanied by spectacular choreography and captivating music videos. The new TV series, which will hit screens all over the world this year and is already attracting the attention of the licensing market, was created by Nickelodeon Latin America along with Rainbow, and shot between Miami and Puglia. An exciting plot full of twists that unfold over 60 45-minute episodes introduces us to Eva, played by the well-known singer and actress Evaluna Montaner. Eva, along with her brother Ruben, is hurled into the past – 1957 to be precise – where she will have an incredible series of adventures with her friends and JJ–played by the Italian actor Riccardo Frascari–the boy she will fall in love with. Eva is a brilliant girl, passionate about science and technology. She knows how to sing and dance and is determined to fight to follow her dreams.

Cover story JJ has great charm. He is affectionate, and fun and, with the help of Eva, he too will follow his dreams. There’s romance and science fiction in a plot in which there will be unexpected events and jumps through time, but the one constant is the exclusive Club 57, the music and dance television show that is the backdrop to the characters’ dreams and passions. Science, music, love, family and friendship are just some of the themes of a series that brings together an exceptional cast and international fashion appeal, with inspirational songs composed by the famous singer and songwriter Ricardo Montaner. Club 57 will launch in Italy in April on Rai Gulp. It will then move into international markets. Many style guides have been developed for the show, inspired by a series that references both the colourful and energetic Fifties and the present day.

A picture from the set Club 57, in Puglia These will contribute to the development of a number of unique products. In fact, an important licensing agreement has already been concluded with Italy’s Pon Pon Edizioni, of the Giunti publishing

group, built around an editorial plan that will cover the next two years. The launch of the first books is expected in spring, with the release of Eva’s diary, the journal of the heroine of the TV series, the Fashion Book, with stickers, stencils, and patterns that allow readers to play with the style of the 50s, The Sticker & Poster Play book, with lots of creative activities and a free poster, and the Test & Play book with lots of tests and 16 detachable postcards. New titles are scheduled for the second half of the year, in the run-up to the Christmas season. Pon Pon will support the brand with a wide marketing and visibility campaign across a large number of stores.

Eva’s Diary, Pon Pon

Mondadori and PonPon covers are in progress and not definitive

Interview VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS

INTERVIEW WITH DION VLACHOS Dion Vlachos is Executive Vice President of U.S. Retail Sales and Global Publishing for VIACOM Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP). At the occasion of his attendance at Bologna Licenisng Trade Fair and Bologna Children’s Book Fair, HE TOLD LM ABOUT VNCP’S PLANS AND TRENDS THAT WILL IMPACT THE FUTURE Of LICENSING AND RETAIL. Another big Nickelodeon priority is Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Rise is a complete re-imagining of the Turtles for a new generation of kids. Reinvention is in the DNA of the franchise - celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year – and with

Dion Vlachos Which is the main focus of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products along the next season? Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) has a diverse portfolio of brands and properties, including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Pictures, and our focus is to develop innovative products for ‘Every age, Every aisle, Everywhere around the world’. We continue to dominate in pre-school with PAW Patrol, the #1 pre-school toy property. Kids around the world love PAW Patrol, and alongside our partner Spin Master, we continue to invest in this franchise by constantly expanding the PAW Patrol universe with new story themes, characters and brand extensions across multiple platforms, retail aisles and live experiences. In addition to PAW Patrol, we are establishing new pre-school

properties like Top Wing and Butterbean’s Café and reigniting the iconic Nickelodeon franchise, Blue’s Clues.

Interview offer us the ability to create fashion and lifestyle ranges for superfans. The MTV brand has already served as inspiration for designers, including Marc Jacobs, Jeremy Scott and Fyodor Golan, as well as high-street brands such as Forever 21, American Eagle and ASOS. The addition of Paramount Pictures gives us access to iconic IP, including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Clueless and The Godfather, as well as upcoming theatrical releases such as The SpongeBob Movie: It’s a Wonderful Sponge and Top Gun: Maverick. Which will be the main properties you are planning to develop further? JoJo Siwa is one that we would love to develop further around the world. We have already experienced success with JoJo in English-speaking markets and Mexico, but we feel there are opportunities to create excitement for JoJo product across Europe, Asia and Latin-America. JoJo was our first-ever influencer consumer products program, and what makes JoJo so special is we were able to build excitement amongst licensees and retailers without TV support. JoJo’s success was built from her incredible social media fanbase – the Siwanatorz – and we were able to amplify her popularity by incorporating her into the

Rise, we laid the groundwork to fuel the Turtles for years to come. Nickelodeon’s biggest franchise, SpongeBob SquarePants, is celebrating his 20th Anniversary in 2019. Since July 1999, SpongeBob has reigned as the number-one kids’ animated series on TV for the last 17 years, generating

a universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases and memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and a global fan base. SpongeBob’s 20th Anniversary will be a year-long celebration that kicks off in July with the premiere of “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout,” an original mixed live-action and animated special, and culminates with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies theatrical, The SpongeBob Movie: It’s a Wonderful Sponge, coming summer 2020. In addition to our strength in kids, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Pictures 27

Interview VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS Nickelodeon ecosystem. Today, JoJo Siwa is as a top live-action licensed property, her YouTube channel has amassed more than 1.9B views, +78% versus last year, and her social media footprint has grown to more than 34 million fans. We also see a lot of opportunities with the MTV brand. MTV represents music and youth culture around the world, and the MTV logo translates so well to fashion and lifestyle programs. We have a creative team dedicated to staying on top of the latest trends and incorporating

retro themes and nostalgia will be a big opportunity for MTV. How publishing is strategic in the CP development of VIACOM’s properties? Publishing is a key part to our CP business. It is a great category and format for kids to experience their favorite characters, and parents embrace books as a way for their children to continue to build critical reading skills. We also see publishing as a way to tell different stories that can live alongside linear and digital content of our key properties. For some properties like Avatar, we

extended the life of the property with publishing after the linear series. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a good example where storylines developed in comics were translated to movies. Additionally, a creative style developed for publishing can translate to other product categories. For example, the unique stylized art developed for some of our best Story Books have made their way to other products. Why is research and insights important to Nickelodeon? Research and Insights guide everything 28

we do. Viacom is an industry-leader in understanding its audiences through research and using insights to inform its ecosystem of brands. These insights serve as the backbone to the content we create, products we develop for retail and marketing campaigns we execute. Our partnership with JoJo Siwa is a great example. Through our research, we identified that influencers were an increasingly important part of kids’ lives. Influencers serve as role models, and kids aspire to be a social media star. In fact, influencers ranked fourth behind mom, dad and grandparent as the person kids looked up to the most, surpassing teacher, brother and sister. With these insights in mind, we decided to find and partner with a social media influencer in an effort to build a licensed product brand at retail. This was a first for Nickelodeon – and the industry at-large – but we were confident in our strategy based on what our insights told us. Today, in addition to our success with JoJo, influencers like Ryan’s Toys proved our research to be correct.

What other kids and family insights have you discovered? One of the biggest trends we are seeing is in family dynamics. Kids are wielding more and more influence in the family. Today, parents see their children as

Interview their best friend more so than any other generation. Not only do parents have this close friendship with their children, but parents also believe kids should have a say in family decisions – and kids believe this as well. Kids today have so much access to information, and this has given them more confidence in themselves than past generations. They have a point of view and expect their voice to carry weight in the family. A recent Nickelodeon study found that more than half of kids knew when their parents were paid and were aware of the household budget. Additionally, nearly half of kids said they were very or extremely smart about money. Alongside this, parents seek kids’ approval in areas where you wouldn’t think kids have an opinion, including holidays, how to spend free time, what to eat, etc. All this adds up to kids being very influential to how and when parents make purchase decisions. What does this mean for retail? Within retail, we have seen a trend where retailers want to create entertainment experiences in order to drive footfall. Retailers see this as a key differentiator to online shopping, but it also speaks to how kids influence where families spend time together. Retail-tainment will become more important as retailers tighten their portfolio of stores, renovate existing stores to accommodate experiences and start measuring success in how those experiences drive engagement. Retailers are asking us to create mini-

theme park experiences in-store by using our characters to create unforgettable moments, and we believe in this strategy. At VNCP, we consider retail an essential extension of the amazing stories we tell on screens. We already execute more than 70 mall events across Asia-Pacific annually, and we are bringing these kinds of experiences to the rest of the world. How will technology influence retail? For today’s consumer, it is all about convenience. The future of retail will see technology used to make the shopping as frictionless as possible, strengthen customer relationships, leverage data to personalize and improve the customer experience. At the recent Shoptalk conference in Las Vegas, there were many discussions about how technology will allow stores to be able to immediately know customers’ identities and personal

preferences through data collection. Global consulting firm, Accenture, and the Retail Industry Leaders Association released data that indicated more consumers than ever want retailers to personalize their shopping experiences. Sixty-three percent of consumers surveyed indicated that they were interested in personalized recommendations, while 64% revealed they were willing to share personal data in exchange for benefits like loyalty points and automatic credits for coupons. Amazon is currently the best in the business when it comes to delivering a personalized shopping experience. Amazon’s vision of the future sees making purchasing as frictionless as possible through one-click shopping and its efforts to make voice a common shopping interface. Simply put, shoppers expect convenience whether it be online or in-store, and they expect a consistent experience between the two as well. Click-andcollect, seamless return process and mobile payments are things all retailers are looking to solve in order to create an omnichannel experience. Additionally, new technologies from Augmented Reality to Virtual Reality to The Internet of Things will impact the retail experience of the future. How is Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products preparing for this future? One of the ways we are preparing for the future is through our investment in technology to enhance storytelling. We are investing in what we believe will be the future of storytelling through the work of our new technology division called the Nick Entertainment Lab. We recently announced that the Lab is developing a TV series utilizing augmented and virtual reality in both its production and storytelling. We are also sharing our knowledge of these technologies with retail partners. Imagine the possibilities that can come from applying this kind of content innovation and imagination to the retail experience. Pairing beloved IP with new technologies like VR and AR in a retail setting has the potential to change the way the consumer discovers and shops, and we believe it will further enhance retailers’ ability to create the type of buzzy entertainment moments consumers want and expect.

News PLANETA JUNIOR

FROM GORMITI TO MIRACULOUS, IT’S A BUSY SEASON FOR PLANETA The Planeta Junior portfolio is richer than ever. To find out more about the big news for the coming season, LM talked to Simone Fenu, Italy Country Manager of the Group. share – continues to grow. Find me in Paris is a new live-action title for which we manage the merchandising rights. The broadcast on Disney Channel has already begun, with incredible audience results. In autumn it will broadcast on Rai Gulp. We have already closed the first licensing agreements, which we plan to announce soon. Another great new title is Baby Heidi, the repositioning of one of the classic brands

What initiatives kicked off 2019 for you? One of the big pieces of news for 2019 was the re-launch of Pucca, for which we are Master Agent for the whole EMEA territory. A digital campaign started on 14 February, with a huge marketing investment and the involvement of five Italian influencers and others in Spain, France and the UK. We have so far reached over two million users, thanks to a campaign made up of “stories” and “posts”. This brand, which conveys the concept of “Funny Love”, will quickly find its place on the market among teens, tweens and – especially– among the 18-25-year-oldgroup. We will very soon announce the first agreements for this brand. Our flagship movie for 2019 will be Playmobil The Movie. We have great expectations for the first film version of this brand, whose popularity –and market 30

Simone Fenu from our portfolio for the infant and newborn segment, supported by YouTube content. What are the leading properties of the Planeta portfolio in Italy? Among the many new initiatives for 2019, the year opened with the unstoppable success of Gormiti and Ladybug, which are, respectively, the leading male and female properties for school-children. In

News

Italy alone over 40 companies have come on board with these two brands. We are also very happy with Maya, which has collected many licensees, supported by a new TV season that has enjoyed excellent ratings. In October last year, the property was further strengthened by the arrival of a film for the big screen. What are the most important partnerships you are developing right now? We have very close and lasting relationships with our main Italian partners. Among these, I would highlight

our relationships with Ferrero and Panini, with whom we carry out strategic, globally focused partnerships on the development

of the Ladybug brand. Internationally, Gormiti is our next major launch with Panini. I would also like to emphasize the excellent partnership with Clementoni for Miraculous and Ravensburger for Gormiti and the incredible work we are doing with Suncity, Sabor and Sicem on different properties in the apparel market. Speaking of apparel retailers, we constantly collaborate with Chicco, Oviesse and Guess. Key partners in the food category are Wal-Cor and Bauli, which work on several of our brands. In publishing, there has been excellent work with Mondadori for Gormiti and Find me in Paris, with De Agostini for Ladybug and with Gribaudo 31

News PLANETA JUNIOR Feltrinelli for Maya. Last but not least, there’s the collaboration with Giochi Preziosi, with which we have co-produced the extraordinary new series of Gormiti. Ahead of the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, what will Planeta Junior mainly aim at? The new arrivals on which we will focus will be Pucca, Playmobil the movie and Find me in Paris. Besides this, we will be announcing some very important news about Gormiti and Ladybug.

In your opinion, what is the state of the licensing market in Italy today? The licensing market in Italy is very varied. In the preschool segment, where so many titles are fighting it out, there is a lot of switching between very rapid changes in a number of brands and well-thoughtoutcomebacks. The number of available television channels and digital platforms has further increased the competition. The multi-channels asset and constant contact with children have become the basic rules of the current market. Not all

AN INTERNATIONAL OVERVIEW To learn more about the international development of one of the most prestigious European licensing agency, LM interviewed with Diego Ibánez Belaustegui, International Commercial Director at Planeta Junior.

brands are able to get there, and a good television result doesn’t necessarily turn into a successful licensing one. Today there are multiple factors that govern success. The aim is to try to manage as many of such factors as possible. It is nevertheless crucial, in my opinion, to offer a valid, well-written and well-made television product. Having the privilege of being both producer and co-producer, Planeta Junior is able to see how a product is built and to work to improve it every day.

We have started with a huge marketing campaign with social media, TOP European influencers and disruptive publicity activities. Miraculous Ladybug and the rest of the upcoming ZAG properties are always a priority for us in Spain, followed by Gormiti, Playmobil (with the release of the film this summer) and, of course, the evergreen series like Maya the Bee and Heidi among others. Beyond Spain, which are the other major territories for PJ? Besides Spain, Italy and CEE are our main markets in Europe. France is growing very fast and we are expecting a great expansion for the next 3 years. Greece and Turkey are our strategic markets where we have a strong presence.

Diego Ibánez Belaustegui In which territories Planeta Junior is present with their own offices and which are your key assets? Planeta Junior is in Spain and Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Poland and Hungary with local offices in every territory. We have join forces as well in Germany, Benelux and North Europe with S100/M4E. We are part of Grupo Planeta and De Agostini Group, so our DNA in publishing makes us strong storytellers. We create new IP and coproduce most of the next big animation hits worldwide. We focus on production, distribution and the rights

derived from these series with a longterm strategy approach. In particular in Spain, which are the main IPs managed by the Group? Our focus is to be a global operator. Spain is undoubtedly one of our critical markets, but we share IP representation with Italy or CEE, as an example, and increasingly France. We think in Europe much more than in individual countries. Specifically in Spain our next big thing on the licensing business is the re-launching of Pucca brand, aimed at millennials and young adults from 18 to 25 years old. 32

Which are the main novelties you plan to announce within next few months? We cannot speak much yet of our next productions but we are announcing in a few months two projects that we are developing internally. We are very excited and working hard to start production. How do you evaluate the Licensing business and its further development in Spain? It has been a transition year for the licensing business in Spain. The market has followed the European trends, with girl properties and collectibles being the most successful ones. We believe this is going to continue in 2019, with fresh news from Miraculous and some interesting entries to the boy’s action arena.

News NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

LICENSING PROGRAMME NEWS Many new projects for the Italian market, on both the publishing and consumer product sides of the business, are part of an increasingly rich National Geographic licensing programme, with quality partnerships on the way for both National Geographic and National Geographic Kids.

Barbie National Geographic MATTEL AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GET TOGETHER FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE BARBIE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC COLLECTION The Barbie National Geographic collection will arrive in Italy next autumn, as a result of the licensing agreement between Mattel and National Geographic Partners for the creation of a line of products and content focused on the themes of exploration, science, environmental protection and research. The Barbie and National Geographic product line includes dolls dedicated to careers and playsets that highlight professions in which women are often under-represented: the environmentalist, the astrophysicist, the polar marine biologist, the nature photographer and the entomologist. All dolls and playsets come complete with accessories authenticated by a women’s advisory board comprising National Geographic Explorers and National Geographic magazine’s editor Susan Goldberg. THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ELEMENT CAPSULE COLLECTION, INSPIRED BY THE ANIMAL WORLD

AND THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE UNIVERSE Element has partnered with National Geographic to create a capsule collection of apparel and accessories aiming to help people better understand the world and push the boundaries of their knowledge. In keeping with this commitment, a portion of the revenue generated will support the National Geographic Society’s work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. The collection takes its inspiration from the animal realm and the physical universe. The first delivery in autumn 2019 celebrates the animal realm embodied by Element’s pro-rider spirit animal representation. The second delivery, later in 2019, symbolizes the four natural substances that compose the physical universe: wind, water, fire and earth. The result is a curated collection of apparel and accessories that bonds a unique selection from National Geographic’s impressive library of photographic imagery with Element’s timeless skateboarding photography. The garments are made from sustainablefriendly materials, such as organic cotton, 34

recycled polyester, and recycled cotton, matching Element’s Conscious by Nature commitment. HERMET LAUNCHES THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO ARK BED LINEN COLLECTION Inspired by Photo Ark (a project to protect biodiversity, created by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore), the home textile and bed linen collection by Hermet –an Italian leader in the home textiles category – will be on sale in September 2019.

Bed Linen Photo Ark

News NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AT SCHOOL WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS! National Geographic Kids backpacks, cases, notebooks and diaries for school will be available starting next July, thanks to a partnership with CR Group. The products will not only carry amazing images of animals from all over the world, but will supply many fun facts, curiosities and fascinating pieces of information about animals and the natural habitat where they are born and live, to satisfy the enquiring minds of the many young National Geographic Kids explorers.

Partwork National Geographic Kids “Le Meraviglie Della Scienza” the mystery of the origin of life, and the extraordinary discoveries made by dinosaur “hunters”. Here they can read about the revolutionary discoveries in science, chemistry and physics that have built our everyday reality, along with the modern technological innovations that are changing our world.

Back To School - CR Group “THE WONDERS OF SCIENCE”, AT THE NEWSSTAND THANKS TO CENTAURIA Centauria’s new series, designed to encourage young readers to read and understand science, comes with quality content guaranteed by National Geographic. The result is an extraordinary adventure in the world of science, surprising and immersive for page after page, thanks to the power of spectacular colour photographs, 3D reconstructions and exclusive contents designed specifically for young readers. In each issue, a monograph volume takes a stimulating and spectacular approach to a scientific topic of great relevance, or one that represents a major achievement in human history. Readers can find out more about the distant depths of the cosmos and the unexplored abysses of the oceans, the wonders of nature and the functioning of the human body,

TOPPS LAUNCHES THE NEW NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS “ANIMAL MANIA” STICKER COLLECTION National Geographic and Topps have launched ANIMAL MANIA, the new collection for children and kids inspired by the themes of the National Geographic Wild channel and National Geographic Kids magazine. The collection – launched to a number of EMEA and LATAM markets, and composed of over 200

Back To School - CR Group 36

highly collectible stickers – includes special sheets and shaped stickers, and will arrive in March on all Italian newsstands. Inside the album, in addition to information and insights on numerous animals, there will be suggestions on how to help the environment, along with fun facts and trivia. As is the case for many National Geographic licensing programme products, the packaging of this collection uses eco-compatible materials – biodegradable plastics for the United Kingdom and oxo-biodegradable plastics for other international markets, two solutions deployed by Topps specifically for the National Geographic collection. As with all Topps collections, the stickers were produced with material approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The target market for the collection is children aged six and above and their parents. WHITE STAR BRINGS THE NEW VOLUME OF THE SAGA ‘EXPLORER ACADEMY’ TO BOOKSHOPS IN APRIL Explorer Academy is an interactive and cross-media saga, composed of seven titles and targeted at young people between 8 and 12 years old. Within the text, young readers can find secret symbols, codes and clues, which are scattered throughout each book. The first volume, Il Segreto Di Nebula (The Nebula Secret), was released on 28 August 2018. The second book, La Piuma Del Falco (The Falcon’s Feather),is scheduled for April 2019 and will be published in Italy by the publisher White Star.

News POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL

Pokémon set for another epic year on the back of hotly anticipated new movie, POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, released in May Global phenomenon Pokémon looks set for another epic year in 2019 to build on its huge popularity worldwide, with a live action movie, the recently announced videogames – Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield alongside new licensed product releases and yet more exciting partnerships and collaborations. The hotly anticipated new movie, POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, begins rolling out in cinemas from May. The first-ever Pokémon live action movie, the star-studded film, from Legendary Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros, stars Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Rita Ora, Ken Watanabe, Suki Waterhouse, Bill Nighy, Chris Geere and Kathryn Newton and has already generated mountains of interest. And with the movie boosting excitement across the retail landscape, tie-in products from a range of Pokémon licensees will be available.

Pokémon by GCDS the range was extremely well received and the Pokémon capsule collection is now availablein GCDS stores and on their website, plus in high-end department stores and selected boutiques worldwide. Other recent innovative fashion collaborations include Geox, Jeremy Scott and Maison Labiche.

Pokémon by GCDS Last autumn the Milan Fashion Week saw luxury Italian streetwear brand GCDS collaborate with Pokémon on an adult capsule range of exciting urban apparel and accessories for both men and women in their S/S 2019 collection. Featuring the iconic characters of Pikachu and Jigglypuff

Pokémon by GCDS 38

Last year, Italian footwear and apparel company Geox launched a colourful children’s Pokémon shoe range – its first-ever kids entertainment character collection. Following the success of the A/W 2018 sneaker collection featuring fan-favourite Pokémon characters, a new S/S 2019 collection launched throughout Europe in Geox stores and stores selling Geox products this January.

News POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL Leading contemporary designer Jeremy Scott, known for his flamboyant, irreverent and fun creativity and his collaborations with a host of popular celebrities, launched an adult capsule range within his Spring 2019 Future Shock collection at NY Fashion Week, plus a complementary S/S boys’ and girls’ collection launched last January featuring the same Pikachu pattern as his adult range and a new Pikachu design for a unisex hoodie. The apparel is available from specialist boutiques, high-end department stores and Scott’s website. Following the success of its first kids and adult range, leading Parisian fashion house Maison Labiche is ready to launch a new capsule collection, available in selected high-end department stores in Europe and worldwide online at maisonlabiche.com later this year. Its first exclusive collection of French classics such as marinieres (sailor shirts) along with t-shirts and baseball caps, used Maison Labiche’s signature delicate embroidery to pay homage to the most emblematic characters which began the Pokémon phenomenon: Pikachu, Bulbasur, Charmander and Squirtle, and has proved extremely popular. Pokémon continues to build prestigious direct to retail partnerships. It is now in its fourth successful year of partnership

Ravensburger

Maison Labiche with leading fashion retailer Zara Kids, who recently launched a new Pokémon S/S2019 collection of apparel and accessories featuring the unmistakeable Pokémon characters, all available worldwide from Zara Kids stores and website. Pokémon also expanded its successful collaboration with one of the leading global fashion retailers, H&M, following the success of its S/S launch earlier in 2018. The initial offering of two exclusive kids’ t-shirts and a cap proved so popular that a further global deal was agreed to expand the Pokémon range across kids’ apparel, accessories and footwear from AW18. And several new t-shirt designs will have a direct to retail launch to coincide with the release of POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, in May.

Difuzed (formerly Bioworld Europe) are also launching a movie-inspired collection for adults, including a must-have POKÉMON Detective Pikachu hat that will be available as an exclusive in GameStop, the world’s largest video games retailer. Giochi Preziosi was recently appointed distributor of Wicked Cool Toys (WCT) Pokémon toy range in Italy. Other exciting activity in the Italian market this year includes a 1000-piece puzzle that celebrates the original iconic Pokémon characters of the Kanto region. GB Eye, which produces cool Pokémon mugs, coasters and posters, is launching new movie tie-in products with Detective Pikachu designs which will be available in stores such as GameStop. There is also a tasty range of Easter eggs from Witor’s, and stylish storage and lunchware products from Stor.

An exciting new partnership has been forged with Inditex chain Bershka, one of the favourite fashion destinations for Millennials. The Pokémon collections for both men and women will be available in store and online from May 2019.

Pokémon by Jeremy Scott

Pokémon is also increasingly active in Licensed Apparel. Sicem, the Italian licensee for Pokémon kids and adult apparel and accessories, has just launched its new S/S 2019 collections inspired by the eagerly awaited new movie POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu. The kids’ products are available in OVS stores, one of Italy’s leading fashion retailers. 40

Witor’s

News VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS

2019: A MAJOR YEAR FOR HOT NEW PROPERTIES AND ESTABLISHED CLASSICS Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products (VNCP) is looking forward to an important year, full of potential for its impressive portfolio of hot new properties and established classics. Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products’ (VNCP) 2019 business strategy has been developed around its leading properties. The aim is to reinforce a position established over the years thanks to strategic planning around franchises and building on the synergy among company areas for resource optimization and result maximization. The story of 2019’s key brands starts with the pre-school target audience. In March, the fifth season of PAW PATROL arrived on Nick Jr. (Sky channel 603) with the new Ultimate Rescue theme. The series also rolled out on FTA. The big Paw Patrol news, however, is the 2019 special MIGHTY PUPS, in which the most popular puppies in the world acquire superpowers and become superheroes! This is a title for which Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products has high hopes, developing it not only as a television series but also in

a film format already seen in a number of European countries. It will also arrive in Italy alongside product developed by Spin Master, which presented its new line at the recent Nuremberg Toy Fair. Continuing with the pre-school target market, let’s not forget the action series TOP WING, that follows the adventures of the young cadets’ team from the Top Wing Academy. After a highly successful launch on Nick Jr (Sky channel 603) in May 2018, 2019 will see the rollout of the second season on Nick Jr, in August (TBC), and, importantly, the launch of the first season on CARTOONITO from 26 March. Following this, in the backto-school period, Hasbro will launch the toy collection that was presented in Nuremberg: action figures, vehicles, plush animals, playsets and, eventually, crosscategory development. For a slightly older age group, the stars of 2019 will be the ever-popular Ninja Turtles, with the latest reboot RISE OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, which launched in October 2018 on Nickelodeon (Sky channel 605).

News VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS After the launch of new episodes in January and June 2019, fans are getting ready for the grand finale of the first series in August (TBC), and for the launch of the second season on Nickelodeon in autumn/winter 2019. Giochi Preziosi, a long-standing partner of VNCP, is ready for the imminent distribution of the toy line, created by PlayMates, which is expected to replicate the success of the historic series!

For an ever wider target audience there’s an old classic from the Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products stable: SPONGEBOB. This genuine pop icon has reached season 11, with new episodes broadcasting in May and June 2019 on Nickelodeon (Sky channel 605). The preceding series is currently airing on Super! The big news this year, however, is Spongebob’s anniversary and the sea

sponge from Bikini Bottom is ready to enjoy his... #BESTYEAREVER! On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the launch of the TV series in the US, in fact, many initiatives are planned to celebrate an unforgettable year, with new content (TV specials, digital content, apps and more), new creative assets and new collaborations, especially in licensing, including a collaboration with Alpha Group, which has signed a Global Master Toy deal for the production and distribution of a new toy collection. All this will be enriched by marketing and digital/social media activities, but above all by socially aware initiatives, in order to make the world a better place, through collaborations with non-profit organizations. Last but not least, there’s a VNCP flagship property known around the world, from the US to Australia, and from the UK to the Middle East: JOJO SIWA, a major American teen star and wildly popular on 44

News Nickelodeon. An actress, dancer, singer and social media phenomenon with over 30 million followers, she has a style all of her own, expressed most of all though her trendy ribbons, a style adopted by her fans, the Siwanatorz. This worldwide popularity has led VNCP to build on the Italian development of the franchise, starting in 2018 with a programme to develop brand awareness, drafted in partnership with Super! (FTA), with the aim of readying the local market for the rollout of consumer products, currently underway. The year 2019 will offer content and activities to support product sales: the new animated web series “JoJo Bow Bow Show Show”, the launch of the new album in April, and the tour, from May to August in the US (52 dates already sold out!). JoJo Siwa will then be the centre of attention in May for her sixteenth birthday, which will be celebrated with digital activities and local OTG. Consumer products development for 2019 includes books from De Agostini, magazines from Centauria, T-shirts

distributed by OVS, Easter eggs from Walcor (with a competition to win a trip to attend JoJo Siwa’s live performance at the Chicago SlimeFest and other JoJobranded prizes!), a Giochi Preziosi school line, MC Group accessories and more!

MUSIC...AND MUCH MORE

SVOD and live events and, of course, through consumer products. Today, it enjoys a universal appeal, reaching over 390 million families in over 178 countries worldwide. Its scope is vast – not only music, but fashion, technology and lifestyle – and its appeal as a partner is demonstrated by links with such globally renowned names as MOSCHINO, VANS and MARC JACOBS. The brand is especially strong in Italy, where it has a premier position among social entertainment TV brands, thanks to popular TV formats such as RICCANZA, which is a true social phenomenon. Prestigious local collaborations – from the AW LAB sportswear collection to MTV KIT KAT/NESTLE Easter eggs – maintain the appeal of this evergreen brand. Another important new association for VNCP is the renowned brand

The MTV brand (in Italy exclusively on Sky channel 130) remains a mainstay for VNCP. The brand is a true institution, popular on many different platforms: on air and online, via social media, apps,

PARAMOUNT and its association with so many prestigious franchises, epic and visionary films, and breathtaking novels created by the greatest talents in the entertainment sector. Paramount has set the highest standards in cinema for over a century and continues to offer amazing entertainment to the public all over the world. The Godfather, Grease, Audrey Hepburn’s portfolio, MeanGirls, Top Gun and Maverick are just a few of the titles that VNCP is proud to represent. Paramount Channel is on DTT channel 27; from 16 March the channel will become Paramount Network, with an even richer offering.

A LOOK AHEAD Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products never stands still. In a world where you have to run to keep up, there’s a clear and 45

News VIACOM NICKELODEON CONSUMER PRODUCTS steady focus on objectives; there’s also real ambition. The company will certainly focus on the continuing implementation of its property portfolio, with the aim of maintaining business and growth relationships with its partners, to further strengthen its collaborations with the help of a rich and diversified licensing offering. Collaborations, projects and activities related to the world of distribution will be increasingly important, from loyalty programmes to retail activities and events – renamed “Nickelodeon Experiences” and aimed at increasing brand awareness and the extension of Nickelodeon products onto shelves.

MARKETS AND EVENTS Among the pillars on which Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products bases its business, particular attention is given to research “in the field”. Great care is dedicated to the study of international markets for the development of local strategies.

At the Nuremberg Toy Fair– always a point of reference for news and trends in the sector – VNCP has highlighted the innovative work of such partners as Spin Master, Hasbro, Giochi Preziosi and Alpha Group, as well as those of another historic partner, one of the major players in the international scenario: Mattel. This company continues to support Nickelodeon brands, not only with lines like “Blaze and Mega Cars” and “Shimmer&Shine”, but also with the arrival of two newer properties that will further strengthen the relationship with the Consumer Products division: “Sunny Day” and “Butterbean’s Café”. Today’s coverage of markets extends to fashion and accessories, thanks to VNCP

participation, at the beginning of 2019, in Nice Licensing. This event at Pitti Immagine Bimbo 88 was entirely dedicated to the introduction of fashion softlines linked with selected brands relating to the world of cartoons, entertainment, and lifestyle. For this occasion, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products chose to announce its presence with an exhibition space, where it told visitors about the colourful world, full of hearts, unicorns and super candy, of JoJo Siwa, strengthening JoJo’s bond with the young and very young with current and planned proposals for consumer products. There was even a make-up corner with a professional makeup artist who created the unmistakable JoJo Siwa look for visitors: her ponytail and colourful bow. And there’s more to come. Among the main events there’s the unmissable Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, the only event in Italy that brings together supply and demand, licensors, licensees and the world of distribution, with a large number of brands for the Italian market and beyond. Again this year VNCP aims to impress, thanks to an enhanced presence: for the first time the American division for Consumer Products related to Publishing and the Italian division focused on crosscategory Licensing will take part together on one large stand as a team.

With this new team already lined up in the starting grid, besides the main properties and priorities for 2019 there is of course a strong line-up across the

Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products portfolio: from “Shimmer&Shine” and “Sunny Day” to “Nella”, and from “Rusty Rivets” to “Blaze and the mega cars”.

News MONDO TV

A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING PORTFOLIO Mondo TV already has many successful animated cartoon series in its portfolio, but its strategy today is to develop new markets and new business opportunities. Mondo TV’s animated content for children is known and distributed all over the world. However, in the last five years, while animation remains its primary strategic activity, the company has increased its focus on licensing. Among its top titles is the brand-new preschool animated series YooHoo to the Rescue, a 3D CGI production (52 x 11’) inspired by the multi-million-selling line of plush toys produced by Aurora World. Co-produced by Aurora World Corporation and Mondo TV Suisse, this is a funny, exciting and beautifully designed animated series with strong environmental themes. The global launch of the series has already taken place on Netflix; a number of territorial broadcasters will follow. Discovery will launch the series in Italy on Frisbee in April. There are already a number of international license agreements, including baby-care products from Nuvita for the Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and UK markets; 3D stickers, magazines, books and other products from Panini in a global agreement; magic books from

Edizioni Playpress; and live events from Kimbe, which will take YooHoo characters to shopping centres around Italy. Lastly, Mondadori has announced the planned publication of four stories and a ‘YooHoopedia’ guide in autumn 2019. Aurora is working on a relaunch of the plush line based on the new series as well as on a new line of plastic toys. Toy distribution in Italy is managed by Rocco

Giocattoli, which is putting strong support behind the brand and will support the toy launch in May with a television advertising campaign. Mondo TV’s sister company, MondoTV Iberoamerica, is co-producer of the liveaction series Heidi Bienvenida, which reinterprets the classic Heidi story in a modern context. There are already numerous licenses in Italy, including books, magazines, booklets with stickers and activities, snacks and sweets, music CDs and personal care items, along with Spotify downloads of the show’s music. Among a number of major territory announcements in recent months, the series recently launched on the Disney Channel in Spain. A second series and a movie have already been confirmed. There are great expectations for the latest Mondo TV representation. Feisty Pets are interactive plush toys – with a difference. They look cuddly and cute but transform from friendly to ferociously funny when squeezed. In an instant the different characters lose their smiles and

News

pleasant expressions – and display fangs, sarcastic grins or weird faces. This simple but skilfully executed concept is today a massive hit online, in the media and at retail. Jazwares’ Feisty Pets plush line has sold in the millions. Scholastic is the master English language publisher for the brand. In Italy the toys will be distributed by Giochi Preziosi, with which Mondo TV is working on a robust sales strategy planned for autumn 2019. Live events will be managed by Publievent which, jointly with Mondo TV, has organized a not-to-be-missed special surprise at the Bologna Licensing Fair! Mondo TV is also looking forward to the autumn 2020 launch of MeteoHeroes, an animated comedy about special kids who transform into superheroes with power over the weather. A Mondo TV coproduction with MOPI (Meteo Operations Italia – better known to the public as the Epson Expert), MeteoHeroes will consist of 52 episodes of seven minutes each. The series deals with important modern themes such as climate change, ecology and respect for nature. Mondo’s main objective for MeteoHeroes at the next

MIPTV will be onboarding a global partner that can guarantee worldwide exposure. Giunti Publishing has already signed an exclusive publishing agreement for Italy. Another new arrival is Invention Story,

which tells the story of an ingenious and creative fox who, in each episode, comes up with an amazing new invention. Mondo TV is working on a dedicated licensing programme for this property.

ROCCO GIOCATTOLI WORKING WITH MONDO TV FOR ROBOT TRAINS All Robot Trains licensees are committed in their support of one of the most popular brands in the pre-school segment. Advertising, events, dedicated websites and an augmented reality app are just some of the ingredients of this comprehensive marketing mix. Last March, Mondo TV announced a new cross-media campaign to support its successful preschool brand Robot Trains, which regularly broadcasts on Cartoonito. It did this with the support of Rocco Giocattoli, one of the main licensees and a major player in the distribution and sale of toys in Italy. A number of initiatives are planned or under way. There’s even an amazing augmented reality app through which players can access a wide selection of games by purchasing a product and scanning its packaging. The release of the app fits perfectly into the strategy designed to enhance the Robot Trains brand, building new communication channels and creating a link between animated cartoon and toy. 49

Moreover, to give the young fans of the show a cross-media experience of the brand, Cartoonito has created a mini-site, www.cartoonito.it/serie-tv/robot-trains, exclusively dedicated to Robot Trains, with episodes, games and tutorials, including a link to download the app. Rocco Giocattoli has supported the campaign with on-air ads throughout March, plus in-store promotion and engagement and seeding activities targeted at blogger moms and dads.

News COOL THINGS

UNICORN DOLLS. A REAL MUST-HAVE San Marino-based company Cool Things is a leader in the production of capsule and vending machine products and has recently entered the promotional sector as the official supplier to Disney Stores and Universal Parks worldwide.

children wish for and – in a world where parents are expected to teach their children that dreaming is fundamental – these dolls usher children into a fairy world of toys, made of clouds, colours, stars, rainbows and sweets.

The company’s growth and experience, combined with a young and dynamic staff, has made it possible to transform creative ideas into reality. The latest project from Cool Things is Unicorn Dolls, a collection of eight delightful dolls with unicorn ears and horns. They all have lovely personalities which will delight adults and children alike as they take children by the hand and lead them into their magical world! The collection, which will be available at retail, includes eight 45mm tall dolls named Kate, Violet, Megan, Stella, Candy, Sugar, Greta and Jessie. Each is individually packaged. Cool Things is, as always, very attentive to the fashions of the moment when developing its collections and always manages to build on trends, creating

unique products, full of character and never dull. Unicorn and kawaii characters are, inarguably, two of those trends. Clothing, gifts, hair styles and fashion, for both unicorns and kawaii characters. Are extremely popular. Unicorn Dolls in particular have a welldefined identity, each with an individual name and decorations. Some of them also have special accessories like flying wings. Each doll is identified by a symbol – a rainbow, star, candy, little flower or little heart. There are many iconic figures in this extraordinary collection, all showing what is special about Unicorn Dolls: the gentle look, the big eyes and the sweetness of the girls. Unicorn Dolls have everything that 50

Each doll will be sold in a full-colour capsule in vending machines, and inside each capsule the young consumer will find the complete list of dolls in the collection so he or she can find out which they still need. The toys will also be available in newsstands in a flowpack. But Cool Things is already working on new projects that will enrich the fantasy world of Unicorn Dolls. Soon Unicorn Dolls Besties – the cute and inseparable pet friends of Unicorn Dolls –will be available.

News CPLG

NEWS FROM CPLG PORTFOLIO CPLG’s rich portfolio means that it always has exciting news to share with the licensing industry. CPLG, one of the leading licensing agencies in Europe, represents an impressive range of new properties from the world of entertainment as well as classic and lifestyle brands. 2019 and 2020 will bring plenty of exciting news about both existing and new representations. One of CPLG’s flagship brands is Uglydolls, the 16-year-old brainchild of two illustrators, which has grown thanks to both word of mouth and to the loyalty and affection of the property’s fans. Through the slogans “Ugly is Beautiful” and “Perfectly Imperfect”, the brand spreads a message of love, friendship and acceptance of diversity. Uglydolls will have its cinema debut at the end of October 2019 in a movie with a brilliant soundtrack by Pitbull, who will also be the voice of Ugly Dog, one of the main characters in the film. The singer Kelly Clarkson and actor/musician Nick Jonas, who has a huge fanbase among girls, are also part of the cast, voicing the characters of Moxy and Lou. In addition to the film release there are also strategic

films and TV series based on the scary family, created by illustrator Charles Addams over 50 years ago, have helped the Addams Family become one of the most successful franchises of all time, loved by generations of fans. To support the film release, a number of high-profile promotional and licensing partnerships will be announced shortly. Still focusing on entertainment, there is great news about Ghostbusters, a true cultural phenomenon and a brand that needs no introduction. Launched in 1984, the property has continued to grow over the years thanks to the dedication of its fans, the continued investment of Sony Pictures and the consumer products programme, which boasts numerous high-profile partnerships including partnerships in the pipeline, including a master toy deal with Hasbro. A TV series and second film are also slated. The first-ever Addams Family animated movie is scheduled for October 2019, directed by Conrad Vernon. A number of

Playmobil, Lego, Mattel, H&M, New Era, Uniqlo and Undiz. The Ghostbusters logo has extremely high awareness (97% worldwide) and its soundtrack is one of the most listened to in the world. In 2019 the franchise will celebrate its 35th anniversary, while in 2020 Ghostbusters 3,the next chapter of the original series, will be released in cinemas. It will be directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman, director of the first two films of the saga. 2020 is also an important year for 52

News CPLG Doraemon: in addition to being nominated as a Special Ambassador for the Tokyo Olympics, Doraemon will celebrate 50 years since the release of the first manga. This evergreen franchise has inspired an incredible output, with 36 films, a TV series broadcast six times a day, and a Live Event programme with Kimbe. There are also numerous partnerships including Motta, Funko, Uniqlo, Converse, Reebok and Aloye. Another new acquisition for CPLG is LINE FRIENDS, a globally famous brand that came out of South Korea in 2011. Line Friends, with its clean and classic design, is a phenomenon based on the pop trends that are part of Asian culture and that, in recent years, have influenced

Western fashion. As well as its huge popularity in Asia, there are numerous Line Friends stores located in some of the coolest places in the world, including Times Square in New York. The leader of

the group of these much-loved characters is Brown, everyone’s best friend, whose actions speak louder than his words. The other characters include Cony, a lively and energetic, adventure-hungry bunny, Choco, Brown’s trendy sister, and many others. Line Friends is a brand that has all the right credentials to become a success in western markets, thanks to important partnerships including L’Occitaine, Beats, Mr. Maria, Bang&Olufsen and Samsung. Finally, the success of classic brands such as Felix the Cat and the Pink Panther continues. Felix the Cat, the first star of animated cinema, born in 1919, has, over the years, become an incredible franchise. It speaks to both young and old and is hugely versatile and an ongoing success. The high international awareness of the property is underlined by its many licensing partnerships. Felix The Cat is the star of a number of fashion collections –

Felix the Cat by Del Conca 54

including Scotch&Soda, Mango, Coach and HUF Worldwide. Felix also features on two collections of Del Conca porcelain stoneware tiles – one entitled “Remember Me”, focused on the nostalgic charm of the brand, the other containing the words “The Cat is back”. They celebrate the property’s 100th anniversary, during which it will be delighting fans with contemporary pop-inspired products. The Pink Panther continues its successful fashion journey. In 2019 there are a number of halo collaborations, including Iceberg, with a spring/summer 2019 collection for women and men; Alessandro Enriquez, who at the latest edition of Pitti Uomo in January presented a unisex capsule collection that recalls the irreverent style of the brand; and Monnalisa, which is once again investing in the brand and presenting an autumn/ winter 2019 collection for girls.

News MAURIZIO DISTEFANO LICENSING

Maurizio Distefano Licensing announces more successes for Bing and emoji MDL has announced more deals for two of its fastest-growing properties: preschool success Bing and the hit property bases on digital icons, emoji® – The Iconic Brand.

Only a short while after Bing’s launch on Italian TV, MDL, which manages licensing rights for the show in Italy, has already signed a number of major licensing agreements for Bing, the hit preschool series produced by Acamar Films. Bing’s success with youngsters and their families has inspired a huge demand for products. This is one of the most popular shows on Rai YoYo and on Italian social networks, with more than 30,000 likes on Facebook and 5,000 on Instagram, not to mention more than 40,000 subscribers on YouTube. Bing is also in strong demand as a licensed brand, so that young children can enjoy their favourite character on a wide range of products. In addition to contracts signed in 2018, other deals have been added in the first quarter of 2019 and the first products are now on shelves. Grabo with balloons, Lisciani with educational games, Ciao with carnival costumes, Diramix with sticker albums and a monthly magazine

from Centauria are all enjoying a strong consumer response. Consumer appeal will no doubt be further boosted when Bing and friends appear as costume characters in a dedicated show at Leolandia, one of Italy’s most popular theme parks. The strength of the show lies in its simplicity and charm, speaking directly to its young audience through experiences similar to their own. In every episode Bing celebrates the chaotic, joyful and messy daily reality of kids aged one to five through simple stories that help children to deal with the tiny crises that can be so overwhelming for them, such as dropping an ice cream or losing a favourite toy. Fifteen episodes of Bing are being aired every day on Rai Yoyo. From March Bing has also a strong presence on DeA Junior. emoji® – The Iconic Brand is another big hit for MDL. In fact, it is a global success, not least because it is simple and immediate: it’s the brand that brings to 56

life the icons used every day by millions of people of all ages and social classes. Style guides cover 84 characters so far, with more arriving as digital trends evolve, most recently a number of striking icons inspired by the rock band Kiss. Among the contracts concluded by MDL are San Carlo (crisps), Clementoni (puzzles), FIAM Automazione (vending machines) and Perletti (umbrellas), but one of the biggest in the Italian market has been an important contract concluded with Tezeniz of Calzedonia Group. Tezeniz will bring to market a beautiful apparel collection entirely dedicated to the very popular icons, available in all Tezenis stores in autumn 2019. Tezenis has a major international presence in the youth market with its underwear and homewear collections for her, him and the very young. The emoji® brand fits perfectly with Tezenis style; as a global communication phenomenon, it too has an international reach.

News VICTORIA LICENSING & MARKETING

MATTEL: AN AMAZING YEAR IS UNDER WAY! This year IS FULL OF extraordinary projects for Mattel, which is committed, as ever, to creating innovative experiences for children as they grow and learn through play. Iconic franchises such as Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Polly Pocket®, Fisher-Price®, Thomas & Friends® and MEGA® help children to reach their full potential through the power of play. With a presence in 40 countries, Mattel works with some of the world’s leading companies. The iconic Barbie is celebrating her 60th anniversary in 2019, with licensees covering sectors including apparel, Capsule Colletion F/W 2019 Barbie by Patrizia Pepe

Capsule Colletion F/W 2019 Barbie by Patrizia Pepe

play, to embark on all kinds of careers, encouraging their imagination, expression and self-discovery. The exclusive Barbie line by Patrizia Pepe for the autumn/ winter 2019-20 collection embodies the slogan You Can Be Anything.

and some unique children’s wear that paid tribute to Barbie’s 60 fabulous years with a glamorous and colourful capsule collection. Barbie has always shown little girls that they can be anything they want, giving them the chance, through

Pitti Bimbo 88 also played host to an exhibition that demonstrated, through her 60 years of history, how Barbie has always lived in line with the times, interpreting culture and society year after year, from 1959 to today.

Capsule Colletion F/W 2019 Barbie by Patrizia Pepe accessories, role play, food, outdoor, publishing and back-to-school. The year got off to a great start – and things will get even better. Barbie kicked off the 60th anniversary celebrations with a stylish comeback during Pitti Bimbo 88, thanks to a prestigious partnership with Patrizia Pepe,

Barbie Sea Slippers by Fly 58

News VICTORIA LICENSING & MARKETING Barbie Totally Hair and Barbie Astronaut were the models that inspired the packaging of delicious dark and milk chocolate bars with a variety of fillings. These limited-edition bars will be on sale at Zaini Milano, the exclusive chocolateboutique that opened in 2013. The bars are wrapped in colourful refined Fabriano paper. There is also a range of top-quality boxes of chocolates by Caffarel, produced exclusively for high-end confectionery outlets.

A Limited Edition of Barbie Chocolate Bars by Zaìni From fashion to food partners, everyone is paying tribute to Barbie. The centuryold chocolate factory Luigi Zaini has produced a collection of beautiful limited edition “hand-made” bars and a tin,

inspired by four iconic Barbie images, chosen to represent the years 1959, 1985, 1992 and 2017. Barbie Original, Barbie Day-to-Night,

In the cosmetics sector, the ongoing partnership with Sephora continues and is expanding. Beauty junkies will be thrilled to discover a very special line of eight Lips tories lipsticks, one set of brushes, one mascara, one palette and four face, feet, hand and hair masks – all bearing the Barbie brand.

A TASTY EASTER IS ON THE WAY! Easter 2019 is looking fantastic for Mattel with something for everyone from great partners like Kinder Ferrero, Dolfin, Paluani and Motta! Kinder Ferrero has chosen to celebrate Barbie’s 60th anniversary with Kinder Gransorpresa Gigante, which holds the

world of the most beloved fashion doll ever in a single egg! Kinder Gransorpresa is the egg children love most, thanks to its distinctive and delicious chocolate milk and a regularly updated range of surprises and games suitable for children of all ages. Paluani has been licensed to produce a

Barbie Colomba by Paluani

From left: Fireman Sam Chocolate Egg by Motta, Thomas & Friends bag with Egg by Dolfin, Barbie Kinder Ferrero Gransorpresa 60

delicious Barbie Panettone enriched with tasty chocolate chips. Inside the package, there is a fantastic surprise: a trendy Barbie product in one of two colours – pink or light blue. Dolfin has teamed up with Hot Wheels to offer three different types of fine milk chocolate eggs for boys. For girls who love nature and the animal kingdom Dolfin have Enchantimals milk chocolate eggs with gorgeous premiums inside. Dolfin has also thought of the younger generation, of course, creating fine milk chocolate eggs with a surprise from Thomas and Friends.

News VICTORIA LICENSING & MARKETING

POLLY POCKET Who doesn’t remember Polly Pocket, the most beloved micro doll ever, with her mini worlds and a surprise in each box? After almost 30 years, Mattel has announced the re-launch of Polly Pocket in the original format: the one-inch doll with the micro-scale compacts that made Polly the greatest toy phenomenon of the 90s! Polly Pocket was launched in 1989. It was the first micro-doll ever, selling over 10 million compacts at the time. Many of the millions of original Polly Pocket fans are now parents looking to introduce their children to the fantastic world of Polly. With the 90s making a strong comeback, what better time to bring back the beloved micro-playsets and bring Polly Pocket to a new generation of children?

The internationally renowned brand Sergio Tacchini has dressed top tennis players for over 50 years and is bringing

Barbie Capsule Collection by Sergio Tacchini

The new Polly Pocket range comes with an updated look that gives a nod to the brand’s heritage as well as new miniature worlds and a surprise in each box – perfect for 21st century girls. Along with the new product, there are fantastic contents and a new philosophy: “Tiny is mighty”. Polly is often told that she is “too small” to do the things she wants to do. But Polly always shows what every child already knows: being small is not a weakness but a strength. For children Polly Pocket products are a small world full of unexpected surprises in the palm of their hands, perfect for them to carry around. The “Tiny is Mighty” philosophy was also the inspiration for the new animated content, in which Polly and her friends have amazing adventures in their mini worlds.

Barbie onto tennis courts, with a capsule collection for women and children, including accessories co-branded Sergio Tacchini and Barbie. In addition the collection includes a T-shirt for woman celebrating Barbie’s 60th anniversary. The collection was inspired by Barbie “Totally Hair”, with a psychedelic look utilising the official anniversary colours. The logo was approved by the Women’s Tennis Association, and, at the Indian Wells Masters 1000, in March, the Tacchini tennis players wore Barbie colours. The Tacchini capsule collection started

Barbie Shoes Collection SS19 by Fly 62

Capsule Collection F/W 2019 Polly Pocket by GCDS retailing in March, in all the best tennis shops in Europe, Japan and the US. The Italian brand will be developing a mini advertising campaign for tennis-focused magazines. And top retailer Goldenpoint certainly cannot be ignored! It will bring to its Italian and international stores a Barbie collection of socks, tights and leggings for young consumers who love quality innovative product. Finally Fly srl, the historic shoes company from Treviso, has created for the spring/ summer season a new fun, colourful and sparkling collection, all dedicated to the world’s most famous fashion doll. The line consists of elegant sandals and shiny sneakers.

News ATLANTYCA

LOOKING FORWARD TO BLTF19 Atlantyca comes to Bologna with an all-time classic of children’s entertainment as part of its portfolio.

Hello Maestro! Hello Maestro!, the popular educational vs science property loved by five generations of children, has joined the Atlantyca portfolio exclusively for the Italian market. Atlantyca has acquired the performance rights to the property and is planning to extend the licensing programme in Italy, adding new partners to those in Europe that already have licenses for clothing collections, toys, games, publishing, digital plush and developed promotions on healthcare and environment. . The agreement for this highly successful, evergreen series was made with French company Procidis, owner of the property and the television series, which has been on the air continuously since 1979. For the brand, known in Italy as the TV series Once Upon a Time..., 2019 is a very important year, when the property celebrates its 40th birthday. Celebrations will start this year in France to continue in Italy in 2020. The series, of which 180 episodes have been made, has become a leader in the field of popular science entertainment for children, and won the trust of five generations of parents, from the 1980s to the present day.

This year it will return to TV on Cartoonito and Italia1 with the first season, Once Upon a Time... Man, remastered in HD. In Italy, the brand awareness of Once Upon a Time... is almost 90%, not just because of the TV programme but also thanks to a long-standing partnership with DeAgostini, official licensee of the partwork project, with books, DVDs by Dynit and a set that allows kids to build a version of the human body. Millions of units have been sold over the years, proving what a great market Hello Maestro represents for licensing. Also available are comics by De Agostini Libri and DVDs. In 2019 Cartoonito will broadcast the two seasons Once Upon a Time… Man and Great Men for Great Ideas.

Hello Maestro goes digital With 40 years of success on TV, Procidis is now investing in the digital world, targeting the new generations that follow digital channels like YouTube, which attract millions of views every day. Procidis has developed digital content based on the TV series for three interactive digital environments focused

ID CARD TV series: Hello Maestro Core target audience: 6-10 M+F Wider target audience: 3-5 M+F; adult Genre: comedy/educational Episodes: 180

News ATLANTYCA on human history, human body, inventors and explorers. These interactive platforms include activities in the form of videos, pictures and biographies taken directly from the series that partners can use to enrich the playing and educating experience this license offers. Procidis is developing countless digital activities, including an interactive avatar that can replicate the gestures and voices of the players, as well as promoting a product partner.

Atlantyca preschool IP The 7 seasons on TV Once Upon a Time…MAN

A TV classic for children, this season is a fantastic journey that starts with the Neanderthals and passes through the pyramids of the Egyptians, the classical era of the Greeks and the Romans and the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, reaching the French Revolution and ending in 1900.

Once Upon a Time... SPACE

From the past to the future: we follow Maestro on a giant spaceship as he sets off to explore the solar system, the Milky Way and finally the galaxies and the whole universe – a fun way to discover space and its wonders.

Once Upon a Time... LIFE

We are in the microscopic world. Our focus is on the cells and microorganisms: red blood cells, that are part of the human body, white blood cells, which defend it, or viruses and bacteria, which attack it.

Once Upon a Time... AMERICAS

Maestro and his “team” tell us the story of the Americas, from the Incas and the native Indians up to the first European colonists.

Once Upon a Time... DISCOVERERS

In each episode we hear the story of the life and discoveries of the geniuses who have helped to make the world we know today. Maestro guides us on a trip through the centuries as we find out more about Newton, Galileo, Edison, Darwin, Gutenberg, Einstein, Marie Curie and many others.

Once Upon a Time... EXPLORERS

The great explorers of history have expanded humanity’s horizons. Every age has had men who have crossed the known borders, going on extraordinary journeys and adventures, some of which we can follow in each episode of this season.

Once Upon a Time... PLANET EARTH

The last season produced by Procidis, entirely dedicated to Planet Earth. Maestro guides a group of young explorers as they face threats to the environment and the challenges of sustainable development. 66

Atlantyca’s success continues with two series popular with kids everywhere. The third season of Just’in Time is being broadcast on Cartoonito, where it is achieving a very good audience share. School of Roars on Rai Yo-yo and DeaJunior with 16 episodes per day is also enjoying a strong response. The associated licensing and merchandising programme can boast firstclass partners for a number of categories, including seasonal food and snacks, toys, clothing and publishing (for both kiosks and bookstores).

News FORFUN MEDIA

The new made-in-Italy content factory! An interview with Pietro Pinetti, General Manager of Studio Bozzetto, and Giorgio Scorza, CEO of Movimenti Production, both of whom are ready to bring Topo Gigio and Mr. Rossi – as well as many new, original IPs – to the small screen. to bringing many new projects to life. We had a chat about their future, which includes their plans for licensing. Which projects are you working right now? PP: Right now we’re working on a number of different projects. Our focus is on two mice who need all our care, Tip the Mouse and Topo Gigio, but there are many other productions in the pipeline: the second season of Le Loup, OPS, Spooky Wolf, Beasties, and of course Mr Rossi too. Pietro Pinetti In Milan, nestled in a quiet courtyard, is a place where cartoons are made! It’s the headquarters of ForFun Media a strategic alliance between animation studios Studio Bozzetto, Movimenti Production, MoBo and DaDomani, all of which have ambitions to evolve into international key players in the industry. At the heart and soul of ForFun are Studio Bozzetto’s CEO Pietro Pinetti and Art Director Andrea Bozzetto, alongside Giorgio Scorza and Davide Rosio, both CEOs and Art Directors of Movimenti Production. Pietro and Giorgio are looking forward

Tip the Mouse and Topo Gigio: what connects these two mice? GS: They are two lively creatures with big round ears who are very curious and ready to explore the world alongside their young fans. We’ll deliver 26 episodes of Tip the Mouse by the end of 2019, and

Giorgio Scorza

News country. Doghead counts 60 creatives, animators and layout artists among Italian staff working to top international standards. There’s also a partnership with ToonBoom and Wacom for software and hardware. We strongly hope this will be the beginning of a new trend, keeping creatives, ideas and a highly skilled workforce in Italy. Mr Rossi is a long-awaited animated project that is already getting a great deal of attention. PP: Mr Rossi is a character born in the 1960s and inspired by the common with Topo Gigio we are producing a new series, while preparing celebrations for his 60th anniversary. A documentary on the life of Maria Perego, Topo Gigio’s creator, is in the making and an exhibition will showcase her life. We’re also very proud to announce more big news. For the first time ever a TV series will be entirely produced and animated in Italy, between the ForFun studios in Milan and DogHead in Florence, which was launched very recently. It’s the first 2D servicing studio in our

Happy Birthday Topo Gigio! It was 1959, exactly 60 years ago, when Topo Gigio made his first appearance on Italian television. With his big ears and his innocent attitude the childlike puppet mouse quickly became a favourite of both young and old. In no time at all Topo Gigio became a phenomenon that conquered the world including the United Kingdom, the United States, Latin America and Japan. He appeared at the Palladium in London and had 90 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, a top evening show in the 1960s with over 50 million viewers per night. From there he flew to Japan where there was not only an animated TV series produced by the giant Nippon Animation, but also a feature film made by Oscar-winning director Kon Ichikawa. Eventually he landed in Latin America, where he is still beloved. Topo Gigio met with all the greatest stars of the 1960s from Ginger Rogers to Louis Armstrong and even a kid named Michael Jackson! He influenced the great artists of

today, from Bruce Springsteen to Shakira, from Alfonso Cuaròn to Paolo Sorrentino. Today he still enjoys mind-boggling numbers: almost 5 million Facebook fans, tributes from international superstars and more than 345 million unique views on YouTube. He is a 100% Italian character, who has become a citizen of the world, with an adventurous and exciting story, thanks to the perseverance of one woman, Maria Perego, his mother and creator. Today Topo Gigio is a globally known representative of Italian excellence. As well as celebrating 60 years with an exhibition and a documentary dedicated to him, he’s now returning with a brandnew animated series that tells the adventures of this intrepid and curious mouse. The series, currently in production, is co-produced by Rai Ragazzi, Movimenti Production and Topo Gigio Srl, and will be broadcast on Rai Yoyo starting in autumn 69

2020. The animation of the series will be done entirely in Italy, by DogHead Animation, an animation studio based in Florence and part of the ForFun Media group.

News FORFUN MEDIA Italian man, just like Fantozzi or the classic Alberto Sordi characters from the Italian movies. That’s why he’s still so cool. However, to make him appealing to new generations we’re working on the storytelling, challenging him with more modern themes. We want kids to laugh when they see him dealing with the digital era with all its pros and cons! Mr Rossi’s clumsiness in the technological world will make the kids smile – adults too, as they see a reflection of their own difficulties in the digital world. Is the mighty Bruno Bozzetto involved in this project? PP: Of course! He is working on the screenplays together with Maurizio Nichetti. Bruno is the original creator of the character and his vision of the character is fundamental to how we develop the new animated series.

as Flo & The Intrepids, co-produced with Anima Kitchent, and Alice & Lewis, coproduced with Blue Spirit; we are also working on several multimedia projects. For example, we are working with important family entertainment outfits such as Gardaland and Leolandia. You have grown a lot in such a short time, so much so that both Movimenti and Studio Bozzetto have moved to a larger location... PP: The kids entertainment industry is growing rapidly and this has required us to create a stronger organisation. We felt the need to create a structure that takes full advantage of the professional skills we have helped to nurture. GS: ForFun includes a team of about 70 people who can cover the entire production process from pre to post production – not to mention the fact that,

What’s your secret? GS: We have created ForFun Media, a network that connects four business identities under a single brand to share our know-how and capabilities and to be able to guarantee work that can match international standards. To make this network efficient and truly ‘joined up’ we have also created MoBo (a company that is a joint venture between Movimenti Production and Studio Bozzetto), in which we hold equal shares. With MoBo we are developing international TV series such 70

thanks to the new projects, we expect to employ around 150 additional Italian creative talents in 2019. Just like children, we hope to keep growing and never stop dreaming! Is there licensing in your future? PP: The licensing and merchandising area is something that we still have to explore and we are now taking our first steps in this direction. In January we acquired back the rights management for Italy (abroad it’s handled by the co-producer M4E with the distributor Studio100) but we’d like to launch other brands too. We’re evaluating the opportunity to have our own department to handle them directly but that is a way off. We are delighted about the results we‘ve achieved so far and feel it demonstrates that we’re on the right path. We believe it’s a strategic move to protect brands and the creativity we’ve developed in recent years.

News

Tip The Mouse about your role in Studio Bozzetto I’m the Art Director of most of the projects produced in the Studio, and work on the character design and 3D modelling. When the Tip the Mouse project was still limited to publishing in about 2009, I began to study the new characters for a TV series adaptation, at the same restyling time the book designs, which had a very different look. Later I was entrusted with the art direction of the entire series. Tip the Mouse is one of the projects I am most fond of, and we are looking forward to presenting the third season which will be broadcast on Rai YoYo by the end of the year. The third animated season of Tip the Mouse is now in production, a series inspired by the character created by Andrea Dami who has appeared in books published by Giunti that have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, and been translated into 32 languages. The series (52x7’) debuted in 2014 on the Rai YoYo television channel, where it has been a continuing success. It is produced by Studio Bozzetto&Co in co-production with Rai Fiction, Giunti Editore, m4e and Studio Campedelli, directed by Andrea Bozzetto. In anticipation of the third season of Tip the Mouse, for delivery at the end of 2019, LM interviewed Corrado Colleoni, Art Director of Studio Bozzetto. You are one of the main figures that gave life to the Tip the Mouse project. Tell us

Corrado Colleoni What were the greatest satisfactions you got? Personally, I loved following the whole process of character development, which starts from a sheet of paper, passing through traditional and digital sculpture, and finally coming to life at the animation stage. I know that we’ve done a good job whenever a child asks me for a drawing of his favourite character! The series has been translated and distributed in over 100 countries around

Can you give us a preview of the third season? There will be 26 new episodes. On a technical level, we have introduced improvements to the forest environments and to the villagers’ houses, thanks to technology that has evolved since 2014 and now allows us to achieve a greater level of detail. the world, achieving excellent share results. In fact, in 2016 it was the most viewed children show in the entire Rai YoYo schedule. In spring 2019 many important projects will begin, including a partnership with Sony for a new format that will see Tip the Mouse together with Carolina Benvenga of Rai YoYo. There will be licensing partnerships as well, including tie-ups with brands like Pampers and Mellin. In a nutshell, 2019 has started in a fantastic way and we expect it to continue to get better and better. 71

News FORFUN MEDIA

DOGHEAD ANIMATION: Made in Italy animation

Alessio Giurintano and Massimo Montigiani LM interviewed Alessio Giurintano and Massimo Montigiani, both Art Directors of DogHead Animation, together with Giovanna Bo, Executive Producer at DogHead Animation. DogHead Animation was recently founded in Florence with the goal of producing highquality animation in Italy, working on international projects. You have a team of more than 60 professionals. How did you convince people who’ve been successfully

working abroad for years to come back to Italy? AG: We’re proud of the team we brought together for Topo Gigio, which is a really important project. We chose from among the best Italian talents with a strict selection from the best showreels from animation schools in Italy and from senior creatives who’ve been working abroad for a long time. We were really happy to be able to give them the opportunity to come back to Florence to produce madein-Italy animation.

MM: For a long time, because of limited opportunities in Italy, the best animation professionals went abroad and it’s really satisfying to finally have a full Italian team composed of senior creatives, who are used to working on international projects, and young talents that have the opportunity to grow and learn. The production of Topo Gigio (52x11’) will be entirely handled in the studio in Florence, using the latest technology for high-quality cut-out animation. We have some of the best rig artists in the country, people who have been working with ToonBoom for more than 10 years and who are highly qualified.

Which projects are you working on and what are your future ones? GB: Right now the biggest project we’re working on is the Topo Gigio TV series: the whole team will be on it until April 2020, but together with Movimenti Production we’re already developing new projects. The goal is to become the European key partner for 2D digital animation and to offer the skills our team and our technology can offer to produce animation to the highest international standard. 72

News GRUPPO MONDADORI

THE MONDADORI GROUP BRANDS: STRONG PARTNERS FOR LICENSING As the Mondadori Group appears for the second year at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, the development of licensing projects involving Mondadori Group magazines continues to deliver impressive results. Building a licensing programme based on a well-established editorial brand means embracing long-term strategies – minimizing the risks associated with the ups and downs of brand awareness based on television visibility or one-off marketing initiatives. The offer of Mondadori Group’s magazine portfolio includes wellknown titles that renew contact with their readers every week, reinforcing a relationship based on trust and affection. And of course, each publication has a specific marketing positioning and target audience. In this context, titles like Focus Junior, Focus Pico, Grazia, Sale & Pepe, Giallo Zafferano, Starbene and Casa Facile have positioned themselves strongly over the last two years in the Italian licensing arena as brands with which many licensees have chosen to develop innovative licensing programmes.

For example, Focus Junior has been widely recognised in the licensing industry for its ability to interactively and intelligently speak to children. Among its most noteworthy collaborations has been the agreement with Ferrero for its Kinder Easter Eggs Kinder Gran Sorpresa. This was recently renewed for Easter 2020, with surprises dedicated to the world of animals. In Easter 2018, this collaboration had delivered excellent results and the renewal confirms the reliability and reach of Focus Junior, a property that transcends fashion and offers content that touches on numerous interests of the young: nature, animals and world records, to name only three. Another important agreement for Focus Junior was with Mondadori Libri, for the publication at the end of 2018 of two books for children illustrated with simple and colourful infographics. World of 74

Records brings together challenges, facts and a top ten of things that have made the world an incredible place. A World of Maps offers 50 beautifully illustrated geographical maps. Turning next to the pre-school target audience, Focus Pico has recently collaborated with Sabbiarelli on a project for kindergartens all over Italy. The agreement provides for the supply of sand painting materials with the Focus Pico brand; they will be distributed to around 350 classes, whose pupils will take part in fun educational activities and a competition during the spring. Focus Pico aims to become even more of a reference point for pre-school activities, through the development of several educational projects that – in line with the brand’s philosophy – speak to children in a simple and direct way, stimulating creativity and dexterity. A special feature of the licensing programmes for many Mondadori Group

News activities with a focus mainly on content. Cooking is another crucial area, thanks to the wide-ranging coverage of many target markets by Salt & Pepper, with a focus that is refined and aspirational, and Giallo Zafferano, which highlights the practical and innovative. In terms of content, this is a segment that offers, more than any other, archives that can be continually updated and revised: not just recipes but true lifestyle portraits, which can be adjusted to meet the needs of potential licensees.

magazines is content created specifically for each licensee, drawing on the skills of the editorial staff, rich databases and the ongoing relationship of the magazines with their readers – an important channel for highlighting new trends and interests. Two examples from many serve to illustrate this approach. The Focus Junior Diary (in two versions) for the 2018 Giochi Preziosi back-to-school campaign was entirely brought about by the brand in collaboration with the licensee. Similarly, in the digital area, for a 2018 Easter egg launch the Magic Kinder App was enriched with games, curiosities and world records, all developed specifically for the app by editorial staff. Fashion and women’s lifestyle are also

strengths of the Mondadori Group titles. Grazia, launched in 1938, is a brand known in Italy and internationally (through 23 international editions) as one of the most authoritative publications in the world of fashion. Tu Style, meanwhile, focuses on a younger and more dynamic style. Both brands can do a lot to support licensing activities for products in the areas of fashion, beauty and clothing – for example, through innovative partnerships involving the creation of “Special Editions”, such as the one created by Grazia alongside My Style Bags. Donna Moderna is a brand with a very well-defined positioning when it comes to the female target audience and is particularly appropriate for licensing 75

For the home living sector, Casafacile has proved itself ideal for a target market made up of young adults interested in the world of interior design, with an editorial staff available to create style guides for the customization of any licensed product and to present licensed products within editorials created and edited by a team of interior designers. Wellbeing, meanwhile, is central to Starbene, with many events and a team of experts that constantly collaborates with editorial staff. Authority is the hallmark of each article and, in this case, the outline of a project accompanied by in-depth information and interesting facts and figures can be customised for each licensee. Licensing partnerships have been an ongoing process for the Mondadori Group brands, especially as the magazines have transformed into media and content networks, and, within this context, companies whose customer identity matches that of the magazines can find stimulating opportunities that are worth investigating – and grasping.

News ETS LICENSING

FROM CLASSIC TO BRAND NEW: ETS LICENSING PRESENTS ITS LATEST PROPERTIES AT THE BOLOGNA LICENSING TRADE FAIR 2019 ETS Licensing has grown its portfolio of licenses, consolidating its position as one of the leading independent agencies in Italy. Strengthened by its successful management of Entertainment Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peppa Pig and PJ Masks, ETS Licensing is returning to the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair in 2019 to present the new and important licensing partnerships it is launching in the Italian market.

The leading properties: PJ Masks and Peppa Pig

For the third year running, PJ Masks can boast a highly successful licensing

programme in the Italian market covering all categories (40 plus licensees are on board) as well as important partnerships in the advertising and live entertainment fields. With the ongoing release of

BLTF19 Hall 31 - Booth C2-B1

content over the coming years PJ Masks is a long-term project: a third and fourth season are on the way for the much-loved superheroes. The last few months of 2018 saw a considerable upturn in the sales of Peppa Pig (up 20% compared to the previous year, with an increase of 60% for Q4/2018 against Q4/2017). This evergreen pre-school property is stronger than ever, showing that customer loyalty has never waned. Thanks to solid programming on Rai YoYo and new content every year, Peppa is one of the most watched programmes on the network as well as having strong online content. 2019 will see the launch of 26 new episodes in season eight supported, as ever, by a heavyweight marketing campaign. With the support of existing and important new partnerships, 2019 will be a year to celebrate for the friendly piggie. ETS Licensing will be bringing other classic brands from its portfolio to Bologna, including Ben and Hollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Little Kingdom from Entertainment One; Mini Pet Pals, an Italian TV series from Gruppo Alcuni co-produced with RAI Fiction; and Talking Tom and Friends, the hugely popular franchise led by apps and an animated series. These are all properties with established licensing programmes and highly recognisable profiles offering appealing prospects for new partnerships. In addition, ETS Licensing is also on board with the re-launch of Chuggington.

News ETS LICENSING A new pre-school property: Galinha Pintadinha (Lottie Dottie Chicken)

Among the news for 2019, ETS Licensing is introducing in Italy Galinha Pintadinha (Lottie Dottie Chicken), a pre-school property from Brazil that is already a web phenomenon: its cheerful nursery rhymes have been viewed over 10 billion times on YouTube by viewers around the world. There is also a TV series (52 eps x 12’), and Galinha Pintadinha Mini, which is aimed at a target audience of 0-5 year olds. Not only is the show highly entertaining, but it is also full of educational content. Lottie Dottie Chicken has become the number one pre-school property in Brazil and is distributed throughout Latin America, with a licensing programme consisting of more than 500 products. The series and videos are available in eight languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English, Italian, French, German, Japanese and Chinese. a hit right from its first airing on Disney Channel and then on Rai Gulp, the property already has important licensing partnerships in place, including one with Mondadori Electa, which has published a novel written by the author of the series, Simona Ercolani, Walcor, which will launch the 2019 Easter egg, and Giunti. An exciting feature of the show is that it has been shot as ‘constructed reality’; the main characters are not professional actors, but ‘normal’ kids acting on the

New content for kids: live action TV series

Leveraging the experience and contacts it has gained from working on properties from the world of animation, ETS Licensing has been chosen as the agency for two live-action projects: Sara and Marti and Penny on M.A.R.S. Sara and Marti (40 eps x 22’) is the new Stand By Me series made in partnership with Walt Disney Italia. It tells the story of two sisters who move from London to Bevagna in central Italy, where they discover their roots and have plenty of adventures, meet new friends and find new loves in a new school. A story ‘for’ teenagers ‘about’ teenagers that was 78

basis of a rough script. In addition to the two seasons already showing there will be a film launching on 14 March distributed by Buena Vista, from which Centauria has taken inspiration for a magazine. Another Italian project is the second live action series in the ETS Licensing portfolio. Penny on M.A.R.S. (26 eps x 22’, new season already confirmed) is produced by 3Zero2 in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Italia. It is the first series ever developed with Disney

News her personal demon Luci. Escaping from an arranged marriage, the trio encounter orcs, sprites, harpies, pixies and trolls, not to mention walruses and many silly humans. The first 20 episodes are already available on Netflix in 27 languages and the release of the second series is already programmed for 2019/2020.

Re-launching classics

ETS is also continuing to re-launch classic children’s brands. After purchasing Lucky Luke and The Daltons, ETS Licensing formed a partnership with The Astrid Lindgren Company, a Swedish company that manages the rights for all of Astrid Lindgren’s books, including the muchloved Pippi Longstocking. ETS Licensing will be handling the re-launch of this property in 2020, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the publication of the book, a classic that, thanks to the popularity of the ongoing TV series, has been a favourite of many generations and continues to be one of the true greats of children’s entertainment.

for the international market entirely shot in Milan with an English cast. It is now showing on Disney Channels in various European countries, having started in the UK where it is proving very popular. It is also on Rai Gulp. Penny is a talented adolescent dreaming about attending the most prestigious performing arts school in the world: MARS. She has an inseparable friend, Camilla, and together, while they are trying to find their place in the world, they chase their dreams and passions and end up falling in love with the same boy. The licensing programme, like the distribution of the show, will have a European focus. Just a few months after the show’s launch Magazzini Salani is set to produce the official Penny on M.A.R.S. books.

Working on new targets

It is essential for ETS Licensing that it should offer properties that target different demographics. At BLTF19 therefore, it will be showing properties aimed at a variety of ages. From the pages of the famous Beano comic, the Dennis & Gnasher TV series (51 eps x 11’), is coming to Italy on RAI Gulp (Dennis & Gnasher: Scatenati!). It’s a world of fantastic adventures for all children aged 6 and upwards. In the UK, the Beano is a national icon, chosen as a development partner by brands such as Stella McCartney and Apple. Thanks to its global appeal the series has been bought by many major broadcasters around the world. The series follows the

adventures of the reckless Dennis and his dog Gnasher, who act first and think later, behaviour that frequently gets them into trouble. With their trusted friends, Pieface, JJ and Rubi, every day they have to face up to the whimpy Walter, with the backdrop of their home, Beanotown, and everyday school life. It’s a reckless and adventurous team everyone would love to be part of. Going up a little in age, ETS Licensing has been chosen in Italy to represent the original Netflix TV series Disenchanted from Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons and Futurama. The series is set in the crumbling mediaeval kingdom of Dreamland and follows the adventures of an unconventional princess called Bean, accompanied by the little elf Elfo and 79

News ETS LICENSING The partnership with Discovery

ETS Licensing has concluded a partnership with Discovery, through which the agency will be the primary partner for the management of all properties and TV shows on air on free-to-air channels. In particular, ETS has acquired the management rights for historic brands on the channel such as Oggy and the Cockroaches, a successful franchise rich

in content (7 seasons, 350 eps x 7’) for all the family. For schoolgirls, in 2019 this new partnership offers Filly Funtasia (26 eps x 22’ and 52 eps x 11’), which follows the adventures of Rose and her friends from the Academy of Magic in Funtasia. They will soon have to put their magic skills to the test to save the kingdom. Finally, as the result of a partnership between Saban Brands and Cirque du Soleil Media, Luna Petunia, a new pre-

school series from Netflix, has arrived on the scene (66 eps x 11’). Inspired by the kaleidoscopic scenarios of Cirque du Soleil, the series tells the story of a young

girl, Luna Petunia, who lives in the real world but who can travel into the magic world of Amazia where toys come to life and amazing adventures hide in every corner.

Graphic properties

Alongside properties with roots in the world of entertainment, ETS Licensing also works with design-led properties that stand out for the precision of their designs and their originality. For example, the agency’s work continues on the Kimmidoll Collection, the famous Japanese goodwill dolls whose look is continuously updated by new designs. It has also added Anekke, a romantic and nostalgic character created by the Spanish company Azzar in 2015. Anekkke invites everyone to enter a world of love and friendship and, thanks to careful design, accentuated details and brand values that make it unique, Anekke’s popularity is increasing in Italy, where, along with the collection of bags and accessories it already produces, back-to-school gifts will soon be available from the Pool Over group.

News MEDIATOON LICENSING

AT BLTF WITH THE FOX AND BADGER FAMILY Media-Participations is a leading group in publishing, press, film and TV series production in Europe. It offers content tailored to a variety of audiences and age groups.

Badger’s life but for the children it means having to accept a new sibling. Yet when everything’s said and done, all is well that ends well!

Mediatoon Licensing, its integrated licensing agency, is in charge of developing licensing programs internationally, with the Group’s characters mainly coming from books and TV series but also with third parties properties mainly coming from Japanese TV series like Naruto, Hunter X Hunter or Fairy Tail. Mediatoon Licensing is happy to present for the first time at Bologna Licensing Fair its new TV series The Fox and Badger Family based on the collection of books Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox, written by Brigitte Luciani and Eve Tharletand and published by Dargaud. Eight books are available and translated into fourteen languages. The next new book will be published in France in September 2019.

and Ellipsanime tells the story of Scout badger and Woodsy, young twin Badgers who live with their baby sister Berry and their father in a burrow in the woods. Their life is very quiet until one day Mrs. Fox and her daughter Rosie move in! The lively Mrs Fox brings joy back into Mr.

The Fox and Badger Family targets kids from two to six years old and teach children to live together around emotion, comedy and creativity. These 52 episodes of 12 minutes series is non-stop broadcast on France 5 (Les Zouzous) since April 2018 from Monday to Friday at 8am with an average of 23.4% of PDAs among 4-6 year olds. The series is on air also on KIKA in

This new CGI with 2D render TV series produced by Philm CGI, Dargaud Media 82

News and will be announced soon. In France, Editions Fleurus will launch a range of products called La Famille Blaireau Renard, to be published in September 2019: four illustrated storybooks, four documentaries, a game box (lotto), and two sticker notebooks. The characters of La Famille Blaireau Renard are also regular guests of the quarterly magazine Zouzous

2019 and there are discussions on further publishing, toys and games deals. Just to note that Mediatoon Licensing is already working with agents in Italy on several properties like Lucky Luke and The Daltons (ETS), Bobby & Bill and Little Furry (Funwood Media).

Germany and RAI YOYO in Italy from April 2019. This series with international development potential will be on air also on the national TV channels in Belgium (RTBF), Switzerland (RTS), Norway (NRK), Finland (YLE), Sweden (SVT), Turkey (Dsmart), Czech Republic (Ceska), Israel (Hop), Canada (Télé-Québec) and South Korea (CJ TOONIVERSE). Spanish and Portuguese territories are in discussion

(co-published by France Télévisions Distribution and Milan Presse). They are the protagonists of game pages regularly inserted in the magazine. The family will be on the cover of issue 69, dated MarchApril-May 2019 of the magazine. In Italy, four comic books and a special from classic book will be published in

A new TV series on Kid Lucky (when Lucky Luke was a kid and wanted to become a cowboy) is under production for M6 and Rai. This series (52 eps of 12’) targets kids 6+ and should be ready for 2020. Yakari, the little Sioux stories coming from comic books and already broadcast in Italy, will be on big screen in France and Germany in the second quarter 2020. Yakari counts more than 40 licensees in Germany and France.

News HASBRO

Big brands, big plans In addition to building on the success of its classics My Little Pony and Transformers, Hasbro has big plans for three other much-loved brands: NERF, the newly acquired POWER RANGERS and MONOPOLY, which is about to celebrate a major anniversary. Therefore, in the second half of this year, Hasbro will launch its long-awaited new line of Power Rangers toys. It includes a rich selection of action figures for the core characters along with a giant version of the Zord, with many fun features. There will be also be Power Rangers masks and accessories, allowing children to play at being their favourite characters. There’s another big piece of Power Rangers news: a new and original TV series called POWER RANGERS BEAST MORPHERS is on the way, with new heroes and villains, new settings and lots of new adventures. In the run-up to thelaunch of the new show, repeats of the existing TV series are scheduled for next winter, offering a rich catalogue of content for fans old and new.

Power Rangers – Retro Edition Hasbro Consumer Products has big plans for the next few years. Its classic brands Transformers and My Little Pony will be enhanced with new content and new products. At the same time, Hasbro is planning something new for three other properties that are well known in the market.

The consumer products plan for Power Rangers brings together current partnerships and new licensed projects. New products will mostly be aimed at new generations of fans, building not only on the positive values of a long-running action brand that highlights friendship, team spirit and respect for diversity, but also, thanks tomajor investments, a new look that will make it a contemporary

The biggest news for the immediate future is the re-launch of Power Rangers. One of the longest-running franchises in the world officially became a Hasbro property after the acquisition of Saban and Hasbro’s investment plans for the brand are both ambitious and longterm. The primary goal of course is to reach new generations of children – but Hasbro also aims to involve the fanbase that has known and loved the brand for more than 25 years. 84

brand with an appeal even to the very young. Another important goal for Hasbro over the next few years is to further enhance the licensing programme for Nerf. This strategy will be enabled through carefully targeted products and partnerships. After 50 years of success in the toy market – and still among the top 10 properties in 2018 – Nerf is no longer considered just a blaster but a lifestyle brand, one that encourages children to socialize and have fun through active play, especially in the open air. The wide fan base now ranges from children of 7 years oldup to boys of 11. Older kids in particular have come to embrace the values of the NERF NATION, a digital community built by Nerf fans all over the world. These are boys who share a passion for sport, who like to share their gaming experiences through social media, who prefer streetstyle and are strongly aware of current trends, who love outdoor activities and who have the same musical interests. Hasbro, in collaboration with some of key licensees in the fashion world, is developing Nerf-branded capsule collections that will be distributed in major

News

Paluani – Nerf Easter Egg create original clothing and accessories collections – brands like Bait, Au Jour le Jour, Ete!, Coach, Paco Rabanne, Moleskine, Reebok and Zara. Expect to see innovative and original products in all market categories in 2020 to celebrate Monopoly’s big anniversary – but Hasbro is preparing now. It’s time to pass Go!

Tesco x Nerf Italian fashion retailers from the autumn/ winter period in 2019. By the end of 2019, an agreement signed with Easyshoes will allow Nerf fans to choose from a large collection of shoes and sneakers available from specialized chains such as Pittarosso, Scape&Scarpe and Scarpa Mondo. For Easter, a sweet surprise awaits fans of the brand with the launch at retail of a special chocolate egg from Paluani, while starting in May, breakfast will also include a touch of Nerf fun: thanks to Kelloggs, children will find a delightful Nerf surprise inside their Coco Pops, Frosties, Krave and other children’s cereals.

As the Nerf Nation expands, Hasbro is responding to the need of young people to distinguish themselves and express their identity by embracing brands and products that reflect their values and tastes. This is an important year for Hasbro in another way: it’s a year when Hasbro gets ready to celebrate the 85th anniversary of Monopoly in 2020. Monopoly remains the best-selling board game on the market, known and loved for at least three generations, and so iconic that it is even a source of inspiration for fashion brands that have used its distinctive elements to 85

Zara x Monopoly

News CTC MEDIA

A PURRING SUCCESS STORY KID-E-CATS is an animated preschool series which tells the story of three kittens: Cookie, Pudding and their kid sister Candy who are forever ready to jump into action with endless enthusiasm and energy. Their imagination knows no bounds, and these kittens are capable of the most absurdly funny problem-solving suggestions. Through life’s little lessons, they learn to look before they leap - well sometimes! Based on an original concept produced by CTC Media, which retains the IP ownership, and Studio Metrafilms, the international version of the show was brought to life by a combination of talents: experienced animators Dmitri Vysotsky and Andrey Sikorsky and producer Artem Vasilyev teamed up with executive producer Nigel Pickard and story editor Ceri Barnes, both brought on board by APC Kids, which holds global TV & CP distribution rights (outside Russia, CIS and China).

of Cookie, Pudding and Candy have not only won the hearts of children, but also the recognition of the industry: the show was last year’s Best Children’s Program at the prestigious TEFI Awards. By securing a deal with Nick Jr, the three little kittens have gone on a global adventure, reaching more than 100 million international households in more than 150 territories, since December 2017. The show’s performance has been particularly good in the UK on Nick Jr. as well, with an average audience of

3.4K during launch month, and in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia where its average share has been more than 25% above the network’s average. As of free-to-air performance, Kid-E-Cats has proven to be a hit on Puls 2 (Poland) and Cartoonito (Italy). The show has also landed or is airing soon on Canada (Knowledge Network), Spain (HBO and Super3), Ireland (TG4), Finland (Puls 2), Latvia (TV3), Lithuania (TV8), Estonia (ETV2), Hungary (MTVA) and Hong Kong (TVB). While the second season is airing internationally soon, the third season has already started airing in Russia. Through a digital media and licensed products deal between CTC Media and Beijing Joy Culture Media, the series was launched last December in over 20 platforms in China including Tencent video, IQIYI, Youku, Xiaomi and New TV, having already reached more than 100 million video views in its first month, and expected to reach 1 billion total views for all online platforms in 2019.

LICENSING

Conceived from the start as a full-scale property, Kid-E-Cats licensed products have already entered all major retail chains, toy stores and online stores in Russia, where customers can find over

BROADCASTING PLANS

In Russia, the series has been a ratings success from its premiere in October 2015 on CTC channel, where it quickly became the top show in the kids’ block, and also on leading children’s channel Carousel, where launched in autumn 2016 and quickly became the best performing pre-school show in 2018. The Russianspeaking YouTube channel has gathered 1.6 million subscribers, totalling 1.2 billion views to date. The everyday adventures 86

News

500 SKU of different products: colouring books, story books, plush, stationery, puzzles, creative activity kits, board games, children’s apparel and bed linen,

cereals and confectionery products. In 2018, APC Kids kick-started the global licensing and merchandising roll-out.

Leading children’s publisher Egmont picked up the publishing rights to the property for CEE. The first product lines of a range of story books, picture books, colouring activity books, sticker books and novelty books hit the shelves in March 2019 in Poland. Hong-Kong-based Toy Plus (Far East) Ltd., part of the Thai Group, has been appointed global master toy partner and is developing a toy range spanning plush, collectibles, figurines and play-sets targeted at preschool children, with global retail launch scheduled starting from November 2019. Other licensees on board are children’s powerhouse Ravensburger for puzzles and board-games around Europe, publishers Adriano Salani and Centauria in Italy, V. Christakopoulos for plush in Greece & Cyprus, and Anthaix for backto-school stationery and dinnerware in Peru. The Kid-Е-Cats brand also expands across mobile and digital: by the end of

2018 eight mobile games for kids had been released with more than 16 million downloads. Educational Kid-E-Cats games were created to develop little children’s logic and attentive skills and quickly ranked among top-selling educational games on Apple Store and Google Play Market in Russia. March 2019 will mark the beginning of the international roll-out of these games, developed by DevGame Oü, Metrafilms, JoyBox and Trilobit.

News EQSG

NEW CHALLENGES AND CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT Structuring «ideas that can be put into practice»: this is the philosophy that sums upthe vision of this company.

EQSG was born 35 years ago – the brainchild of Arnaldo Malfatto, who was able to anticipate what would be the growth of the Asian market a few years later. It was the beginning of a successful career and the establishment of an important firm in the promotional world. His work was carried on by his children Paola and Fabio, respectively Creative Director and President, together with Claudio Basile, General Manager, who manages the legal and administrative departments. The architect Chiara Malfatto, Fabio’s daughter, brought a fresh wave of creative innovation, working on the coordination of the visual department alongside Aunt Paola. The company has had its headquarters in Asti for over 30 years, with representative offices and accredited suppliers in the Far East, and is a leader in the areas of publishing, promotional activities and loyalty. The achievement of a number of certifications (including UNI EN ISO 9001, SA8000 and Sedex-Smeta) puts this company among the few players in the market worldwide to have embraced this kind of approach to product quality. The strength of EQSG lies in its ability to find the perfect balance between

creativity, all-Italian thinking, production partners in the Far East and customers spread all over the world – elements that have led to the realization of a number of highly successful projects. The company has consolidated its customer base and developed new market areas, both in terms of products and quality. The acquisition of some international licenses has further influenced the evolution of the business. Among its flagship projects for 2018, EQSG started a partnership with the Volponi agency, creating a collection of Super Mario cups and placemats for Auchan stores. A year ago EQSG, in collaboration with KINGO Srl, based in Ciriè, started Pronao Srl, an exclusive distributor of Origamo greeting cards

and, more recently, of W-Lamp products, enchanting ‘bright pop-ups’ that furnish living rooms and bedrooms with a touch of design and wonder. These are splendid design objects that, once turned on, make distinctive graphics appear. The W-Lamp Made in Italy products, handmade and customizable, are the perfect gifts. To further enrich an already ‘brilliant’ product, Pronao has acquired a license from Disney to bring customers old and young into the magical Disney world. EQSG is a company always looking for new challenges and in constant development.

Trends LIVE EVENTS

LICENSING GOES LIVE! Theatres, beaches, parks, exhibitions, aquariums, shopping malls…there are more and more places hosting shows and events that give children the chance to have immersive experiences alongside their favourite characters and their TV heroes. There’s nothing like a good family show – a show where music and animation turn dreams into a reality and children enjoy stimulating fun in a shared, exciting and joyous environment. It’s no wonder that live events have become an important driver of awareness for properties, creating emotional experiences that in turn create brand loyalty.

The project is targeted at elementary school children. For younger pupils it aims to develop and enhance creative energy through direct experiences and the handling of appropriate tools for technological expression – such as screens, webcams and video projectors. For children in the second cycle the focus will be on working with animated films, learning to master the physical mechanisms of ‘cartoon’ building and using pre-cinema machines and optical games. At the end of the project, all the content created will be used for a video that will be shown on a video totem in a shopping mall. Rai Yoyo will broadcast the different workshops and the various stages of the work. The classes will have an end-ofcourse party complete with prize giving. And who knows? Maybe the young artists will be directing their own live events in the not-too-distant future.

There’s even a chance for kids to do it for themselves thanks to a Media Education project created by Kimbe for Bennet for the spring and autumn of 2019. Kimbe is one of Italy’s leading events and communication agencies, with longterm experience in managing budgets for shopping mall events. It’s also the holder of exclusive rights for Italy for a number of important brands.

Publievent is one of the most highly regarded partners when it comes to supporting events, animations and

This education initiative has a highly regarded partner in the form of Rai Ragazzi, and also benefits from valuable input from the Fondazione PInAC (Pinacoteca Internazionale dell’Età Evolutiva Aldo Cibaldi), an institution whose mission is to add value to audio-visual culture produced by children around the world. 90

competitions in shopping malls. It has a number of new projects in the pipeline for 2019. For example, in March there will be lots of excitement around planned meet and greet events inspired by Shimmer&Shine, an animated series broadcast on Nick Jr and Cartoonito that tells the story of the adventures of a young girl called Leah and her neighbour Zac. In Season One the pair discover a magic bottle called Shimmer&Shine. Could it be the answer to all Leah’s problems? In Season Two, the children will move to the Zaharami Falls, a magic place and the home of Shimmer&Shine. Here the children will make friends with their

Trends LIVE EVENTS sovereign, Princess Samira, and Roya, her peacock, joining forces to defeat their enemy, Zeta the witch. The meet and greet will give young fans of this thrilling series the experience of getting up close to Leah and Zac and taking photos with them. Also new from Publievent is the show Tutti in Fiaba, created and written by Laura Carusino, presenter of Albero Azzurro, the longest-running children’s programme on Italian public television, which is still broadcast on RAI Yoyo. Tutti in Fiaba brings the world of fairy tales into the mall with a show that has the children as its leading characters. They become coinvestigators of a crime in a story in which Laura expertly takes on many roles. As Laura is reading a fairy tale suddenly the pages disappear. The story cannot go on. Who stole the pages? Laura takes on the role of detective and interrogates potential suspects, all characters in the fairy tale. But it was not one of them who stole the pages, so Laura continues her investigation. With many twists and turns to amuse children and parents alike, this is an afternoon of engrossing entertainment for everyone. There are also great expectations for Publievent’s new Feisty Pets project, based on the brand that has broken sales records for plush toys and YouTube views in the US, and that will be on show at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair. The Aquarium Sea Creatures event has also been a great success with both adults and children. Its partnership with WWF has been renewed after the success of Animals, last year’s award-winning project, and now visitors can enjoy an

exceptional exhibition that takes us down into the planet’s most amazing abysses – the depths of its seas. The various parts of the exhibition, programmed for display in major shopping malls in Italy, will offer full-size replicas of some of our world’s most unusual and delicate sea creatures and sea beds. Children will be taken on a fascinating journey of discovery through the oceans, seeing the amazing creatures that live

there, and having the chance to experience the wonders of the sunken world and its extraordinary inhabitants. Participating in engaging interactive activities, children will learn how sea creatures live and feed, how they bring up their off spring and many other amusing and amazing facts. The tour starts in a welcome area with a themed backdrop. There are eight areas, devoted to the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and

Trends Florence in October and ended in Cremona in March 2018. The new tour, once again bringing together Maggie and Bianca, ends in Brescia in March 2019. Given the strategic importance of the live tour to the brand, Rainbow has created an internal department that follows and manages this aspect of the brand, in order

Arctic oceans (two areas for each ocean), with stunning reproductions of what can be found in their depths. In this setting visitors will find 100 perfect, full-size reproductions of creatures from around the world: from the largest whales to the tiniest colourful fish, from majestic sharks to friendly dolphins, not forgetting some of the weirdest fish on the planet!

area where a fantastic surprise awaits them: wearing 3D glasses they will experience the feeling of being in a submarine deep down in the ocean. While the project is running, local schools will be invited to visit the exhibition and will receive a personalized attendance certificate as a souvenir.

to have direct control of the content used and to maintain the integrity of the property. The live event is centred around the two young stars from the acclaimed show broadcast on Rai Gulp, created by Iginio Straffi and co-produced by Rainbow together with Rai Fiction. Maggie and Bianca returned to major Italian theatres in November to meet strong demand from their thousands of fans, thrilling them with lively performances and great songs, accompanied by an energetic crew of dancers, and engaging them in their on-stage adventures.

Rainbow plans to continue the great success of its Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends tour. The first one started in

Another company that has embraced the importance of live events is Atlantyca Entertainment, with a dedicated team

There will also be detailed reproductions of the sea creaturesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; natural habitats and each area will offer display boards with information about the life, habits and history of the creatures displayed. Once they have finished the tour (guided by a professional marine biologist), the young divers will arrive in a multimedia 93

Trends LIVE EVENTS

lead by Rachele Geraci. Once again, a key aim is direct control of the content of the properties and interaction with the other departments in the company to raise awareness among young fans of all the properties in the group. Thanks to the success of previous international tours, not to mention public demand, Geronimo Stilton Fantasy Kingdom is returning to the

European countries) is based on a series of books that tells the story of the brave actions of Geronimo Stilton tackling elves, gnomes, pixies and witches in order to save Floridiana, queen of the fairies. With its 3D projections of the characters and the strong involvement of the young audience, the Geronimo Stilton musical is proving to be an international success. Leolandia, an Italian theme park especially popular with families, has become an ideal location for much-loved kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; properties to come to life. It is starting its latest season with a number of new shows based on properties with a strong licensing presence. The first of these is The Circus of the Forest the new exclusive show starring the massively popular

stage. This musical, created to appeal to children and families, is inspired by the popular Geronimo Stilton Fantasy Kingdom books that have sold over 14 million copies around the world, part of the 152 million books by the famous author Geronimo Stilton sold worldwide. The live production (on stage in several 94

Trends characters Masha and the Bear. The area dedicated to The Forest of Masha and the Bear allows guests to totally immerse themselves in the atmosphere of this TV show loved by its young audience and to have fun in large playgrounds in a setting based on that of the animated series itself. Other guests booked to play in the park include the characters from the animated series Miraculousâ&#x201E;˘, the stories of Ladybug and Chat Noir, who will enchant children and their families, who can take photographs together with the performers.

The much-loved PJ Masks stars will be there too, bringing on stage their superhero skills along with the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s positive values of solidarity and friendship. Children can also have fun with the shiny blue wagons of Thomas & Friends on which they can enjoy riding around the park.

Trends INFLUENCERS

CREATORS AND INFLUENCERS Which are the latest frontiers of communication and how the social media world and the so called influencers are shaping the consumers trends and consequently licensing as well. Following LM has gone in deep on this phenomenon that can’t be ignored anymore, but it has to be understood and well used.

The influence of Influencers We start this analysis by interviewing Sarah Chumsky, VP Insight Kids, Insight Strategy Group. With her, LM has gone in deep on how much Influencers impact on consumers’ attitudes. How Insight Strategy Group is structured and which is your main focus and which are your main market areas? Insight Strategy Group is part of a larger research and consulting firm called MarketCast Group. We, along with our sister companies - MarketCast, Fizziology, and Turnkey - offer consumer-centric custom business solutions, including qualitative and quantitative primary research and social media research. We do work globally and have offices around the U.S. and in London. The Insight Kids team is based in New York City. We are

a passionate group of researchers who specialize in kids and family work and have expertise in child development, youth trends, and family dynamics. We bring the voice of the child to the creative process. Our work covers many industries, including media, toys, travel/lifestyle, and nonprofit. How do you define the influencers today? We define influencers from the kid point of view, which means anyone worth listening to that they don’t know personally. Kids don’t stop at internet personalities when they think about influencers. They also include traditional pop culture icons like actors and musicians, as well as brands. How Kids see the world today? Developmentally, kids start with understanding themselves, then themselves in relation to their family and inner circle of friends, then their community, and the whole world. The

internet is accelerating and mashing up that natural process, exposing kids to elements of the world very early. Not only are kids using the internet, but we see very large numbers of kids with their own social media accounts, even in preschool. By age 11-12, about three-quarters of U.S. kids have an account on at least one of the big social media platforms. What is “culture-pedia”? Culture-pedia is the way we at Insight Kids describe the phenomenon of kids caring about the cultural zeitgeist and using social media platforms as their way in. Kids don’t just use these platforms to communicate with one another - like adults, they use them to stay plugged into and participate in trends and memes. Culture-pedia comes full circle when kids use this pop-culture knowledge to bond with friends in person. How do influencers shape kids attitude

Trends

through consumer products? Influencers earn kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trust and feel like an authentic source of recommendations on everything from media to consumer products and experiences. Seventy-seven percent of U.S. kids age 5-12 report that they trust YouTubersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recommendations on things to buy more than they trust commercials. Can you tell us which are the big three realms of influencers?

Influencers need to consider platform, format, and personality when developing their strategy to connect with kids. More in details, which is the different message basing on the platform? YouTube and Instagram are the biggest influencer platforms for kids, by far. Kids use them differently - YouTube very much for learning, including what to buy, and Instagram for bonding with friends and family and staying on top of trends. Both

help kids explore their passions. What about the format? How influencers choose to show their content makes a difference too. Certain types of videos are more popular with kids than others, and this varies by age. Pranks and humor rise to the top overall, with 69% of U.S. kids 5-12 ranking that format as something they watch weekly. Music videos are not far behind, at 67% weekly engagement.

Trends INFLUENCERS Finally, which is the impact of influencer’s personality? Different topics also match best with different personality types. Our factor analysis shows four main personality types for kids, which we’ve named The Superfan, The Buddy, The Firecracker and The Icon. Superfans are true experts, and kids expect them to be at the top of their game. Musicians, for example, need to be Superfans. The Buddy is relatable, often learning along with kids, and making sure they can follow along. This personality type is great for influencers who do tutorials. The Firecracker is full of energy and funny, so great for un-boxers and those who do slice-of-life videos. And The Icon is a master at self-branding, helping kid fans feel like they are part of an exclusive group. These personality traits work well for those in fashion.

WEBSTARS CHANNEL. The creators’ content factory It was an insight. And he was the first person in Italy to act on it. LM interviewed Luca Casadei, founder of Webstars Channel and the first person in Italy to understand what could be done with a

Luca Casadei, Creative Director & founding partner of Web Stars Channel

At the very end, how do you see the future for influencers vs. children’s audience and the final impact on the consumer products? Our data shows that children of Millennials are more frequently engaging with all influencers formats compared to children of GenX parents. This tells us that influencers are not going away in kids’ lives, and their presence may be increasing. Those who create products and content for kids need to be aware of the impact that influencers have on kids’ attitudes and behaviors, and leverage that knowledge thoughtfully and responsibly.

new way of communicating via social media. How and when did you realise that the world of influencers was not a passing fad but a new frontier for communication? I dipped into social media in 2008 and 2009, watching a lot of what was happening abroad. What I saw in the content was something unlike any other medium. There was no difference between producers and users. Unlike television or cinema content, where the distinction between performer and viewer is clear, the perception on the web is that anyone can create content. I started Luca Casadei Management in 98

Trends 2009 with the first of these creators. I had worked out that this was the new frontier for artists – and it offered a lot of freedom. There’s no need to talk to a network manager if you want to produce a programme; with the web all you need to have is something interesting to say. It was in 2013-14 when I first experimented with converting the content of these creators, with the publication of a book. That was “Yet Another Really Stupid Book” by Leonardo Decarli. I still remember proposing this project to Mondadori, and how perplexed the editorial director looked, so I suggested that he check with his daughter to see if she knew the

First we build an audience, then we build a creative concept around a product. Then we choose the performers best able to express that concept.

phenomenon). The content was divided into five chapters. We created 10 golden cards. Those who could find them could spend a day with Favij. We sold 1,500,000 cards in no time at all. The key to making this work was to come up with a creative concept each time that encouraged kids to buy in. We were Mondadori Selecta’s bestsellers from 2015 to 2018 and have developed many products with other Italian

artist I was talking about. Her reaction convinced him to do the book. We were terrified because it was the first time we had sold a product coming from a creator. Even bookstores were perplexed. We then had a live signing event. The first one was extraordinary. We asked the Mondadori bookstore in Milan how many copies were available for the event. The answer was 200.1200 people showed up. We got through all the books in the first eight minutes. Young people came from everywhere because it was the first time the creator’s fans could see him live. The book topped the rankings in just three days. We had ten live signings around Italy, attracting thousands upon thousands of readers to bookstores – even young people who had never read before – generating enormous sales. After this success I went to Panini and proposed Favij to them. With them, we created content to address young boys (this was around the time of the Violetta 99

publishers, including products for a more adult target audience.

Trends INFLUENCERS Who, in your opinion, better translates creators’ trends into buying and what is the mechanics of the process? This world was devised with a target group of children and young people in mind. The target age range that offers the most conversions is aged from 5 to 14. In the newsstand world, with MeControTe we made 9 million euros in a month, making Diramix an important player in the market. In 2015 we started with paper products and learning-based content, with Favij for Giochi Preziosi. An extraordinary success for three consecutive seasons. We have recently started with the Mates. In 2018 we sold 19 million items across all the categories we developed. The difference between us and traditional entertainment is that with a character you have to follow a style guide and that’s it. Instead we don’t have such constraints. We create communication around the product for the customer. We use the creator’s media to communicate that a product with his or her own brand is coming to market.

Network’s task is to search through all the talent on the net. Lastly, a division called Talent Management is tasked with training creators, turning them into stars and bringing them into the mainstream, so they’re known everywhere.

As for target groups, we go from kids to millennials. That is, from the five-yearold child (and we will soon start from two years, producing channels for children aged 3 to 6) all the way up to young adults. The core target market is 5– 34 years. For licensing, the most important age group is 5 – 14 years. Each creator speaks to a very specific age band and we have clustered our audience in relation to the target. How important is licensing in your group? It is becoming more and more important. We create branded content, but there is nothing more powerful than a creator communicating to an audience about a product that belongs to him or her. You can’t compare the promotion of just any book with that of one’s own book – that is, the book of a creator. We don’t do licensing with the kids exactly, but rather with the digital identity that they’ve built over time. You start by creating their brand, which is a form of what you might call personal branding. Then you can

How has your agency developed over the years and what are its main targets? I started Webstars Channel in 2012. Today it has expanded into a group with five brands and its own advertising agency WSCMEDIA. It has its own production and creativity house – we think up and produce any SWAP content. Made In Internet is the structure that deals with the licensing side. Grow Up 100

Trends create communication and products for the market. How do you see the future of influencers and the dialogue with companies that want to reach an increasingly volatile and social audience? Creators are totally normal young people. Through them we get to know the tastes and trends of today’s kids. No one has a better idea than they do what today’s kids like. When we talk to them we talk to their audience: they are the people considered most credible by their peers – and it is immediate. The creator today is the new generation of artist: he or she transmits knowledge, impressions and opinions in a fast and smart way. They are the new entertainers.

#SNAPSTAR. THE SOCIAL INFLUENCER DOLL #SNAPSTAR doll includes a fully poseable doll with 15 points of articulation, outfit and accessories, removable hairstyle, green screen and stand (for the perfect pics) and “miniature” cell phone. It also includes a free #SNAPSTAR Studio app to glam up the doll, change her hairstyle and more. Children can save the image to the camera roll and share with friends on social using the hashtag, #SNAPSTAR.

#SNAPSTAR is a line of fashion dolls for the way today’s tweens play, made of YouTube and sociaI engagement. The #SNAPSTAR groups by YULU is made of: Lola, Aspen, Dawn, Yuki, Echo and Izzy

Although the language of the creator tends to have nothing to do with TV, with Sky Uno Channel we have created a programme for people who watch the web: Social Face. We did a challenge-only programme aimed at kids and teenagers, which was incredibly successful. We were able to create a format and a television product as if we were shooting on YouTube and without thinking about the logic of TV. We made three seasons of Social Face; the last one aired in December 2018. On the content front, we create content for kids that radiates positive energy and fun. Of course, with age tastes change. A teenager no longer wants to see just challenges. He or she wants more complex content. For example, for the web we have produced a live show for viewers aged 18 upwards. It’s called YOTOBI. It’s great, but it definitely dials down the insanity a bit.

part of a new fashion doll brand that’s going to define what’s new for girls. This squad of six social influencers, each with a distinct personality and a unique sense of style, are ready to immerse fans into an exciting world of: Fashion, Beauty, Music, Travel, Photography and Design. Each

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This unrivaled ability to style and ‘play’ with the doll helps to bring the world of #SNAPSTAR to Iife. The #SNAPSTAR World Studio and App has lots of locations like a Red media-worthy Carpet runway, backdrops Paris and more. Girls can decide where they’re hanging out and having fun with their #SNAPSTAR. The App has also tons of customizable styling options for hair, make-up and accessories. Tweens can share their unique photos with their friends or comment on someone else’s #SNAPSTAR post! Thanks to the free #SNAPSTAR Studio™ app (available on iOS and Android), tweens can turn their doll into a sociaI media STAR!

Publishing NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PUBLISHING

THE GLOBAL PUBLISHING STRATEGY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: MAKE IT FUN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD National Geographic has been igniting the explorer in all of us for 131 years through groundbreaking storytelling from the best and brightest scientists, explorers, photographers, and filmmakers in the world. and video, or experiences for kids such as the National Geographic Bee, they align everything to their learning framework. This framework describes the attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary for kids to take on the mindset of an explorer. Young explorers are curious, responsible, and empowered. They have mastered the skills of observation, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving, and they are knowledgeable about our human journey, our changing planet, and wildlife and wild places. Kids who follow in these footsteps will themselves be empowered to succeed, and, even more importantly for all of us, will be inspired to become the next stewards of our planet.

National Geographic Kids and National Geographic Education seek to extend that spirit of exploration and ignite it inside every child. Not so that all kids can climb the highest mountain or dive to the deepest depth, but so that they can be explorers in every way - ranging from the highest tree in the backyard to the deepest depths of the mind. All kids need

to harness that sense of wonder and ask questions and look for answers, because the future of our world depends on those who question and those who care. When National Geographic use their yellow portal on the world to create resources for teachers, and products for kids including 100 books a year, two magazines, an award-winning website, 102

Publishing

BOOKS PROGRAM

National Geographic publishes 150 new books for adults, families, and children on a wide range of nonfiction subjects from animals to travel, cartography to history, fun facts to moving stories. The books are published in 40 languages with more than 100 licensing partners around the world. National Geographic has more than 20 years of experience as a licensor creating long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships and our licensing partners sold more than 6.5 million books last year alone. National Geographic Adult books are published categories of history, science, health, travel, photography, reference, memoir, and narrative nonfiction. Being one of the world’s leading nonfiction publishers, National Geographic proudly supports the world of scientists, explorers, photographers, and authors, as well as publishing a diverse list of books that celebrate the world and all that is in it. A portion of all proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society. This Fall National Geographic will launch the Year of the Woman initiative with Women: The National Geographic Image Collection, which portrays the female experience around the globe across 130 glorious years of photographic history. With Epic Journeys National Geographic is able to provide the ultimate bucket list for thrill seekers and adventurers, whether it’s navigating class-five rapids

in Guatemala or experiencing tantalizing dishes in Tokyo. The Photo Ark project returns with Vanishing, with Joel Sartore’s haunting exploration of the world’s most endangered species. Joel Sartore’s quest to photograph all the animal species under human care celebrates its 15th year with this glorious and heart wrenching collection of photographs. The animals featured in these pages are either destined for extinction or already extinct in the wild but still alive today, thanks to dedication of a heroic group committed to their continued survival. From the majestic Sumatran rhinoceros to the tiny Salt Creek tiger beetle, Sartore’s photographs bring us eye to eye with the kaleidoscopic diversity of shapes, colors, personalities, and attitudes of the animal world. National Geographic Kids teaches children about the world and how it works, empowering them to succeed and make it a better place. We are consistently recognized as industry leaders in the field of children’s nonfiction books. Our titles are vetted by experts, tested by a kid panel, and approved by parents. More than 100 are the National Geographic Kids titles published each year, including the best-selling franchises like the National Geographic Kids Almanac, Weird But True books, leveled Readers, the bestselling Little Kids First Big Book series, and many more.

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Under the Stars, the new National Geographic’s Fiction Imprint, was launched in 2018 with Explorer Academy, now in 20 languages. This seven-book series continues with the release of Explorer Academy: The Falcon’s Feather in March, and Explorer Academy: The Double Helix in September. Explorer Academy Codebreaking Activity Adventure, the first of several activity books lets kids test their knowledge of ancient codes and ciphers

in a series of head-scratching puzzles and publishes in May. “The information is so cool and seems fantastical, because a lot of people don’t realize the cutting-edge science and technology that we’re on the verge of, and the amazing things researchers and scientists are doing around the world,” says Rebecca Baines, VP and editorial director at National Geographic Kids Books. “The Explorer Academy series features a ‘Truth Behind’ section at the back of each book explaining the technology or scientific principles explored in the story.” Erica Green, National Geographic Kids Books Editorial Director, adds: “We’ve spent the last few years developing riveting fictional stories like ‘Explorer Academy’ for this new imprint. We hope the characters in these books will offer inspiration, by helping kids and adults alike ultimately want to explore and protect our planet. Each book published through Under the Stars will be steeped in fact and real-world investigation and will showcase characters and illuminate situations that embody our remarkably talented explorers and how they interact

Publishing NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PUBLISHING with the world.” Through fiction, National Geographic is able to hook kids on science and exploration. This Fall a new publication, Zeus the Mighty: The Quest for the Golden Fleas, will hit the market. Greek mythology meets The Secret Life of Pets in this first adventure in a hilarious new middle grade fiction series that’s researched and vetted by mythology experts and has back matter explaining the real myths. The series stars Zeus the hamster, Athena the cat, Poseidon the puffer fish, and a pug named after Ares, the god of war, and is meant to educate kids about Greek myths and the culture and geography of ancient Greece. The first book in the series will be followed by a new book every six months. Fiction is an important focus for National Geographic. In fact “Fiction is a first for us,” said Jennifer Emmett, Vice President for Content in the Kids and Family division at National Geographic. “We want to use whatever attracts kids to connect them to the real world based on real science, real society, real culture. We want to engage them with characters so they become even more interested in the science that National Geographic sponsors.” Nat Geo views the project as its version of the iconic Harry Potter books. “Harry Potter is an enormously high bar, but some of what we are doing is modeled after that,” Emmett explained. “Kid were dying to grow up to be wizards, which they really couldn’t do. But they can grow up to be explorers. We like that pathway.” National Geographic Collectible products reach millions of readers each year. By partnering with top publishers in this segment like RBA, Hachette, Topps and Centauria we have released 18 collections enabling Kids and Adults to become experts on high-interest subjects - from 5,000 years of the history of civilization in the 30 volume World History Collection to understanding the Human Body in 80 volumes.

KIDS MAGAZINE PROGRAM

Launched in 1975, National Geographic Kids magazine (ages 6-12) is the leading general-interest kids magazine in the US with kid-tested, parent-approved stories on animals, nature, science, technology, 104

Publishing

history, geography and exploration. Departments include favorite franchises like Weird But True, Amazing Animals, Bet You Didn’t Know, Cool Inventions and Guinness World Records, and an interactive Fun Stuff section with games and puzzles. The English edition is published 10 times per year and distributed globally with a circulation of 750,000 copies and estimated 4 million readers. The magazine is published in 19 local languages with leading kids magazine publishers around the world, with a combined circulation of 515,000 copies. National Geographic Little Kids magazine (ages 3-6) launched in 2007 and is published 6 times per year. Local language editions are published in China and Turkey.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS FRANCHISES

The WEIRD BUT TRUE! franchise is full of wild and entertaining, brain-bending facts accompanied by vibrant photography and illustrations. Eye-popping photos and bold, colorful graphics nab kids’ attention and entice them to read. Brain-bending facts cover a broad range of topics, from science to food to pop culture and just about everything else under the sun. The AMAZING ANIMALS line captures news-worthy anecdotal stories about some of the most amazing animals on earth. Providing kids with short, but 105

thorough factual stories on high-interest topics, these stories include entertaining, true adventures of some impressive animals. BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW. Did you know that the first stop signs were black and white? Or that a litter of kittens is called a kindle? Based on a favorite department in Nat Geo Kids magazine, this franchise is chock-full of fascinating facts, silly stats, and catchy little knowledge nuggets in all kinds of cool categories, from astronomy and dinosaurs to revolutions and breakfast.

Publishing KOKO ROSE MEDIA

FERLY and KOKO ROSE MEDIA IN PARTNERSHIP ON Deer Little Forest FERLY to present Deer Little Forest European Publishing at Bologna Book Fair. absolutely appeal to Nordic audiences.” “We are thrilled to be working with the out-of-the-box thinkers at FERLY. Ferly’s team has a rare combination of progressive strategy and traditional creativity, ideal for taking high-quality properties to the top of a competitive industry,” added Lisa Hryniewicz, Managing Director of Koko Rose Media. “Ferly also has a very flexible and responsive structure, able to respond and adapt quickly to a challenging and evolving market. We know that DLF is in the best hands possible!” Koko Rose Media has teamed up with Global Entertainment company FERLY to develop its kids-oriented arts & lifestyle brand Deer Little Forest across publishing in Europe and licensing in the Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. The broad-based deal will see the companies work together to exploit current licensing and publishing assets across traditional category lines, as well as to create entirely new content across various platforms, starting with publishing at Bologna Book Fair. Ferly will work together with other DLF agents on the creation and representation of publishing content, such as board, activity and story books. The first new project to be presented at Bologna Book Fair will be a children’s board book entitle WHO’S TAIL IS IT, illustrated by creator Jo Rose, and written by Ruriko Enya, a Japanese children’s writer engaged by Japanese Agent Honmoku Files. Heikki Laaninen, Head of Licensing of FERLY commented, “We’re excited to work with Koko Rose Media on their innovative brand, Deer Little Forest. This is the kind of vibrant storytelling and artistic design that we believe will

For more information see: www.deerlittleforest.com

Deer LittleForest is an Arts & Lifestyle brand created by Jo Rose featuring an esoteric collection of mischievous animal characters and nature-inspired designs. The high-end property has been licensed across stationary, housewares, digital games and magazines – with a DLF branded theme park opening in Bangkok next summer.

Ferly is an award winning boutique agency that provides a highly specialized, tailor-made approach that best leverages the power of the unique brands in their carefully cultivated catalogue. From consumer products to content creation, Ferly is a one-stop shop to licensing with their in-house publishing and animation divisions as well as their strong relationships to top tier manufacturers, TV and film studios. 106

Events #BLTF 19

#BLTF19: KEEPING UP WITH CONTEMPORARY TRENDS Entertainment, image licensing, design, illustrators, influencers, sport… This year’s Bologna Licensing Trade Fair offers a rich selection that will meet the needs – and pique the curiosity – of many professionals in the industry. Meanwhile, the Creative Studio FrankFlò, which sprang from the creative minds of Francesco Delvecchio, fashion designer, and Filomena Guzzo, performer artist, sculptor, illustrator and designer, will present # PROJECT1: a limited edition of unique pieces from the number 0 to the number 2000 which are real wearable artworks. This capsule collection was prelaunched in Los Angeles in mid-March and now arrives at the Licensing Trade Fair in Bologna. Design is also the theme of a meeting organized in collaboration with the Master in Kids & Toys Design of the Politecnico di Milano, which revolves around designs applied to toys, involving not just the publishing world but also the world of illustration. The 12th Bologna Licensing Trade Fair showcases – and welcomes– the latest licensing trends. There will be entertainment brands, of course, but there will also be an emphasis on new ways of communicating and new approaches to the market – approaches that go beyond traditional licensing. For example, as well as the main exhibition area, a large space will be dedicated to new insights. One of the main attractions here will be the chance to meet the two main Italian agencies in the world of influencers, Webstars Channel and Newtopia, which have been disrupting traditional approaches to the target audience of children and young adults (see article on page 96). Also, on the YouTube front, Showlab is presenting a new publishing project, MEGAWOW, the channel dedicated to Eppy – the first puppy ‘creator’. It’s a channel for children and families that brings together stories and play.

Another major theme is museum licensing, not least thanks to the valuable contribution of Bridgeman Images, one of the leading international image licensing agencies, which in 2018 was commissioned by MIBAC to develop a licensing strategy for Italian museums. This is an important challenge – bringing one of the most valuable cultural heritages in the world to the Italian and foreign licensing market. In addition to a busy agenda featuring many previews from exhibitors such as Planeta Junior, Turner and Starbright Licensing, this BLTF will also host the very first event organized around Sport Licensing: a roundtable, featuring the major Italian sports clubs, on the state of the art for this area of the market. Design and fashion also play a leading role in this year’s fair. For the first time there will be an exhibition, I&D - Illustrators & Design, bringing together illustrations from the Book Fair with product design. 108

Here there are a few ideas of what to expect at the show, in addition to those already announced in the previous pages of this packed issue of LM.

#PROJECT1 by FrankFlò

Events

ATLANTYCA Atlantyca announces even more creepy adventures in Bat Pat 2! BatPat is back! In Bologna Atlantyca will launch the second season of the creepy animated show Bat Pat. The new season (52x12’) is a co-production between Mondo TV Producciones Canarias, with the participation of Rai Ragazzi and TVE. In the second season, the amazing talking bat (and his whacky transformations), together with the Silver brothers, sets out to rescue supernatural creatures, not only in Fogville, but pretty much anywhere, in a world populated by quite a lot of odd creatures. In their amazing new vehicle driven by the zombie girl Molly Walker, our heroes will move from one spooky place to another to save all kinds of creatures and monsters. The launch of the new episodes is set for Halloween 2019. Atlantyca is developing a colourful new style guide based on Halloween themes.

TAILOR-MADE BRAND Tailor-made brand by Cla&Dom for the first time in Bologna Claretta Muci, journalist and writer, and Andrea Domestici, artist, are two experienced authors who will be launching their brands in Bologna. They develop characters on commission for editorial projects, loyalty programmes, social campaigns and kids’ publishing. Drawing on their creativity, experience and strong drawings, as well as fun, poetic and unusual stories, which help them develop reliable and strong ideas for promotional products, Cla&Dom create and produce ‘plug and play’ content, tailor-made for publishers, marketing agencies and loyalty programmes, with unique characters that encapsulate a brand.

POWER RANGERS

Events #BLTF 19

FUNWOOD

PLANETA JUNIOR

New from Funwood SHAUN THE SHEEP. After the success of the feature film Shaun the Sheep, Aardman is launching a new chapter in the story of our charismatic woolly friend: Farmageddon will be released in theatres in May 2019. GODZILLA. 2019 will also see the release of a new feature film: Godzilla, King of the Monsters.

Planeta Junior looks ahead PUCCA. This brand recently joined the group’s portfolio and Planeta has launched a strong marketing campaign. PLAYMOBIL THE MOVIE. The first Playmobil movie will debut in theatres in November. FIND ME IN PARIS. A

This is the second chapter of the trilogy from Toho, following the first movie that was released in 2014. The third is already in production and will be released in 2020. DISCOVERY. Funwood presents Discovery #MINDBLOWN, a new worldwide brand that will stimulate the curiosity of young scientists through games, experiments, magazines and much more! NEW SCHOOL. A new fun series for kids that follows the adventures of a bunch of students at McGaffin School, all of whom have one goal in mind: to get in the WC (Wall of Celebrities).

new live-action series for girls that is set to be a great audience and licensing success, thanks to a very strong broadcast schedule. GORMITI. The new series, co-produced by Giochi Preziosi, Planeta Junior and Kotoc, has quickly become one of the most popular properties for boys. MIRACULOUS. This phenomenon is now much more than a TV series. It’s everywhere, including theme parks and numerous licensed products.

GRUPPO ALCUNI

TURNER

The new Leo Da Vinci Tv Series In the year that sees celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the death of the Italian genius, Gruppo Alcuni launches the new animated TV series Leo da Vinci (52x13’), on air from the end of 2019. The series, co-produced by Gruppo Alcuni, Rai Ragazzi, HR, Cosmos Maya and All Rights Entertainment, will tell the story of the young Leonardo as tries to balance the demands of being a genius with the everyday life of a teenage kid. Leo da Vinci will experience many different adventures, with old and new friends like Lisa and Lorenzo de Medici, and face some old enemies in the form of pirates. At #BLTF19 Gruppo Alcuni will also present the new season of the great Rai Yoyo success, Pet Pals.

Focus on preschool At the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair, Turner, part of the WarnerMedia group, will unveil news about its main franchises: Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, We Care Bears and The Amazing World of Gumball –represented in Italy by Boing SpA. Bakugan the global franchise that will be back this year with Bakugan Battle Planet, a new TV series that will be broadcast on Cartoon Network and Boing, also joins the group. And there’s also news on the preschool side, as Boing SpA handles the licensing rights in Italy for Simone and Kid-E-Cats, on air on Cartoonito. Finally, for the older target audience, Rick and Morty’s success is growing, as is the success of the great classic Holly and Benji. 110

Events

STARBRIGHT Starbright Licensing launches Britto and My Hero Academia in Italy and celebrates DRAGON BALL’s 30th anniversary Among the new launches at BLTF2019, Starbright is presenting, for the European market, the licensing and merchandising rights for artworks created by the famous artist Romero Britto. Born in Brazil and raised in Miami, Britto is an international artist who uses colourful patterns to communicate his optimistic vision of the world. His works are exhibited in galleries in over 100 countries and, thanks to his versatility, he already has several international collaborations to his name, including, to name only a few, Absolut Vodka, Campari, Pepsi, IBM, Audi, Bentley, CocaCola, Evian, Disney, Mattel and Chiquita. Another new entry in Starbright’s portfolio this year is My Hero Academia, the animated Japanese series, based on a famous manga, made up of more than 63 episodes divided into three seasons. Already a phenomenon in Japan, this will soon be launched in Europe and the USA, where there are already many fan communities. The agency is also celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Dragon Ball, with an event dedicated to the brand in which new plans for 2020-21 will be presented alongside Toei Animation and the main partners.

DeA PLANETA BOOKS DeA Planeta Books presents the DummySaurus The DummySaurus is a funky community of (slightly dumb!) dinosaurs: Ditzy, Dinus, Diva, Cassandra, Codone and many other weird characters. All of them are vegetarians (but they can’t resist beetlechips…) and they only have one thing in mind: having loads of fun, possibly with a groovy soundtrack playing along! These funny DummySaurus are true stars of a great comedy series and also the main characters in a book series developed by DeA Planeta Publishing. DummySaurus is an original brand created by Dami Just For Kids.

Events #BLTF 19

I&D - ILLUSTRATORS AND DESIGN BLTF’s partner companies were inspired by numerous Italian and foreign illustrations selected in 2018 to create new artefacts or embellish existing collections for this project – but it will not end with the fair. After the exhibition in fact, the products may appear in catalogues and be sold into Italian and international markets. I&D - Illustrators & Design also represents an opportunity to find new collaboration and career opportunities for illustrators, while for the companies involved this space is a source of inspiration, from which the visitor can understand the enormous commercial potential that comes from the world of illustration. The companies taking part in the first showing of this unique exhibition include: Tessitura Toscana Telerie, with home and bed textiles; F.lli Carillo, with textiles and objects; Stamperia Pascucci dal 1826, with crafts and home textiles; Pronao, with highly original paper lamps; Yapadapadou, with home décor products from Greece for children; and Illustrabimbi, with children’s clothing lines – all inspired by the world of illustration.

In recent years, we’ve seen how illustration can be used in many different fields with great success, from art to large-scale market products. I&D - Illustrators & Design is an exhibition–born from the partnership between Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair (BLTF) – that wants to tell this story.

Tessitura Toscana Telerie

Pronao

The exhibition will take place in Pavilion 32, and features a series of prototypes produced by manufacturing companies, based on selected images – artworks from the artists showcased at the prestigious 2018 Illsutrators Exhibition of last Bologna Children’s Book Fair. 112

Events #BLTF 19

FUNKO SPONSOR OF THE LICENSING RETAIL LOUNGE AT BLTF19 high-quality products of their favorite characters, stories and moments from pop culture. Funko holds the industry’s largest portfolios of licensing rights, giving consumers and retailers unmatched access and variety to an ever-growing array of products including figures, plush, accessories, apparel and homewares.

Learn more at https://funko.com/

Funko designs, creates and sells pop culture-driven consumer products. The company crosses all genres of entertainment, including movies, sports, TV, music, gaming, and anime. Funko gives people the opportunity to own

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ funkoeurope/ Instagram (@funko_europe) https://www.instagram.com/ funko_europe/?hl=en Twitter Funko Europe https://twitter. com/funkoeurope?lang=en

Events #BLTF 19

SUBWAY SURFERS, THE GAME AND THE ANIMATIONS. QUALITY THAT CREATES SUCCESS AND LOYALTY! of the animated cartoon were online on YouTube and SYBO TV in streaming, and the views, in a few months, were more than 85 million; the 11th episode, online in January 2019, has overcome the 5.5 million views! Created in 2012 by Kiloo and Sybo Games, SUBWAY SURFERS is an endless runner mobile game which sees a group of friends, street art lovers, who need to constantly run from an inspector

SUBWAY SURFERS is a media wonder: downloaded over 2,2 billion times, played for more than 14 billion hours (about 1,7 billion years), SUBWAY SURFERS is a world phenomenon and still growing: the most downloaded mobile game in 2017 and 2018! Last year the first 10 episodes

and his dog who persecute them. With the subsequent creation of the animated series (written by Brent Friedman, Francesca Marie Smith and produced by Sander Schwartz, Emmy Award winner), the personality of SUBWAY SURFERS characters is perfected in engaging stories which tell of friendship, adventure and now even mystery. The success of SUBWAY SURFERS is impressive and still growing: surely winning the first ideas of the creators but the difference is made by the care for quality and details, the constant adding of ideas and production 114

(like the SUBWAY SURFERS World Tour which visits cities and places around the world), the particular regard for customers loyalty, all these facts have made sure that the appreciation of the series both as game and animation, is constantly growing after 6 years! The creators wanted to consolidate the success of SUBWAY SURFERS before entering into licensing. For this reason the consumer products roll-out plan has just started and, after only a few weeks, there are major international players in competition to secure this property. “We are sure that the Italian companies will be taking this important opportunity too...” declares Grazia Bussandri of Premium S.r.l., recently appointed SUBWAY SURFERS’s Italian Agents, “...it is a property with classic values and, at the same time extremely modern which communicates to the young generations through their natural media, which has already shown its tremendous liking with huge numbers and which is now ready to become lifestyle. Italian quality and taste are the cherry on the cake for this series!”

Events #BLTF 19

TRULLI TALES, AN ITALIAN SUCCESS BORN IN PUGLIA AND NOW BROADCAST IN MORE THAN 123 COUNTRIES and clumsy Copperpot. In each episode our little heroes deal with the normal problems of children of their age, but in a special setting, where magic wands are kitchen utensils, recipes reveal emotions and a drop of magical oil can awaken the magical Nonnatrulla book. With the help of Miss Frisella, a special recipe will allow our heroes to rediscover the right path, solve everyday problems and grow as chefs, as magicians, but above all as people, discovering that a recipe in the kitchen can be a recipe for life. An enchanted kingdom at the foot of a centuries-old olive grove, a secret cookbook, a baker and four apprentice magician-chefs. These are the ingredients of Trulli Tales. Trulli Tales is the new 2D animated series for children, inspired by an Italian idea and exported all over the world, broadcast on Rai Yoyo and Disney Junior, and produced by RaiRagazzi, Congedo Culturarte, Fandango TV, Gaumont Animation and Groupe PVP, in association with Gloob and ICI RadioCanada.

adventures, with a focus on healthy food and sharing – real Italian values! Set in Trulloland, a magical village of funny, pointed houses that brings to mind Alberobello, Puglia’s Unesco’s World Heritage Site, the series (52x11’) tells the story of Ring, Sun, Zip and Stella, students of the famous Cooking and Magic School, who are busy making recipes from the Nonnatrulla magic book and foiling the sinister plans of the funny

The original idea was the inspiration of two sisters from Puglia – Fiorella and Maria Elena Congedo. Today Trulli Tales is broadcast on Disney Junior throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, on Gloobinho in Brasil, and on Radio Canada in Canada. It has also been sold into China, Singapore, South Korea and New Zealand, for a total of 123 countries and 25 languages. The series introduces kids and families around the world to the flavour and taste of the best Mediterranean diet. Fun, friendship and teamwork are the key elements that inspire our heroes’ 115

From 2019, the cute Trullalleri have made their way into toys, puzzles, figurines and magazines, handkerchiefs, books and other products for children, thanks to collaborations with top Italian licensees. More recently there’s been news of a partnership between this property and Aeroporti di Puglia – a treat for young travellers departing from the airports of Bari and Brindisi, who will be given an exclusive booklet full of activities, all with a Trulli Tales theme.

Trends KIDZ GLOBAL

Create the reading habit young: a look at global trends in printed and digital reading materials for preschool kids A contribution By Ivan Colecchia, SVP Global Development Kidz Global More than 1 in 3 parents of preschool children in 7 European countries, USA, China and Brazil do not read to their preschool children on a regular, daily basis. In this analysis made by Ruth Clement, based on our most recent Kidz Global study, The Kid Consumer 2019, which tracks the lives, habits and consumer

books. Italy has one of the lowest levels of reading participation, with 44% of parents not reading to their preschoolers on a regular, daily basis. Significantly fewer Italian parents affirmed that their preschool child enjoys using books or looking at the pictures in books.

Ivan Colecchia

To find out more insights and trends about how reading fits in with kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; busy lives, visit https//thekidconsumer.com To contact Kidz Global Team: contact@thekidconsumer.com ivan.colecchia@kidzglobal.com ruth.clement@kidzglobal.com

Do Italian preschoolers have less access to books? As few as 58% of Italian parents use their own books to read to their preschool children. Compare that to the number of parents in the USA (82%), Germany (79%) or UK (76%) who use their own books to read to their preschool children. The spotlight is often placed on kids of reading age, i.e. kids who can independently read, aged 6+. The challenge for the publishing industry is that the less engaged parents are in introducing books, reading and storytelling to preschool kids, the fewer books they

Graphic 01 behavior of over 18,000 kids aged 3-14, reveals that over a third of preschoolers across 10 countries: - miss out on that special bonding moment of stories at bedtime, shared with a parent; - miss out on regular joy of storytelling with books, the visualization, imagination and relaxation it provides; - and the immeasurably valuable precursor, the foundations of reading, which preschool story books offer in the form of tactile and beautifully illustrated 116

Trends but may simply have ‘lost sight of’ these benefits and need reminding that they are easy activities to slot in to a daily bedtime routine. For the sustainability of publishing in the long term, more may need to be done to educate parents of preschoolers about the early years advantage for kids in having access to a variety of books, to support not just their education and academic development, but to increase the cognitive abilities more widely, nurture the inquisitiveness and imagination which can be satisfied through books.

Graphic

Graphic 02 own. When books are not owned, not ready to hand for that moment when a preschool child asks for a story, these less engaged parents reach for their mobile devices, to find reading content and create the habit of ‘screen reading’ in their kids from an early age. It’s no coincidence, that, at 19%, use of tablets for reading to preschoolers in Italy is nearly double what it is in other countries and that this perpetuates in to older age groups too. 21% of Italian kids aged 6-8 use a mobile phone to read, compared to 15% on average across Euro 7 countries. Italian kids don’t have higher ownership of mobile phones or tablets. Far from it. And this limited ownership of both books and digital devices means less opportunity to instigate reading of their own free will.

Summary

It would be wrong to assume, with the steady march of digital technology in to all corners of our lives, that kids are simply migrating away from traditional printed materials and on to digital format reading. At a crucial age when printed materials support and engage early readers, and individual ownership of electronic devices is still less than 30%, for kids aged 6-8 in the Euro 7 countries, these novice readers, kids 6-8, prefer to read printed material, books they own, books they borrow from friends or family, library books, school reading scheme books or comics. Parents who don’t routinely read to their preschool kids at bedtime are no less willing and able to create the special bonding moments of stories at bedtime, both relaxing and fun for parent and child, 117

Digital & Media POPCORN DIGITAL

TAILOR MADE YOUTUBE CONTENTS Formed in 2017 by leading kids’ production and distribution specialist CAKE to meet the demands of audiences consuming content on multiple platforms. Pablo

Providing creative solutions for brand owners establishing or expanding their presence on YouTube, Popcorn Digital creates YouTube exclusive content that is original, compelling and challenging, driving maximum audience engagement. Popcorn Digital’s approach is brand focused with strategies tailored specifically to each brand and responding to YouTube trends using a creative approach. Popcorn Digital works with key content producers from around the world including Rovio Entertainment, TeamTO, FreshTV, Paper Owl and Ferly to name a few.

million subscribers and averaging more than 115 million minutes of content watched per month over the last year. In addition, Popcorn Digital and Rovio have forged a close relationship with the YouTube Kids app, which ran a successful feature promotion of Piggy Tales: 4th Street, becoming one of YouTube Kids’ most successful promotions to date. Popcorn Digital and Rovio also collaborated on the 22-episode familyoriented Angry Birds: On The Run, the first-ever live-action Angry Birds series, which launched in November 2018.

Angry Birds

Popcorn Digital manages the Angry Birds YouTube channel as well as collaborating with Rovio on the development and production of original Angry Birds content. Appointed in May 2017, Popcorn Digital has been credited with boosting brand engagement by incorporating the latest digital trends into a pipeline of original content, which has had a dramatic impact on the channel’s performance, adding over 1 million subscribers to reach 2.8 118

Award-winning series from Paper Owl Films, Pablo successfully premiered on CBeebies and RTE in 2017 and is now in production on a second series. Pablo stars a 5 ½ year old autistic boy and is the first ever children’s series to feature an autistic central character, with each story reflecting the real-life experiences of children with autism and devised, cowritten and voiced by young autistic talent. Pablo now airs on key channels around the world and has resonated and inspired extensive marketing campaigns in key local markets. YouTube was a natural progression for a brand whose message is all inclusive, and which promotes the core values of friendship and understanding.

Ferly

Ferly Playground is a YouTube channel which will launch new content for preschoolers from Ferly (previously Kaiken Entertainment Ltd) and whose team cocreated Angry Birds. Popcorn Digital leads the digital strategy, developing original animated content based on Ferly’s IP’s. The channel launched with Momolu Minis, a new digital series based on the upcoming 2D preschool animation brand Momolu and Friends.

Digital & Media WILDBRAIN

MULTIPLATFORM CHILDREN’S CONTENT WildBrain is an industry leader in the management and creation of preschool and children’s entertainment content on platforms such as YouTube, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and others. WildBrain’s branded YouTube network is one of the largest of its kind, featuring more than 145,000 videos for over 600 kids’ brands in up to 22 languages. One in three kids worldwide with access to YouTube watch video on the WildBrain network, which has over 75 million subscribers, and generated over 161

WildBrain expects to reach millions of viewers across these new channels, which are now available in the US and Canada for free on the streaming platforms. WildBrain has been also appointed to exclusively manage content on YouTube for the renowned German toy brand,

basis. Under the agreement, WildBrain will assume management of 41 existing localised Smurfs channels for IMPS and implement a global strategy to grow The Smurfs’ audience on YouTube and YouTube Kids, including optimizing distribution of The Smurfs’ content catalogue, beginning with The Smurfs TV series. Finally, utilizing their expertise at brand management and monetizing content, WildBrain plans to grow Miffy’s YouTube audience with a strategy that includes the re-launch of the Miffy English channel with a focus on the US market; the launch of new Miffy channels and the optimization of existing channels. WildBrain will manage a library of more than 200 Miffy videos across these channels, many being shared on YouTube for the first time.

billion minutes of watch time across 32 billion views in 2018. The WildBrain network features popular third-party brands and much of DHX Media’s worldrenowned library of 13,000 half-hours of kids’ and family content. WildBrain Studios also specializes in the creation of new, original content for its network, such as animated and live-action shorts; toyplay and stop-motion videos. WildBrain is a wholly owned subsidiary of DHX Media.

PLAYMOBIL®. Under the two-year agreement, WildBrain will manage an exclusive library of 15 short animated videos from the toy brand, featuring PLAYMOBIL® iconic figures. The videos will stream on a range of PLAYMOBIL® channels launched on the WildBrain network in multiple languages. Also IMPS has decided to work with WildBrain on an exclusive worldwide

Recently, WildBrain has expanded its footprint with the launch of four new channels on leading AVOD platforms Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. The new channels include a WildBrain hub channel, as well as three curated channels dedicated to preschool content, kids’ action and Degrassi, each collecting together genre-specific and age-appropriate entertainment for young people to enjoy. In the first year, 119

Digital & Media CARTOON DIGITAL

THE FUTURE OF ANIMATION GOES TO SARDINIA! From 21 to 23 May the animation industry will meet in the evocative setting of Cagliari to talk about cartoons and their digital evolution. The Italian version of Cartoon Digital adds a few new ingredients to the traditional format of the event, conceived and organized by Cartoon Media: the Sardinian Film Commission, with its focus on creating lasting local competence with real international value; Rai Ragazzi, which will bring its know-how and traditional support for Italian animation to the event; and finally the sector association, Cartoon Italia, which aims to convey the needs of the Italian animation industry and represent them at the event. LM is Cartoon Digital’s only licensing media partner magazine. Below we offer a preview of this important role with a double interview with Nevina Satta, Director General of the Sardinia Film Commission Foundation and member of the European Regional Network for CineRegio audiovisual funds, and Cristian Jezdic, Project Manager of NAS (New Animation in Sardinia) Lab, and Vice President, with responsibility for the development of international relations, of Cartoon Italia.

Nevina Satta Cartoon Media underlines the importance it attaches to a project that aims to create a real permanent training laboratory for the

Why Cartoon Digital in Cagliari? NS. The investment made in Cagliari by

Cristian Jezdic 120

production of various formats destined for various platforms. It is a broader vision than the need to give Italy a new centrality in the European market, not only in broadcasting but also in innovative video production. Sardinia was selected on geographical grounds, as with other European island settings (Ireland, Canaries), following the Film Commission’s initial guideline–to bring Sardinia to the world and the world to Sardinia. It was also chosen because Sardinia is willing to work on an offer that enhances the island, not only from an environmental point of view but from a cultural and historical one, which the island has always nurtured and built upon, but rarely shared outside its borders. Our institution’s goal is to create a workforce that will go beyond a single generation, that will remain and

Digital & Media

channel excellence. The Cartoon Digital project is consistent with the heritage of small and medium-sized IT companies and the history of technology investment in our region (Tiscali was born in Sardinia and was the first internet provider in Europe). We have indeed a natural predisposition to the dialogue between technologies and our territory. Another element consistent with the setting of this project here is that Sardinia’s iconographic tradition has generated great illustrators. This is a gift that we want to highlight for the generations to come and to keep alive through new platforms. Cartoon Digital is a ribbon-cutting event for a project in which we aim to bring European producers into an appealing area that is also a creative refuge, with a will to invest and to make training a permanent reality. Like all of Europe’s other great examples, we are realizing a great project from start-up – and this event will be its baptism. CJ. What Nevina just said is exactly the

perspective with which Cartoon Italia started the collaboration with Cartoon Media to bring this event to Sardinia and make it not so much a European event confined within a set of dates, but rather the starting point of an ongoing path. What perhaps not everybody knows is that this is the first Cartoon Media event to come to Italy in 16 years [Cartoon Media organizes about seven events each year in different European countries and Italy has not been among the options for some time: ed]. There have been many attempts over the years to bring an event to Italy but they all failed to materialize. For us, organizing one of Europe’s most prestigious animation events here at

home was a really positive result. To make this edition even more special there’s the idea of organizing a sort of Italian Animation Day (its provisional title) on the eve of Cartoon Digital. This event within the event is consistent with what Nevina Satta said about training and is supported by the Sardinian Film Commission. It would be a day organized with the welcome collaboration of Rai Ragazzi, without which we could never have imagined this initiative and which,

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Does spending four days in May in Sardinia while doing business connected with the best of the international industry in video content, new platforms and licensing seem like a dream? Not anymore! Cartoon Digital 2019 is the event that makes it a reality. Cartoon Digital’s format: Organized by Cartoon Media, Cartoon Digital is a three-day high-level seminar on the latest developments in digital animation and entertainment through connected screens. Organisers have already confirmed the attendance of approximately 30 international speakers, who in Cagliari will discuss the interaction of the internet, broadcasting and mobility, generating new creative formulas and business opportunities between content owners and producers. Where: Cagliari, Sardinia When: May21 – 23, 2019 To learn more and to register: http://www.cartoon-media. eu/cartoon-masters/cartoondigital.htm

Digital & Media CARTOON DIGITAL through its support, is also giving a very strong signal to the world of Italian animation. Two main events will take place simultaneously during this day: B2B meetings between Italian producers and Italian and European broadcasters, and about four coaching sessions, held by Rai Ragazzi and by Cartoon Italia members, on different topics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from licensing/ merchandising to the main themes of the world of animation, above and below the line. These coaching sessions are aimed at young professionals and emerging companies and are consistent with the strong aspiration towards training and promotion of the sector that we are developing as a parallel initiative to the project. The ultimate goal is to create environmental conditions that allow training and work to be carried out on oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own territory and to avoid wasting resources. What kind of program are you developing, with Cartoon Media, to attract foreign animation investors and producers to Sardinia? NS. Obviously bringing foreign producers here is important and we want to create territorial investment opportunities while offering a series of advantages in return. For May, we are pushing the opportunity provided by Cartoon Digital to connect the international industry not just with new talents and small production companies, but also with the big players of the island that deal in innovation and

technology. For this reason, Cartoon Digital is the right platform for us. We are entering a market already making the running. We are inserting ourselves in a context in which some areas in Italy are still not fully developed. Thanks to this event they will get an important push to adapt to international standards.

that is produced in Sardinia is ecosustainable. For us it is essential that a production area such as animation can become a symbol, a model in the audiovisual sector, and that visibility be given to our attention to renewable energy and environmental impacts in our

In all of this, even in the context of this sector, there is a green theme... NS. Exactly. Another element worth emphasizing is the attention to environmental sustainability. We are asking for a commitment from Cartoon Digital to becoming greener. Everything

content, in our production procedures and in our work. We want that to become standard practice. Sustainability creates investment and a more self-sufficient economy. Sardinia is at the forefront from this point of view: we tested this system first as a necessity, being an island, but we are now aware that our choice has set us apart. 122

Events #NYTF19

WHAT’S NEW FROM U.S. MARKET Last February LM attended for the first time as Media Partner, the New York Toy Fair, organized by the US Toy Industry Association. In all, more than 26,000 professionals from 98 countries attended one of the main Global Trade Shows for the Toy Industry, where they got a sneak peek at hundreds of thousands of ground-breaking and creative toys and games spread out across 447,300 net square feet of exhibit space.

“Buyers from around the world, and toy, play, and licensing professionals came to unleash their outer business executive and inner child at this year’s Toy Fair New York!” said Steve Pasierb, president & CEO of The Toy Association. “With a sold-out, energetic show, every square inch of the Javits Center was used for order-writing, networking, trend-spotting, professional development opportunities, in-booth demos and reveals, and much more. Toy Fair New York is the gateway to toy aisles this holiday season, and drives the $28 billion U.S. toy market and influences markets around the world.”

and showcased key drivers in front of 8,300+ mass and specialty buyers,

From veteran brands to first-time exhibitors in the “Launch Pad” section of the show, Toy Fair’s 1,038 exhibiting companies unveiled new product lines 124

including delegations from more than 3,000 unique retail outlets and 22 of the nation’s top 25 toy sellers, such as Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Costco, Best Buy, Walgreens, Disney Store, A.C. Moore, and Michaels Stores. In addition, licensing executives from NBCUniversal Brand Development, Netflix, Nickelodeon Consumer Products, Marvel Entertainment, Sesame Workshop, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, and others were also on-site to scout the hottest trends and forge licensing agreements with toymakers. Overall, more than 10,600 retailers, wholesalers, entertainment executives, importers, and buying groups attended Toy Fair. The top five countries represented at the show, not including the U.S. and Canada, were China, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Japan.

Events #NYTF19

A GLOBAL RE-LAUNCH FOR ULTRAMAN STARLIGHT RUNNER SELECTED BY TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS TO HELP BRING ULTRAMAN BACK TO THE WORLD STAGE Starlight Runner Entertainment has secured an agreement with Tsuburaya Productions Co. Ltd. to help bring the iconic and celebrated classic Japanese superhero property ULTRAMAN back onto the international stage. Starlight Runner, a New York based production company specializing in transmedia storytelling, has worked on such world class brands as Men in Black, Coca-Cola, Avatar, Halo, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In a unique arrangement, Starlight Runner will be teaming with The Licensing Group to reactivate and extend the property across multiple media platforms with a story-driven licensing and merchandising program. In his role as Transmedia Producer, Jeff Gomez and his Starlight Runner team will develop the official Story World Mythology for the existing ULTRAMAN series. Starlight Runner was selected by Tsuburaya as a transmedia producer after being introduced to the studio by licensing agent Danny Simon, president of The Licensing Group. The Licensing Group is a Los Angeles-based international licensing agency appointed by Tsuburaya

to reintroduce the property to the North America market for use in developing a wide range of products in categories such as collectibles, toys, games, publishing, videogames, mobile apps, apparel and accessories. The Ultraman licensing program will be supported by the distribution of cable, streaming and SVOD. Starlight Runner will be developing proprietary ULTRAMAN Story World Mythology documents after an intensive deep-dive into the Tokyo, Japan-based franchise. This bible will enable The Licensing Group to achieve its mission as there are no tools currently in English that exist. Starlight Runner will then support creative for Tsuburaya and The Licensing Group, helping partners to understand what makes the brand unique, how the ULTRAMAN universe works, and providing ideas for leveraging the 125

massive classic ULTRAMAN story world of giant monsters, aliens, spacecraft, and Earth Defense Teams to create exciting contemporary stories for the international licensing program. The various classic ULTRAMAN series of the 1960s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s established new heights of quality adventure and special effects-driven childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainment from Tsuburaya, building demand for worldwide distribution. The series persist to this day, generating over $50 million per year in toys and merchandise in Japan. Now, with the rising global interest in Japanese popular culture, Tsuburaya has joined with Starlight Runner and The Licensing Group to develop a creatorfriendly and partner-friendly model to reintroduce ULTRAMAN and extend it across multiple media platforms with a new licensing program on the US and international scene.

Events

A NEW EXCITING YEAR FOR DR. SEUSS At the last New York Toy Fair, LM met Susan Brandt, President at Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. to learn how this children’s classic American brand is so popular globally and its 2019 novelties. languages and BRAILLE. Random House is the exclusive publishing partner for US, Canada, Mexico and the Philippine Republic territories. The other Publishing giant Harper Collins is the exclusive publisher for the Commonwealth Countries.

Susan Brandt Theodor Seuss Geisel is among the most beloved children’s book author of all time. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, and three Caldecott Honors, Geisel wrote and illustrated 45 books for children. Hundreds of millions of copies have found their way into homes and hearts around the world. Geisel died on September 24, 1991. In 1993 it was established the company Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P., which is committed to caretaking Theodor Seuss Geisel’s (Dr. Seuss’s) legacy, ensuring that each generation can experience the amazing world of Dr. Seuss and enjoy reading. The company’s global portfolio complements the roster of iconic Dr. Seuss books, and includes films, TV shows, stage productions, exhibitions, digital media, licensed merchandise and other strategic partnerships. Dr. Seuss Enterprises actually has a global portfolio of almost 100 licensees. Dr. Seuss stories are translated into 45

Nowadays the strongest market areas for the brand are English-speaking territories such as the US, Canada, Mexico, UK,

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#NYTF19

Australia and South Africa. Following, Dr. Seuss is also very popular all over Europe. As Susan Brandt explained to us, their approach through licensing is both global and local. Globally, they work with CPLG and Haven in many territories, and in others they deal with local agencies, which can assure them high quality partners for their IP. As Susan says, “we don’t license all categories and with anybody. We may say no and we work only with first class partners.” This year looks big for Dr. Seuss and there are several novelties on their way. The first of them will be the release in September of a brand new book written by Dr. Seuss, Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum. In fact, in 2013 they found a box with three unpublished books by Geisel inside! Moreover, in the 4Q of this the new Dr. Seuss Animated Series, Green Eggs and Ham will be launched on Netflix. This marks the first collaboration between Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Netflix. Always along 2019 they will be back with The Grinch, following the last year huge theatrical success. In fact, Universal’s 2018 movie Dr .Seuss’ The Grinch was the number #1 Holiday film worldwide. For this year they have planned a campaign to support the classic IP.

Events #NYTF19

Jazwares Global Expansion In 2019: Strategic Partnership with Toy Partner in Iberia

L to R: Matt Cohen, Hector Rubini, Julio Rubini and Arthur Ferreira Jazwares is a global leader in consumer products including toys, plush, collectibles, musical instruments, and consumer electronics. With over 20 years of design, development, and manufacturing expertise, Jazwares is an award-winning company with a progressive focus on identifying new trends and transforming them into high-quality products for consumers of all ages. Jazwares, which is headquartered in Sunrise, Florida, has offices around the world and sells in over 100 countries. Jazwares’ mission is to entertain through the creation of innovative product. The

company’s portfolio features a variety of dynamic, wholly- owned brands along with leading global licenses, and includes acquisitions First Act™, Russ Berrie™, Applause™, and Zag Toys™. At last New York Toy Fair, Jazwares announced its strategic partnership with the prominent Iberian distributor, Toy Partner. This new relationship will secure placement at retail complete with branded statements to build Jazwares’ presence in this region. “The Iberian market is essential to our

global expansion strategy. It will effectively strengthen Jazwares’ European presence, cultivating Jazwares into a household name in Spanish and Portuguese markets,” says Arthur Ferreira, VP of International Sales. Hector Rubini, Chief Executive of Toy Partner adds “We are proud to partner with Jazwares. We believe they are one of the most important players in the industry, and there is no doubt they will continue to bring excitement and innovation to the toy aisle. We are committed to providing all efforts to make Jazwares’ brands benchmarks of success in Iberia.” Laura Zebersky, Chief Commercial Officer of Jazwares, says: “The importance of growing Jazwares’ global footprint is at the forefront of our international strategy in 2019. We’re excited to see growth in this key European market.” Consumers in Iberia can expect to find Jazwares’ licensed fan favorites on shelves this year including Fortnite™, Domez™, Roblox™, and more.

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Events CHILDREN’S MEDIA CONFERENCE

Meeting the Brits Post Brexit The 16th annual Children’s Media Conference will take place in Sheffield, UK from 2nd to 4th July 2019. Editorial Director, Greg Childs says it’s a great place to meet the Brits, and delegates from anywhere in the world can be assured of a warm Yorkshire welcome no matter what happens about Brexit in the meantime!

Greg Childs

about ten years ago and now all the UK licensing agents and companies who are keen to get advance knowledge of what is coming up in the kids’ markets, what are the new creative trends, who is making innovative content, what are the up and coming new brand possibilities – they all come to CMC to find out. After that we expanded into welcoming publishers, games companies, app-makers and so on. Now you could as easily meet a theatre director, toy company executive or audio producer at CMC, as a TV producer, animation director, writer, literary agent, museum or theme park director or even educational media specialists, who are our most recent new group. “ The CMC mantra is ‘If you talk to kids, you should talk to each other’ and the success of the UK kids’ content industries in recent years is an indication that being flexible and knowledgeable

The CMC is best known for the quality of the content and conversation in the 50 or so conference sessions which make up the main body of the event. Each conference panel is curated by an industry volunteer, overseen by a member of the CMC’s unique 35-member Advisory Committee, which is what makes the attention to detail and depth of information and insight in the sessions outstanding. CMC started life as a TV and interactive media conference but as Greg Childs explains, its growth in the early years depended on the assimilation of other sectors, while maintaining its focus on the children’s and youth audience. “We expanded the reach of the conference into the licensing sector 128

works. “Sharing information and using the invaluable networking potential at an event like CMC builds understanding and creates new partnerships. It also keeps the industry on its toes, while helping it present a united, successful image to politicians and policy makers,” says Childs. Tax incentives for animation and children’s TV, new government funding support for kids’ content, and potential new regulation to ensure more content is made, are all at least partly attributable to the high profile CMC brings to the kids’ sector in the UK. International expansion came about as a result of those tax incentives. With support from the UK government the conference developed its own market in 2013. The International Exchange is a single day event attached to the conference, and is unique in the way it collects all the buyers and sellers together

Events

Angus Killick in one space for one day only, and uses a highly efficient online profiling and meeting booking system, Meeting Mojo, to make the market meetings. No need to know email addresses, or assistants’’

That said, there are also plenty of developed projects being pitched for funding to the wide range of buyers, commissioners and major distribution companies McAleer attracts to the Exchange in growing numbers every year. In 2018 there were over 60 from Australia, Canada, China, Finland, France,

The International Exchange is a great forum for sharing projects at various stages of development and giving and receiving feedback that may move those projects forward. I love the variety of ideas and the passion of the people I meet. I enjoy being part of the process and conversation that may help IP holders find partners and take their projects to the next stage of development. - Angus Killick, VP Associate Publisher, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group -

Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA, along with the UK broadcasters and VoD platforms. For the Licensing industry the short, efficient meetings are particularly good opportunities to get to know new IP and brands in advance of production.

Helen McAleer names – Mojo connects the buyers and sellers, allows them to check out what the other party is looking for or wants to pitch, speeds the process of accepting meetings and even builds the entire schedule of meetings for the day. Mojo and the International Exchange have now made CMC the go-to place to meet British (and a growing list of European) writers, IP developers, producers, agents and publishers. “It’s a great market for new IP because the cost of entry is low, so you’ll meet people whom you don’t see at the other international markets”, says Helen McAleer who manages the international guest list for the International Exchange.

Terry Kalagian I’ve attended the CMC two years in a row because it provided a relaxed venue to meet with industry colleagues, established creatives, as well as, up-and-comers. The sessions proved to be informative and the meetings at the International Exchange were enjoyable. I look forward to the next time! - Terry Kalagian, SVP, Creative Development for Animation & Family, Gaumont -

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Where: Sheffield When: 2-4 July 2019 How to attend: The CMC International Exchange will take place on 2nd July as the full CMC Conference will be on 3rd and 4th July. Both tickets are available at: http://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/ events/cmc-2019/

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