Nickeloedon 2016 by Lema Publishing

A January 2016

the team Director Mark Naish Mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

s a mum to three small boys, I can say with absolutely no artiﬁce, I love watching Nickelodeon shows — Nicktoons, Nick Jr. or just a sneaky peak at the Nickelodeon website to play a few games. In fact, just one look at our recorded library or our series link points towards a lot of talk of bo staffs and sewerliving, who would win in a ﬁght between Master Splinter and Master Shredder, why is Marshall so clumsy, discussions about how hairy Gasquatch is and where is Lily’s mum? So, it is with utter delight that the LTW team bring you this special magazine in partnership with the fabulous guys at Nickelodeon HQ. They, like their licensing and retail partners, are passionate about delivering quality fun and educational entertainment to kids globally, and have a raft of superb shows to engage with children from every background, country, ability and humour. Let’s face it, even us big kids can’t resist a guffaw while watching a bit of SpongeBob, can we? Get to know more about some of the world’s biggest licences and some new, hot and truly innovative ones about to come your way.

Group Editor Mirella Anstey mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk

Page 8 Super store — Ruth Crowley, the EVP International Business Development Brand and Marketing, Entertainment

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer

Page 4 Kids rule — Tina McCann, Nickelodeon MD chats about the channel’s priorities and key achievement

p62

Rhys Thomas rhys@lemapublishing.co.uk

Retail Enterprise tells us about the Nickelodeon store success Page 12 PAW Patrol is on a roll — We take a good look at the world’s favourite pups Page 16 Ahead of the pack — Phil Hooper, Spin Master’s Marketing Director, gives us the lowdown on the much-loved hounds Page 20 Match made in heaven — Nikki Samuels, Licensing Director of SAMBRO, chats about his superb partnership with Nickelodeon

Group Advertising Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk

Page 23 Band of brothers — we take a close look at New York’s ﬁnest, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Page 26 Shell binding action — LTW catches up with Simon Hedge and Nic Aldridge of Flair GP to talk Turtles Page 28 Partners in Play — Mattel’s Wendy Hill reveals all about the special relationship with Nickelodeon

Media Solutions Manager Bradley Mason bradley@lemapublishing.co.uk

Page 32 No problem-o it’s SpongeBob! — We get up close and personal with the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom Page 34 Blaze of Glory —Nick Jr.’s top new pre-school property Blaze and the Monster Machines has kids everywhere racing for

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

product Page 36 Adventure of a lifetime — Dora And Friends is under our spotlight Page 38 Genie-us in a bottle — Meet Shimmer & Shine, the magical twins

Lema Publishing Ltd 1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2UB

Telephone: +44 (0) 1442 289930

www.ltwmag.com The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Page 40 Let’s shout Wissper — Nickelodeon’s newest launch is about a little girl who loves talking to the animals Page 41 Digby is on ﬁre — Digby Dragon is about to set our screens alight Page 42 Catch Lily’s Drift — TV’s sweetest little girl is about to make a real splash in Consumer Products Page 44 Meet the team — Get to know who’s who at Nickelodeon UK

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TINA McCANN

Kids Rule! Tina McCann the Liverpool FC-loving MD of Nickelodeon gives LTW the lowdown on the passion and drive everyone at Nickelodeon has to create super TV and work with partners to help bring the magic home with their products. Tina is standing down from her role later this year, but here she explains just what rocks her world, which in turn rocks the world of millions of kids around the globe Nickelodeon is at the centre of so many kids’ lives — and parents’ too — but creating the vibrant shows, chock-full of educational elements and the purely laugh-out loud funny moments that help make the highlights of a child’s life isn’t easy. Nobody knows this better than Tina McCann, the MD of Nickelodeon and her amazingly innovative and passionate team in the orange towers of the channel’s HQ. Tina views the quality TV for young people that Nickelodeon produces like a vocation. She says: “Our mission at Nickelodeon is to be the best kids’ entertainment brand in the UK. We listen and connect with our audience and provide

Which commissions are you really proud of? I’m delighted that we’ve been able to partner with some of the world-famous UK and Irish preschool talent with award-winning shows Lily’s Driftwood Bay (Sixteen South) and Pufﬁn Rock (Dog Ears) and the gorgeous Digby Dragon (Blue Zoo) which will premiere next year. A mention also for the charming show, The Day Henry Met (Wiggleywoo) which has already been a huge hit for Nick Jr. Australia and will launch in the UK early next year.

Our mission at Nickelodeon is to be the best kids’ entertainment brand in the UK. We listen and connect with our audience

authentic experiences, producing the best content for kids of all ages — taking them from nappies right through to skinny jeans. For preschool kids we aim to engage with entertaining shows that respect the developmental stage of our audience with parental buy-in too. For older kids, we want to offer a space where kids can relax, hang out and feel understood and appreciated. Our mantra is “Kids Rule!” Giving kids what they want isn’t as easy as it sounds — after all, is there a group of people more ﬁckle and capricious than kids? Tina knows getting close to the kids means time and investment — both ﬁnancial and effort. “Research is at the heart of what we do and we know from our focus groups that kids, regardless of age or background, love to laugh, so humour runs throughout our programming, our promotions and events. From snorting along to Peppa Pig to laughing at the escapades of SpongeBob, making kids laugh is key for Nickelodeon.” The entertainment world has changed so much and for broadcasters to stay not only in step, but ahead of this evolution cannot be easy. Tina has made this holistic approach part of her strategy: “I’ve brought all pillars of the business closer together so we plan in a truly 360 manner. We have regular planning sessions across all departments so the whole business understands our key priorities and

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We want to offer a space where kids can relax, hang out and feel understood. Our mantra is ‘Kids rule!’

how our properties will roll out across multi-platforms i.e. e. TV, nonlinear, digital, consumer products and so on”. This is clearly a winning ng plan — and having superb programmes rammes and properties to align this strategy to makes things easier, and also draws the audiences closer to the channel and the property too. Tina feels very proud of some of the stand-out properties that have really made a cultural impact on kids. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been our biggest success since we bought the IP in 2012. It was important to be respectful to a classic property with die-hard fans but at the same time make it relevant to a new

JANUARY 2016

audience Not always an easy audience.” task with such a well-known and much-loved much-lov brand. Tina says: “The Nickelodeon update has Nic been well w received by critics, fans and new viewers with a products for all ages from prod infants to adults.” infa But B the success isn’t isn just limited to a heritage brand, there he is new band of heroes on o the Nick screens. “Most recently PAW “ Patrol has proved to be an instant hit in the UK — who doesn’t love puppies in vehicles?” Tina is absolutely right

— it is one of the fastest growing kids’ brand in the world. Alongside great programming, you need top-notch product and Tina knows her team work hard at achieving excellent results. “In both cases the Nickelodeon consumer products team have worked closely with licence partners on product development and with retailers on innovative ways of promoting product such as the ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ campaign with Argos.” Beyond making great TV and consumer products, the company has explored a great many brand extensions and new partnerships in hitherto uncharted territory, under Tina’s leadership. “In 2015, we opened the ﬁrst ﬂagship Nickelodeon Store in Leicester Square and announced the opening in Dubai of what will be the twelfth Nickelodeon Store. We have a thriving ongoing partnership with Blackpool Pleasure Beach where we launched Nickelodeon Land in 2011. In addition to the expansion

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TINA McCANN

of real-life touchpoints for Nickelodeon, the past few years have seen us take leaps in the digital space with the launch of the Nick App, now Nick Play, and the expansion of our channel websites. In terms of programming and IP, we are working closely with Milkshake to discover the best pre-school content. We are also looking to develop our events business.” While for many, that all

I like to think my passion has encouraged the team to take creative risks and come up with innovative solutions.

soundss like more than han enough h to be getting ting on with, Tina ina and the Nickelodeon ckelodeon team have no interestt in resting g on these already impressive sive laurels.. Tina details some of the plans for us all to keep eep our eyes open for. or. “On air, we’ve got series ries four of Turtles and later ter in the year we’ll have the he 200th episode of SpongeBob. ngeBob. We’ll also have new ew episodes of our live-action tion hits such as Bella & the Bulldogs and Make it Pop. For our pre-school audience we have new episodes of Paw Patrol as well as special longer-length episodes of Blaze and the Monster Machines. New preschool show Shimmer and Shine launched in November and will be supported across the year as we look to launch consumer products in autumn/winter 2016.” All that exciting new content and product for us all to look forward to is just

the tip of the th iceberg. “What I’m really excited for though is the new UK content that th we’re launching” says launchi Tina. “We have “ Digby Dragon, a beautiful beau preschool prescho series made m with Blue Zoo, which is launching in lau the spring and the a hilarious Tinkershrimp Tin and Dutch which has been rolling out on o our Nickelodeon and Nicktoons websites and Nick Play. I’m also delighted that tha we are branching out o into sports with the launch of Nick Kicks next month, a magazine show covering the Football League as only Nick can.

And as Tina prepares to step down from her role as MD of this bastion of kids’ entertainment, LTW asks her to reﬂect on her legacy at the channel and what she feels proud of. “I’d like to think that my passion for the brands and content has led to renewed energy and focus, encouraging the team to take creative risks and come up with innovative solutions”. Laughing, Tina concludes there is an area in which her enthusiasm hasn’t had much of an impact: “much as I’ve tried, I haven’t been able to convert everyone to my passion for Liverpool FC.” Oh, well no bad thing, Tina!

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Retail Interview

Super store! LTW meets Ruth Crowley, EVP of International Business Development, Brand and Marketing, for Entertainment Retail Enterprises — the company responsible for bringing the Nickelodeon magic to consumers in the heart of London, and other retail locations across the globe. Opening up a retail arm is a smart and natural progression for any licensing operation. When and where did it start? Entertainment Retail Enterprises have extensive experience in retail and are happy to work with Nickelodeon to bring the characters and properties to life in a retail We want to setting. Together we were very create unique, strategic and thoughtful in our approach to the extension of our exclusive, Retail Platform. We spent many quality months in design, planning and product, across testing. For fans and followers, the retail stores provide a unique categories to destination where they can appeal to our experience the properties in one global clientele place. The interactive elements are exclusive to The Nickelodeon Ruth Crowley, Store. With over 80%of the Entertainment products on shelves being Retail Enterprises exclusive to the store and not sold elsewhere, the experience is unique and fun.

“

How close were you with the consumer before the retail side started and how has your understanding and relationship changed since? Both companies (Entertainment Retail Enterprises and Viacom/ Nickelodeon) continuously and extensively study consumer demographics by territory to understand differences and to interpret behaviours. We work hard to ensure the experience is authentic and relevant and the product mix is customised. It is a continuous process as seasons and trafﬁc change and as trends evolve in the Industry. We work to stay a step ahead to optimise the customer experience. How many stores are there globally now and what plans are there for the next 18 months for expansion? We opened two stores in Chile this year and will open a Dubai store next year which will take us to 10 locations including our London Store at 1 Leicester Square. We have two stores in Panama, two stores in Honduras

and one store each in Costa Rica, Colombia and Riyadh. We also have the online store for Leicester Square. There are more stores planned in key Global Markets in 2016. Stay tuned for further information … it is very exciting. The main property touchpoints are Dora, SpongeBob, Dora and Turtles — why those in particular? These properties are synonymous with Nickelodeon. They are the most well known and most popular Nickelodeon properties with a fan base that spans all ages — from infant to grandparents. The product categories developed also appeal across generations so the retail experience is inclusive. Everyone has the opportunity to share the experience with friends and family. These are key priorities for Nickelodeon with regular marketing and promotional campaigns on air and in the market so it makes business and brand sense to concentrate on those key properties. But they are also fan favourites — that is the key for all of us.

Top selling property currently? SpongeBob always rules as he appeals across generations. The Nickelodeon Store in Panama

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Is it just toys and t-shirts? For apparel we cater for every age group from infant Turtles and SpongeBob onesies to Ren & Stimpy t-shirts for adults. We cover all clothing categories from underwear to outerwear. The apparel collections include styles to suit all ages and loungewear for the whole family is really popular. Household categories include cushions, blankets, preschool dinner sets, mugs and cups. We carry exclusive London-themed merchandise, novelties, gifts and toys. Our huggable plush toys are extremely popular with everyone.

Game of Thrones edition MONOPOLY from Winning Moves

Can consumers buy other Nickelodeon show products instore too? Yes, they can. In addition to the core evergreen Nickelodeon properties The Nickelodeon Store stocks product associated with both current and past Nickelodeon properties. For example, we have an assortment of products from the current global hit: PAW Patrol. In November we launched new apparel for the brand new pre-school series Blaze and the Monster Machines as well as the classic property, Rugrats. We work closely with Nickelodeon to include new properties as they launch and the assortment continuously evolves throughout the year so there will be many new collections released this year. We are also adding some surprises based on customer feedback. The Nickelodeon properties offer such a diverse collection of classic, new and retro brands, there is literally something for everyone. And which suppliers and manufacturers do you work closely with? Most of the products carried in the store are designed and created exclusively for our Stores. We also work with global Nickelodeon licence partners such as Playmates and Flair on products such as the Turtles es action ﬁgures.

Who decides which properties feature in store? Firstly, we study the market and d current retail trends to deﬁne the assortments and to create relevant assortments for each property in each of the territories es we serve. We also work closely

JANUARY 2016

ACTION MAN turns 50 in 2016

Top selling products within each property? Apparel, loungewear and plush toys sell really well but naturally it can change by season and if new properties are released.

with the Nickelodeon team to identify properties that are rating well and those which will have promotional pushes either on air or in market in the future. We listen to our customers who tell us in person as well as through social media what they’d like to see on the shelves. Our store associates provide valuable realtime insights from customers and, of course, sales are a big driver of how best to stock the store. As I said before, the assortment is continuously evolving to create the c optimal experience for our global o customers. cu And what about the products A which are sold? Our Merchandise Team has extensive and diverse experience in retail, entertainment and lifestyle brands, design, graphics, product and concept development, global sourcing, d production and manufacturing. pro We create products across every c category. We have a production catego facility in Florida and relationships ac with throughout the witth manufacturers m world. wo orld. Are e there ther plans to introduce other popular Nick shows to the store, pop such as Blaze? suc Blaze and the Monster Machines is Bla already in store and we’ll regularly alre expanding our range. The range of exp Nickelodeon products will always be Nic changing as new programmes gain c in popularity and as customers tell us u what they want to see.

Retail Interview Dora and Friends bed linen — a top-seller

The Nickelodeon Store’s user-friendly website

What is the story behind your store design and merchandising strategy? The goal is always to create a store environment that is immersive and fun. We create destinations within the space for each of the key Nickelodeon properties. The design has to be authentic in relation to the properties and we work closely with Nickelodeon to achieve that. We have to meet or exceed what the customer expects to ﬁnd and so, the designs and graphics will continue to evolve. Content including visual and media elements are exclusive to the stores to add to the unique experience. And we try to add a few “surprises” to bring a smile to faces. A key element of the strategy is service. Our management team in the London store and each of

Who shops at a Nickelodeon store?

And what makes the store a unique experience to shop in? It is like stepping into the heart of Nickelodeon. In one trip to the store you can venture into Bikini Bottom, experience the Turtles’ New York City as well as Dora’s jungle home. We have activities for younger visitors including an iPad station and a large colouring table under the Dora Tree. We are always amused as this is just as popular with adults. It is really fun to watch adults sit and re-experience the simple fun of colouring. SpongeBob makes daily appearances at the Store which is pretty special and provides a unique opportunity for photo opportunities so memories last. What about online? How do you manage this? We have just activated our website which is an extension of the London store offering exclusive product.

Everyone! The Nickelodeon Store in Leicester Square attracts tourists given its prominent location as well as people from across Britain, Europe and the Middle East who want to ﬁnd product for their favourite shows that you can’t get anywhere else. Younger and adult fans have visited the store and we have a few celebrity Nickelodeon fans and followers. The great thing about the Nickelodeon portfolio of properties is they form part of people’s childhood and that sticks with them into adulthood where

they are looking for properties that appeal to their nostalgia such as Rugrats and Ren & Stimpy. Then you have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who have found a whole new generation of fans based on the ﬁlm last year and the amazing TV series. Both fathers and sons are now fans for life. For kids, it’s all about the brands they love now such as PAW Patrol, Dora the Explorer, Blaze and the Monster Machines and, of course, SpongeBob.

our associates work hard to create a positive experience for our customers. They speak multiple languages and are available to help or guide or play as needed. Our merchandise strategy is similar in that it is customer-focused, brand appropriate and customised within each territory. We want to create unique, exclusive, quality product, across categories to appeal to our global clientele. Are the trends similar globally? What makes something stronger in one country over another? Based on the global and universal appeal of the brand, trends are similar globally, there are just moderate differences. Dora is really popular in Latin America and we have requests to extend the size ranges for higher age groups, which of course we have! Seasonality is also key, so we work to ensure there are swimsuits in Panama in January — but not-somuch for London! And lastly, what is your favourite product on sale at the moment and why? Our favourite products are deﬁnitely the ones the customer loves most.

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G ! N S I T

C Z U D A RO

P L BNEW EN AS SE V T N O

FLYING SOUNDS AND PHRASES!

TRANSFORMS INTO A JET!

SLAM & GO ASSORTMENT

BLAZING SPEED

TRANSFORMING BLAZE JET WINGS POP OUT!

TALKING ASSORTMENT

TRANSFORMING TURBO LAUNCHER

DIE-CAST CHARACTER ASSORTMENT

www.Nickjr.co.uk

© 2016 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, Blaze and the Monster Machines and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. ©2016 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

PAW PATROL

PAW Patrol is Those totally PAW-some pups are making more of a roar than a woof on TV screens, toy shops and in kids’ clothing stores the world over. Find out exactly why these four-footed friends are charming pre-schoolers everywhere and why Adventure Bay is the hottest place to be in the licensing world right now!

AW Patrol is a CG actionadventure pre-school series starring a pack of six heroic and hilarious pups who are led by a tech-savvy 10-year-old boy named Ryder. This global smash-hit show has been driving a huge demand for consumer products and has captured kids’ imaginations with its unique blend of problem-solving skills, cool vehicles and humour. Little ones are inspired by the PAW Patrol team working together to protect their Adventure Bay community. With a winning formula, each episode sees the pups

“

There will be new looks at retail with themes such as Super Pups where the pups are seen in brand-new costumes

transform into the PAW Patrol and take their pre-school super fans on fast-paced and exciting rescue missions with hi-tech gadgets and transforming vehicles. The show has cleverly drawn inspiration from real life — with each pup based on a profession that’s part of the fabric of everyone’s community — working together as a top rescue team drawing upon their individual skills to complete their tasks. The content is such that itt neatly complements this age e group’s curriculum. Each episode pisode is jam-packed with heroic feats eats and the lovable mix of characters acters girls appeals to both boys and gi il irls which only helps to propel the t further. strength of the brand furthe er.

Who is the master toy licensee? As producers of the show itself, Spin Master is the main toy partner behind the property and is currently expanding its portfolio to include a wider range of products as we look into 2016.

PUP STARS SKYE, ROCKY, RUBBLE, CHASE, RYDER, MARSHALL, ZUMA AND EVEREST

PAW PATROL PAW PATROLLER

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on a roll! Licences unleashed With more than 40 licensees within the he UK, the consumer product roll-out plan for the he property looks both strong and exciting for 2016 016 and beyond. This year Nickelodeon looks forward to new launches including the monthly ly PAW Patrol magazine from Egmont to strengthen engthen the property and its long-term relationship ip with preschoolers, brand-new lines from Spin Master plus a range of outdoor toys and apparel parel lines across retailers nationwide. Barking up the right tree PAW Patrol is certainly on a roll within n the UK market; the unparallelled demand forr consumer products and its ever-increasing on air ir success both on Nick Jr. and Milkshake! is only y set to grow in 2016. Since PAW Patrol launched on air in n 2013 the pre-school property has taken international ternational markets by storm. This roaring success ss is the number one show on Nick Jr. and is the he mostwatched show in 2015 — such is its success uccess that viewers made it the key driver to the channel over the year. With the highly anticipated launch of series three in early 2016, there will be brand-new d-new themes to enthrall and delight children en including the Air Patroller, which will see the pups ups take their missions to the sky and the introduction oduction of Tracker, a jungle pup from South America erica with a 4x4 as his vehicle. The phenomenal success on air hass been emulated at a retail level across the UK. K. Since the launch of the consumer product range ange from Spin Master at the end of 2014, the property operty has swiftly grown to become one of the most soughtafter properties within the pre-school market. Currently it is the No 1 new toy property ty within the UK market and, with new product innovation launching in 2016, the momentum will continue. The appeal and strength of the brand nd is cemented in the way it appeals to boys ys and girls. There is now a range of Skye product featuring secondary character Everest speciﬁcally ally for girls with the creative taking on a splash off pink and purple. It is at retail that these lines are e ﬂying — they are currently performing in line with the core range providing a huge incremental opportunity. pportunity. From a marketing perspective in 2016 016 the key attributes of the brand will be incorporated orated into an On A Roll With PAW Patrol campaign, aign, which will focus on the pups’ inherent strengths gths as safety role models for pre-schoolers. Alongside this socially-responsible e campaign there will be new looks at retail with themes such as Super Pups where the pups are seen en in brandnew costumes.

JANUARY 2016

AS WELL AS TOYS, DRESSUP IS A BIG CATEGORY

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PAW PATROL

Pups’ roll call So, just who’s who in this powerful and pro-active pack? Let’s meet Ryder, their leader and ﬁnd out about each of these lovable pups.

MARSHALL From the ﬁrehouse to his ﬁre From F engine, e gin dalmatian Marshall is allen action, easily excited, and the a clumsy one. The pups will c always hear Marshall say, a “I’m okay!”

SKYE E Skye is a fearless and smart cockapoo who loves to ﬂy in her helicopter or with the wings in her pup pack. he She tries everything with a back ﬂip, grace, and a smile.

CHASE

ROCKY

Using his police truck and megaphone, this German shepherd is an athletic natural leader who likes to take charge. Chase may be on the case, but he has to watch out for cats and feathers because he’s allergic to them.

Rocky is a mix-breed mix pup that always has handy resources. He’s an a enthusiastic recycling dog with a thousand ideas and tools stashed inside his pup pack.

RYDER Ryder is the leader, rescuer, and teacher of the pups. He has heart heart, a can-do-spirit and the skills PAW Patrol needs to get the job done. During rescues you can catch Ryder on his hi-tech jet ski that transforms into an ATV and a snowmobile.

EVEREST Everestt is a fun fun-loving loving husky pup and the newest member of PAW Patrol. She lives with Jake on his snowy mountain and loves belly-bogganing — sliding down mountains on her belly. Ice or snow, she’s ready to go!

RUBBLE

ZUMA MA

Zuma is all aboutt the water! This chocolate labrador loves oves to laugh and surf. He lives in his boathouse oathouse and dives into action in his hovercraft.

Rubble is a gruff but lovable bulldog who knows all about skateboards and snowboards. He loves to get dirty then jump into a bath. There’s no job Rubble’s construction digger can’t scoop up.

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KID’S CORNER “Edison is not yet one but he and his big brother love watching Nickelodeon shows,” says Carmela, his granny. “Edison’s particular favourite is PAW Patrol. He loves the music and he loves the pups’ roll call — the show really excites him and also keeps him enthralled. I think it’s such a vibrant show with simple but very good storytelling that is at the heart of the appeal. He loves the toys a lot and no trip to the toy shop or the supermarket is complete without him wanting to pick something new up … we do quite a lot, but perhaps not as much as he would like. I also love watching the show with him — it is infectious and the little catchphrases are funny and cute.

”

JANUARY 2016

Amscan Amscan’s extensive party range featuring the PAW Patrol pups and tech-savvy Ryder remains a popular party theme choice since launching g last year. The fully co-ordinated ted designs incorporate vibrant brant colours of blue, red, green n and yellow providing a great eat unisex appeal. One of the most recent additions ns to the range is an impressive Chase AirWalker balloon standing ng at 137cm (54in) high. The e range includes everything from Scene Setters for wall decoration, to fun PAW Patrol ol paper masks, themed plates and napkins, plus favours for guests to take home such as rubberr bracelets.

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SPINMASTER

Ahead of the p Nickelodeon and Spin Master’s action-adventure series brings the best of pre-school content and toys to fans around the world — and the best is yet to come. Spin Master’s Phil Hooper gives us an exciting look at the continuing success story of PAW Patrol.

hen a global toy giant one of the world’s and o biggest names bigge in kids’ content pour their combined creative talents creat into one project, the proj end result is bound to be magical. ma And when Spin Master and Nickelodeon joined forces on a join brand new prebr school property, s

that magic came in the form of PAW Patrol, an animated actionadventure series that has captured the hearts and imaginations of young fans across the globe. Since its debut in 2013, the series has gone from strength to strength, and Phil Hooper, the Commercial Director of Marketing at Spin Master, says that the series has been “delivering recordbreaking ratings across the world”.

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PAW PATROL JUMBO ACTION PUP ROCKY, 2016

● Number one new toy property JulyNov 2015 ● 190,000 Basic Vehicles sold in ﬁrst 48 w weeks of 2015 ● Lookout Playset was top-selling item ac across infant and pre-school in Nov 2015

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PAW PATROL JUMBO ACTION PUP RUBBLE

e pack Top 5 hero products ● Action Pack Pups ● Basic Vehicles ● The Lookout Playset ● PAW Patroller ● Pup Pals Plush

Demand for characters like Everest and Skye has been bigger than we had originally predicted

As TV ratings continue to climb, Spin Master’s involvement from the outset has also given PAW Patrol huge success in the toy aisle. The company has captured all the cute puppies, cool vehicles, humour, action and adventure of the animated series in its toy range, covering all the core categories from ﬁgures and vehicles, to playsets, plush and puzzles. Introducing a new property to the market is always a challenging prospect, and this is particularly true in the hugely competitive pre-school sector, where the heavyweight properties become household names. But PAW Patrol’s mix of colourful, fun visuals and characters, strong storytelling and positive message made its fan base cry out for toys. Phil says the range has been a hit from word go: “Buyers were really excited about our range

JANUARY 2016

2015’S RYDER LOOKOUT IS A BEST-SELLER

in advance of launch as they became familiar with the TV show and how well it was rating on Nick Jr. and Milkshake. “There was also clear recognition from the trade that the pre-school market was ready for a new brand. “We launched with a wide range of PAW Patrol toys and then expanded in autumn 2015 with the addition of items like the PAW Patroller, Ryder’s Pup Pad and our range of bath toys.”

PAW PATROL DELUXE VEHICLE CHASE, 2015

Top dog at retail Last year was a standout period for the brand with toy sales soaring throughout 2015. As more

PAW PATROL PAW PATROLLER

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SPINMASTER

PAW PATROL DELUXE TALKING PLUSH RUBBLE

equally. So demand families welcomed Ryder, Chase, for characters like Marshall, Skye and the rest of the Everest and Skye has PAW Patrol team into their lives, been bigger than toys went flying out of the doors at we had originally retail and sales reached the predicted. top spot. “Spin Master and “Sales through the year have Nickelodeon have a been strong, as evidenced by first-class working the fact that PAW Patrol has relationship, as we consistently been measured by NPD work together to as the No 1 new toy property since build PAW Patrol July 2015,” Phil explains. But it’s into an evergreen brand.” not just value where Spin Master’s Phil says Nickelodeon’s ranges stands out, it’s volume, too. activity for PAW Patrol has been critical “As an example of the volume we to its success, with “support across shifted last year, according to NPD their broadcast platforms we sold through around and with tent-pole activities 190,000 Basic Vehicles which provide a constant to week 48 and it’s fair to Spin supply of content and say that demand in the Master and engagement to kids and weeks until Christmas Nickelodeon parents.” was so high that we have a firstHe adds that Nickelodeon could have sold through class working is “also building PAW Patrol more,” Phil adds. “The through their consumer Lookout Playset was the relationship, products launch into other top-selling item across as we work categories, which supports infant/pre-school in together to the brand overall and for the November.” build PAW long term.” Patrol into A third series of the Evergreen future an evergreen animation will air this year, PAW Patrol’s appeal with bringing new adventures both boys and girls has brand for fans to get stuck into, seen its fan base grow and activity will increase at exponentially and, as this retail to increase awareness of Spin momentum continues, Nickelodeon Master’s toy range and Nickelodeon’s and Spin Master have lots of plans consumer for the future to establish its full collection of licensed consu position as a truly evergreen brand. products. “We are working with many “One of the most major retailers to ensure that PAW PA significant dynamics Patrol is prominently featured in we are now seeing retailer-specific activity through 2016 and beyond,” Phil says. with PAW Patrol is road map its gender-neutral So what does the roa appeal," says Phil, look like for the next 12 to 18 staying “it’s quite clear months? Phil is stay everyone that girls and tight-lipped, but ev their eyes boys b bo ys both love should be keeping th the show peeled. He adds: “We have to keep some kee surprises surp for another day, but we think kids will be thrilled with toys and w ith the e development of the toy evolution next 12 e volutio on of the show in the nex months mont nths or so.”

18 8

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PAW PATROL DELUXE TALKING PLUSH CHASE

What fans on Twitter are saying worldwide

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Look out for more great new costume ranges in the Rubieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2016 Catalogue

ÂŠ 2016 Spin Master PAW Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved. Paw Patrol and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd, Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

Phone us on 08453 070707

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SAMBRO

Match made SAMBRO is currently the proud and delighted holder of Nickelodeon’s Licensee of the Year. We chat to Nikki Samuels, the Licensing Director, to ﬁnd out a little bit more about this great and fruitful partnership. into keeping business fresh and exciting and also the close partnership he enjoys with Nickelodeon.

MARIANNE JAMES AND RON JOHNSON OF NICKELODEON PRESENT SAMBRO’S NIKKI SAMUELS, RIGHT, WITH THE LICENSEE OF THE YEAR AWARD

ikki Samuels started SAMBRO some 20 years ago — from a spare bedroom in his parents’ house. His business, as a clearance specialist, quickly took off and within a couple of years he and his small team had to move out and into their own premises. Little did he know back then that the company would develop into one of the world’s leading licensed goods specialist with showstopping showrooms in Hong Kong, Amsterdam and, a loyal local boy at heart, Bury in Greater Manchester. Here, Nikki gives LTW an insight into the hard work that goes

SAMBRO’S top-selling SpongeBob products? Our pocket money toys always sell really excellently.

“

We always love to welcome buyers to our showrooms so they can see the sheer breadth of our Nickelodeon ranges Nikki Samuels, founder, SAMBRO

Sambro and Nickelodeon have a wonderful partnership. How long you’ve been working together. For about seven years. It’s been great.

And what property did you ﬁrst start working on and how did it all come about? SpongeBob SquarePants was the ﬁrst property which kicked things off between SAMBRO and Nickelodeon. We began talking to them because we wanted to create a fantastic arts and crafts and games range and felt that SpongeBob was a great property to start with. And, of course, we were the right people to create it.

Which properties do you currently produce for? We design and manufacture products for SpongeBob, PAW Patrol, Blaze, Dora, Turtles, Half Shell Heroes. They are pretty diverse properties — is this why Nickelodeon is such

a great licensor, because of the breadth? Yes, they have fantastic brands and a terriﬁc, hard-working team who are really passionate about their properties. SAMBRO very successfully produces all manner of products. What kind of products can retailers see up in your showrooms? We always love to welcome buyers to our showrooms both here in the UK and in Hong Kong so they can see the sheer breadth of our Nickelodeon ranges. They can then see how they span so many categories and are able to create full licensed collections or complement their existing ranges. In 2016, our new PAW Patrol 3D Shaped Character Bags will be a real talking point as they look amazing. We can’t wait to show people and of course not only see the reaction of retailers but also that of consumers. And do you tailor the ranges to the property or are you more holistic in your approach?

Did you know? Nikki, how many Nickelodeon properties do you licence? SAMBRO are proud to license ﬁve properties. How many Nickelodeon licensed lines do you make? Hundreds! Too many to mention!

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in heaven A bit of both — we, of course, need to be completely true to each property and develop fun products with them at the forefront. For example, our TMNT Catapult Pizza Game is utterly beﬁtting the Turtles and the themes in the show. However, we have invested heavily in tooling and so are able to replicate successful products across multiple licences.

And has that accolade made a difference to how you operate with Nickelodeon? It’s made us work even harder. Even though we’re told we can’t win it again we want to make it very difﬁcult for them to give it to someone else… it’s now our trophy!

What innovations have your design team created that you’re really proud of? It’s hard to choose just one product innovation as the ranges have been successful across the board. However, I particularly love our 3D Moulded Character Bags, which really bring the characters to life for little ones. SAMBRO was named licensee of the Year 2015 by Nickelodeon — you must have been cock-a-hoop. Why is SAMBRO such a great licensee? The whole team at SAMBRO really take the time to get to know each licensed property inside and out so that the product ranges we create reﬂect each character perfectly. We have also worked hard to create our own tooling and employ some of the best designers in the

SAMBRO’s top-selling TMNT products? That’s easy — our action games are winners here.

JANUARY 2016

business, which enable us to innovate and refresh ranges all the time. We are always able to react quickly to a licensor’s needs too which we think is imperative in this fast-moving industry.

SAMBRO’s top-selling PAW Patrol products? PAW Patrol 3D Shaped Character Bags

“

It’s the range, price and brand that makes us truly effective Nikki Samuels, founder, SAMBRO

And what about with retailers — has your business been boosted as a result? We ﬁnd working with Nickelodeon’s retail team and our retailers combined gives us a boost. If the award helps then great, but it’s more the range, price and brand that makes us truly effective.

What next for SAMBRO and Nickelodeon? Winning the award for the second time even though I’m told it’s not possible ... we all know anything is possible!

NIKKI SAMUELS, RIGHT, AND SAMBRO’S HONG KONG SHOWROOM, ABOVE

SAMBRO HEAD OFFICE, DUMERS LANE, BURY GREATER MANCHESTER, BL9 9UE

Tel: 0845 8739380

sales@sambro.co.uk

buying@sambro.co.uk

TMNT

Band of brothers These comic crime-fighting creatures have super personalities and ultimate baddiebusting fighting skills. Find out more about New York’s finest, and why kids find it so easy to identify with them Product power eenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is There are more all about brotherhood, highBrand themes and values than 50 specific action adventure, vanquishing UK licensees evil, and of course, urse, having a good COMEDY: They are real ninjas, but working daily with laugh and plenty nty of pizza while also teenage heroes who don’t take Nickelodeon to you’re at it! On n TV, the Nickelodeon power deliver Turtle pow themselves too seriously. Teenage Mutant ant Ninja Turtles series to retailers and an has been a ratings tings hit. ACTION: They face enemies more products launch prod The addition of the dangerous than ever before; these beyond that go bey heroes to the Channel villains don’t crack jokes. the core 5 schedule saw w the audience of the BROTHERHOOD: As they learn to show’s monthly ly reach engage TV show to engag increase by 133 3 percent with work as a team, the family dynamics of and delight fans o the series ranking king as the number (and rivalry) of brotherhood makes for all ages. With a mix m one weekend show on both heightened stakes (and great comedy). animation, of core animatio Nicktoons and d Channel 5 in 2014. imagery retro 80s image MUTATION: Mutation is around the With more than 12 million and movies, the viewers since launch, the Turtles — weapons, vehicles and expansion product expansio momentum off the core mutated villains — nothing is as it seems. of recent years has ha animation series ies will continue to allowed Nickelodeon Nickelode grow in 2016 with the launch of to venture into new ne has developed a diverse range of Turtlethe fourth series. ies. infant all the way categories from in tastic toy offerings with action figures The Turtles must rise through to adult. and playsets performing strongly at to the challenge ge to keep In addition to tthe product partners, retail. More than 55 million Turtles themselves and nd Earth safe have direct to retail opportunities op action figures have been sold globally. from marauding ng alien threats. played a big part in the success of In the UK, the TMNT figure won the To complement nt the new the property over the past year. A Brand of the Year award at the Toy series, Flair has as a new line of dedicated Turtles New York city Industry Awards. Key launches have products which ch will see the space features in the newly opened included the Mutations range, launched Turtles in intergalactic rgalactic Nickelodeon in February 2015, and Half Shell Heroes space suits and nd Store in — taking the Turtles into a pre-school hit shelves at Leicester space. retail in springgSquare, while Since its launch, the Half Shell Heroes summer 16. The The highly anticipated Forbidden range has sold so well it now ranks new content sequel to the Teenage Planet as the UK’s number three pre-school continues Mutant Ninja Turtles launched an property, according to NPD in October into 2017 with film will hit cinemas on exclusive range 2015. the launch of 30 May. The Turtles are of Teenage Nickelodeon has also seen the Turtles Series 5, new back on the streets of New York and they Mutant Ninja product innovation expand outside production must battle to protect their beloved city Turtles apparel, the conventional categories, with innovation, and their friends from a brand new threat. art and Nickelodeon announced as the first collaborations Alongside Michael Bay who is returning to homewares at licensor to to launch 3D printing with a and 360 degree direct, and fan favourites Megan Fox and MCM Comic licensed character. marketing Will Arnett there is an extended cast of Con in 2015. Exclusive to Asda, the technology campaigns. familiar faces and the return of infamous The core enables customers to receive a 3D Following the villains, Bebop and Rocksteady. category for Model of themselves standing alongside fourth series of Orange will be the new black as a huge the Turtles is their favourite Turtles character. the animation above the line marketing campaign toy. Partnering The Turtles brand has taken more comes the highly kicks into gear with brand new fashion with Playmates than $4 billion in global retail sales to aniticipated collaborations and an exciting new product and Flair, date and will continue to turn the world sequel to the range for fans of all ages to go TurtleyNickelodeon green in 2016 and beyond. TMNT film.

Booyakasha at the box ofﬁce

crazy for!

JANUARY 2016

APRIL O’NEIL

TMNT

LEONARDO Leo eats, sleeps and breathes ninjutsu, which is probably why he was chosen by Master Splinter to be the Ninja Turtles’ leader. Keeping his rowdy brothers in line can be hard, but Leo never lets anything get in the way of their strong teamwork and defeating villains. Weapon of Choice: Katana Sword Name Meaning: Strong as Lion

April is just your average 16-year-old girl with four mutant turtle best friends and a knack for ﬁghting off alien invaders. Her intelligence, quick wit, and determination keep the Ninja Turtles on track when they feel like giving up, and she would do anything to help her friends and family. Weapon: Tessen Fan Abilities: Telepathy and a sixth-sense sensitivity to vibration

DONATELLO From insane weapons to some awesome vehicles, Donnie has invented some epic gadgets to help keep the Ninja Turtles safe. His talents include hacking computers and cracking security codes. He just can’t seem to ﬁgure out how to steal April’s heart. Weapon of Choice: Bo Staff Interests: Science, pizza, April

RAPHAEL Raph is always the ﬁrst to a ﬁght, and never forgets to brings his tough attitude and hot-headed temper. Though he’s sometimes hard on his brothers, Raph shows his softer side with his pet turtle, Spike. He’s also afraid of cockroaches (but don’t tell him we told you!). Weapon: Sai Nickname: Meat-head

MICHELANGELO Mikey is the class clown of the Ninja Turtle’s sewer lair, constantly pranking his brothers and concocting some seriously sick food (pizza milkshake, anyone?). When he’s not dancing to his fave tunes or downing a whole pepperoni pizza, Mikey is kicking some major Kraang butt with his brothers. Weapon of Choice: Nunchucks Catch Phrase: “Booyakasha!”

Consumer comment

Fighting form For the past three decades, Turtles have been entertaining fans around the world. Now these brothers have turned the world green with strong viewership around the globe, best-in-class products lighting retail on ﬁre, innovative partnerships, and awesome digital executions. s. The Turtles are a global franchise chise hit and are continuing ng the momentum in 2016 016 and beyond. In the UK this culminated in the e Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles winning ning the best TV licensed sed property award at the 2015 Licensing ng Awards, showing g the strength of the he property within today’s licensing industry.

The ability for a brand to retain its status of top boy’s action toy over two years and to generate over $1.5billion in global retail, speaks to the popularity of the property as well as Nickelodeon’s commitment to working to ensure that the property continues to cont develop and grow dev with wi innovative partnerships and pa products. The pro Teenage Mutant Teen Ninja Turtles is a Ni TV T property with a long legacy and an it is has taken great skill to tak navigate the many navi incarnations of the inca brand bran and deliver on the expectations t of a demanding and discerning fan base. disc

Tadgh is a fiveyear-old Turtles fan, and when he’s not catching up with the latest animated adventures of his favourite fighting foursome, he’s battling Shredder in the back garden with his Turtles figures. “Mikey is my favourite because he likes pizza and I like pizza and orange is my best colour - he has an orange mask! Booyakasha. I don’t like Shredder because he’s the nasty man, but the Turtles always beat him together and always win in the end. My Mikey toy is my favourite toy, I have all of them and also Splinter who knows everything and helps us when fighting.”

Let’s BLAZE! New Partyware & Balloons rangee for 2016 ©2016 Viacom International Inc. All rights reserved. Nickelodeon. Blaze and the Monster Machines and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International inc.

JANUARY 2016

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FLAIR

Shell binding action When Nickelodeon rebooted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Flair knew they were the company to capture the heart of the brand and continue the long tradition of Turtles toys. With more than 300 action ﬁgures launched to date, the company reveals why Turtles continues to capture fans’ imaginations and what new toys are in the pipeline.

eonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael have been heroes in a half shell for kids since the mid-80s. The ﬁghting foursome’s action-packed adventures have been wowing fans on TV and the silver screen in different incarnations over the years, but one thing has always remained a constant for the brand: toys. Partnering with Nickelodeon to bring the latest animated series to life in toy form, Flair continues that lineage with its incredibly successful range of ﬁgures, vehicles and playsets that let fans recreate their favourite

scenes from the show and go on missions of their own creation. Although the toy company has worked with Nickelodeon for many years, Simon Hedge, Flair’s Managing Director, says that the partnership on Turtles is special. “As a toy company, Flair has had a steady relationship working with Nickelodeon as a secondary licensee over many years working on properties such as Dora the Explorer. But the work with TMNT is the ﬁrst time we have become a major partner.” For Simon, the Turtles reboot was a perfect ﬁt for Flair. “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are iconic and what Nickelodeon had in store for the new animation series was beyond exciting,” he explains. “From the outset we knew that this would be major toy launch. As a pan-European company we also knew we were more than up to the challenge of making this a highly successful partnership.” Flair got involved in the new toy range when Nickelodeon reacquired rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2009, before producing and releasing the new animation. “Playmates Toys International continued their highly successful relationship with Turtles under the new animation from Nickelodeon,” explains Nic Aldridge, Flair’s Marketing Director. “The animation launched in October 2012, after the US launch in August 2012, and GP Flair brought this new range of Turtles toys to market with the relaunch to the UK market.”

New toys for ’16 “Within the TV series the four brothers will be leaving New York and entering Dimension X and so opening up a whole new toy theme for 2016 with new ﬁgures and playsets. “There will also be a new collection for Half-Shell Heroes as these junior Turtles take on a dinosaur theme combining an evergreen play pattern with favourite Turtles characters. “Of course there is a new movie too in early summer and we will have a great range of movie ﬁgures and accessories for older fans and collectors.” Nic Aldridge, Marketing Director, Flair The range was an instant hit, and Flair has continued to build on the range, leveraging the wealth of content that fans continue to ask for, and Nickelodeon delivers. “It’s been tremendous,” Nick says. “TMNT is a fast moving brand.

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e had So far we have over 15 waves of Nickelodeon on animation figures ures and the relaunch nch of the Mutation series, a whole movie vie range plus the launch of the Half-Shell Heroes. There ere are not many brands that create so much content to work with.” Positive values alues The fan base ase for Turtles is hugely varied; ried; from preschoolers to older kids — and even adults lts that got swept up in Turtle power wer the first time around — the themes emes and values that the Turtles es series promotes have wide appeal, peal, and Nic says that this gives Fl Flair ir lots to work with for the toy range. “It’s all brotherhood, teamwork, humour and the good guy saving the day,”Nic explains. “The Turtles teach kids about discipline and working towards a goal. Most of all as an entertainment brand it’s full of adventure while the toy side adds the element of role-play and collecting.” Battling evil and fighting with the series’ foes is a core tenet of being a Ninja Turtle, but Nic says the toys and series go beyond surface-level scraps, giving kids a richer experience, and making it more appealing to the adults who hold the purse strings. “Fighting is always going to be a strong play pattern with boys but I think that Turtles also teaches them the discipline that goes with that,” he explains. “This clearly allows for the parents to more easily buy into the brand.” Distilling those values and bringing them to the toy range is incredibly important to Flair, and Nic explains that mirroring the on-screen adventures of the Turtles gives kids an authentic play experience at home. “Synergy

with the show is important, as new backdrops are added it’s great to be introducing playsets that echo them. They also like to have special features in their figures like an action, sound or transformation.” Turtle-y awesome toys So what does Flair’s expansive toy offering include? “The range is immense,” says Nic Nic. More than 300 different styles of figures have been brought The Teenage to market since launch, all in Mutant Ninja different shapes, sizes and Turtles are scales. “In addition to that we iconic and what have a very popular range of Nickelodeon vehicles, playsets and role play which gives us the broadest had in store appeal,” Nic adds, teasing that for the new animation series the breadth of categories will soon expand: “We are even was beyond moving into die cast vehicles exciting. and friction motorised figures Simon Hedge, for the future.” The Teenage Managing aging Director, Flair Mutant Ninja Turtles films, the most recent of which was the summer

blockbuster of 2014, gives the blockbu brand even greater scope. The e edgier appeal of the big screen productions brings older kids produc into the th fold, according to Nic. Combined with the TV series, he Comb says it i “allows us to broaden the appeal appea to a wider age range as well as a bringing with it tremendous awareness for the Turtles on the awar whole. who As the animation has been on air a for a while now this really gives us a triple-A, tent-pole event to really get behind and drive awareness from a slightly different angle.” With so many fantastic toys on the market, and plenty more launching later this year, does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have space to grow? Of course,” Simon says. “This can be seen with the fact that an investment is being made into a new movie. What’s great is that the Turtles spread across so many platforms. Big screen, small screen, online and more. There’s always something new so to discover.”

FAST FACT Flair has launched more than an 300 ﬁgures.

JANUARY 2016

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MATTEL

A blaze of glory Mattel and Nickelodeon’s long-standing relationship has resulted in toy lines for some of the most successful and beloved properties. With Blaze, Dora and Friends and Shimmer & Shine, that partnership looks set to continue in style in 2016 and beyond.

market coupled with ever changing children’s TV trends,” says Wendy. “But for us at Mattel it’s about having the opportunity to partner with great properties that allow us to develop innovative toys that really bring the properties to life for consumers.” Hot property Blaze and the Monster Machines is a good example of this. The TV series follows

Meet the machines

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It’s about partnering with great properties that allow us to develop innovative toys that really bring the properties to life

aster brand-builders Mattel and Nickelodeon have been partnering on world-leading kids’ brands for many years. Twinning Nickelodeon’s creative content with Mattel’s expertise in translating great Wendy Hill, properties into successful toy Mattel lines has always been a winning formula, and 2016 looks set to continue that trend. With a fresh look for globetrotting favourite Dora, and brand-new toy

lines for the latest pre-school hits Blaze and the Monster Machines and Shimmer & Shine, there’s lots to get excited about from the two companies in the coming year, and Wendy Hill, the Brand Activation Director at Mattel, says there’s “even more coming in 2017”. Pre-school is a notoriously competitive market, and navigating the potential pitfalls can be challenging for newcomers. TV trends change at a rapid pace but, with decades of experience, Nickelodeon is well versed in creating and broadcasting content that not only captures the attention of young children, but holds on to it. This is where Mattel comes into its own. “There is a lot of exciting preschool content out there making it a very crowded

Blaze and the Monster Machines’ cast of characters are the stars of the show: ● Blaze and his best pal and human driver AJ ● Starla, the cowgirl truck ● Darrington, the daredevil truck ● Zeg, the dinosaur truck ● Stripes, the tiger truck ● Crusher and Pickle, the villainous but silly trucks

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the adventures of heroic Blaze, the There’s a lot fastest monster of exciting pretruck in Axel school content City, his human making it a driver AJ, and a very crowded supporting group of characterful market with trucks. ever-changing Mattel is children’s TV tapping into this trends wacky cast of characters, which Wendy Hill, Mattel includes Starla the cowgirl truck and Darrington the daredevil truck, for its toy line, driving collectability and bringing their unique personalities to life. Wendy says the range “brings these characters to life through thrilling vehicle play and fast-paced adventure, with fans being able to collect all their favourite characters across the line from die-cast to mid-size and larger vehicles”. But the show also appeals to the growing trend towards STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) learning, and Mattel carries the educational fun on in its supporting toy line. “As one of the first preschool properties to focus on the STEM curriculum and introduce children to scientific principles in a fun and engaging way, our introductory line of vehicles and playsets will deliver on the speed, stunts and the storytelling of the show,” Wendy says. “Across the line, STEM, plus cool monster truck action, allows children to really interact with Blaze’s world above and beyond the onscreen content.” Blaze has been a resounding success for Nickelodeon, and consumer demand is firing on all cylinders for the forthcoming toy launch. “The show has seen a great response from consumers and there is certainly anticipation for the toy line,” Wendy says. “Blaze already has very strong listings for launch so

“

JANUARY 2016

Mattel partners with Nickelodeon on preschool licences

TRANSFORMING BLAZE JET

MATTEL we’re excited about the potential for the brand. We will have exciting new items for AW which includes impressive playsets which will add to the Fisher-Price Blaze range for preschoolers.” Wendy says early reactions from retailers, buyers and the trade at large have been similarly excited, with signiﬁcant buzz growing after the successful content nt launch last year. “With our fresh take on a category and the e focus on STEM learning to o appeal to parents it’s an exciting citing opportunity for our retailers,” she adds. With the ofﬁcial al toy launch imminent, Mattel have already stepped the marketing k i support up a gear, building awareness and interacting with fans of the series. Wendy says: “We have started our consumer outreach with a soft launch in retail to drive initial demand. “From the end of the month we will be extending the distribution and extending our marketing and PR activity to drive awareness and engagement with fans as well as recruiting new Blaze fans. “The launch will be supported by TV advertising for our spring hero product, the Transforming Blaze Jet, as well as an extensive marketing, PR and social media campaign kicking off around half-term in February. y

“We will also be executing in-store activity to bring the We have range to life for consumers at created a line retail.” Mattel’s marketing and that goes above consumer engagement is world e and beyond the class, exploring new frontiers ex content they in social socia media and digital messaging, and this level of mess see on TV support extends across its supp Wendy Hill, Mattel entire portfolio. “Both ourselves and Nickelodeon are very committed to delivering extensive marketing campaigns to really support the brand and products which is essential p to the success of a line,” Wendy says. “The way we reach our ou consumers is rapidly changing, the rise in chang technology and the techno importance of online and importa social platforms means p we are a always look at different differe ways we can bring b i our toy to consumers. “Our marketing campaigns constantly evolve to reﬂect the new channels allowing us to bring the properties to consumers in different ways.”

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Exploring new territory Dora and her adventures have touched the hearts and minds of kids since 2000, and now she’s back with a fresh look and modern gadgets in Dora & Friends. Mattel has created a brand new toy line to reﬂect this new direction for Dora, and Wendy says it will go “over and above the content they see on TV”. She adds: “We have created a line that directly reﬂects the new show as Dora and her friends explore an exciting new city. Dora has new friends, new gadgets including her magical charm bracelet

SPARKLE & SWIM MERMAID DORA

and explores new d smartphone, h l relatable locations as well as bringing to life themes of friendship and music. “The Fisher-Price Dora range features classic play patterns for pre-schoolers inspiring imagination and storytelling with a range of fantastic friendship dolls and role-play toys.” The highlight of the new Dora toy range for 2016 will be the new Sparkle & Swim Mermaid Dora, which swims through the water. Wendy says that it has a “fresh new look straight from the TV show” and this vibrant makeover continues with the return of Dora’s iconic Magical Adventures Backpack. “A key favourite, but with a brand-new look, the Magical Adventures Backpack will be making a highly anticipated return to the range later this year, as well as new products such as the Charm Bracelet based on fun and exciting gadgets and themes from the show,” Wendy reveals. Bright future Sparkling on the horizon, Mattel and Nickelodeon will also unveil a brand new toy line for Shimmer & Shine, a new property that debuted in 2015 on Nick Jr. The ﬁnal range is under wraps, but Wendy says: “We will continue to build on our strong partnership and look forward to the launch of Blaze and are very excited about the launch of Shimmer & Shine.” So watch this space!

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SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS

No problem-o it’s SpongeBob! Are you enchanted by his underworld? If Aye, Aye Captain is your answer and Krabby Patties are your things, then get up close and personal with the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom.

e’s the world’s most lovable sponge with his starﬁsh sidekick! They have the best of intentions but SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star are always causing trouble … and plenty of laughs.

When he’s not at the Krusty Krab grilling up some epic Krabby Patties, SpongeBob can be found jellyﬁshing with Patrick, blowing bubbles, or annoying his favourite neighbour, Squidward. Master toy licensee Simba is a valuable partner

Bikini Bottom is home to the coolest creatures under the sea, and you can’t miss out on any of their adventures. Is mayonnaise an instrument? Read on to ﬁnd out. Ever-optimistic, irrepressible and beloved by fans of all ages, SpongeBob SquarePants has been charming audiences since his debut on Nickelodeon UK in 1999.

Submarine Superstar Quirky, crazy and very, very funny — the ultimate underwater character is SpongeBob SquarePants. Here you can get to know the characters a little better. SPONGEBOB Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants … DUH! This super-happy sea creature is the Krusty Krab’s number one fry cook and Bikini Bottom’s best laugh. If you’re looking for non-stop entertainment, look no further. SpongeBob SquarePants is the funniest little fella under the sea. Likes: The Krusty Krab, bubble blowing, singing. 22 Dislikes: Days off, the dark, clowns.

PATRICK Have you been living under a rock? Well, Patrick Star has! Which is probably why he calls pencils “writing sticks” and he doesn’t know if mayonnaise is an instrument or not. Even though his attention span is approximately .02 seconds long, Patrick is still the sweetest starfish. Likes: Jellyfishing, donuts, sleeping. Dislikes: Spiders, thinking, bullies.

MR KRABS If Mr Krabs had a dollar for every time he thought about a dollar, he’d be a millionaire! For now, he’s the owner of the Krusty Krab, Bikini Bottom’s No 1 restaurant. This crab will do anything to make a buck. Luckily for him, SpongeBob is the most loyal employee around. Likes: Money, dollars, coins. Dislikes: The Chum Bucket, The Sea Chicken Shack, unhappy customers.

SQUIDWARD Squidward Tentacles is SpongeBob’s not-so-happy neighbour who would do anything to get away from him. Unfortunately for Squidward, he and SpongeBob are also co-workers at the Krusty Krab. This clarinetplaying cashier just wants some peace and quiet. Too bad, Squidward, you live in the rowdiest neighbourhood under the sea. Likes: Art, bubble baths, reading. Dislikes: SpongeBob, waking up, life in www.ltwmag.com general.

gnihtolc lla revoc eW .stluda rof strihs-t ypmitS & neR ot seiseno boBegnopS dna seltruT tnafni morf puorg ega yreve rof retac ew lerappa roF m demeht-nodnoL evisulcxe yrrac eW .spuc dna sgum ,stes rennid loohcs-erp ,steknalb ,snoihsuc edulcni seirogetac dlohesuoH .ralupop yllaer With his distinctive shape, colour and style, not to o mention his infectious laugh and happy outlook on life, SpongeBob SquarePants quarePants has become one of the most ost successful and entertaining characters acters of all time with the last ten en years seeing the property triumph riumph in every media and across every licence category where it has appeared. From the mind of marine biologist Stephen hen Hillenburg, SpongeBob SquarePants ants has grown to a true global franchise hise with the property’s unmistakable art style and sensibility gracing the small screen, the big screen, the catwalk, the supermarket aisle, race cars, theme park rides and more. Multi-billion pound Bikini Bottom Reaching more than £9.05billion ($13bn) in global retail sales to date, SpongeBob is a force within the international consumer product industry. The range of licences across which SpongeBob SquarePants can be found speaks to the enduring appeal and ever-inclusive nature of the property. Faith in the core attributes of the property and its pop culture currency means that SpongeBob SquarePants can and has been interpreted across multiple categories and products, all of which keeps the property vibrant.

There seems to be no end to success for Simba’s SpongeBob range, which spans the generational demographic

L Laugh your pants on! As the UK’s mostwatched show on kids’ TV for the past dozen years, the success of SpongeBob SquarePants is built on its fans and Nickelodeon has made a point of listening to them in order to make sure that Bikini Bottom stays relevant, fun and welcoming so the property never loses the underlying SpongeBob sensibility that has kept the brand so popular. Sixteen years after it sprang to life, SpongeBob shows no signs of slowing down and, in case you missed it, 2015 was a big year… The SpongeBob Movie demonstrated the power of the brand and its promotional strength. All this was reinforced with great retail support with sales up 732% year-onyear at movie launch. Yet again SpongeBob

has proven himself to be a fashion favourite with acclaimed Londonbased designer Beaxtrix Ong creating a luxury range of apparel and accessories. The collection launched at Collette in Paris and, thanks to its success, there will be a new one out in 2016. Appealing to a different audience, SpongeBob was also the star of the capsule collection with UK streetwear fashion brand HYPE. With more than 30 pieces in the collection and sell through of over half the lines within a few days, the collaborations show the property’s diverse appeal. What next?

In 2016 Nickelodeon looks forward to brand-new episodes with the launch of series nine, leading up to SpongeBob’s 200th episode. To celebrate, there will be a yearlong Laugh Your Pants Off marketing campaign on air and at retail to bring SpongeBob’s laughter to life. It will concentrate on all things Party with SpongeBob funny and returns to the core of what makes him such a lovable character. Celebrate with the world’s most famous Alongside this Simba is set sponge SpongeBob SquarePants. This to launch a brand-new range of underwater-themed partyware and products in two pulses across the p balloon range from Amscan is ideal for year — featuring new any fan of this much-loved Nickelodeon playsets, plush and character. The ensemble features a impulse lines. wide selection of foil and latex balloons ranging from Mini Shapes to Into 2017 and beyond AirWalkers. The party continues with an array of colourful tableware, there will be new fashion invitations, decorations and accessories. collaborations, new content, 360o marketing campaigns and much, SANDY PLANKTON GARY much more. Just because Sandy Sheldon J Plankton is a pintSpongeBob’s pet snail may seem And last but deﬁnitely Cheeks is a squirrel doesn’t sized microbe with an evil a bit simple, but Gary is actually not least, there’s the mean she can’t live at the plan … to steal the Krusty quite intelligent. Even though he can only announcement of bottom of the ocean. With her oxygen suit Krabs’ secret Krabby Patty recipe! Along meow, he dreams of mahogany bookshelves the third SpongeBob and glassed-in Treedome home, Sandy can with his computer wife K.A.R.E.N., Plankton and fine arts. Okay, so he can’t catch a frisbee SquarePants movie, breathe easy as Bikini Bottom’s only Texan. is always scheming to rule the restaurant or fetch slippers … but he can teleport and which is due for release From science experiments to extreme sports, business … and the world. Too bad his levitate. Gary’s the best pet snail around. in 2019.

Sandy is one well-rounded squirrel … and we’re not talking about her helmet. Likes: Science, karate, competition. JANUARY Dislikes: Sissies, losing,2016 Texas haters.

restaurant is called The Chum Bucket. Gross! Likes: Evil robots, K.A.R.E.N., world domination. Dislikes: The Krusty Krab, competition, failing.

Likes: SpongeBob, sleeping, poetry. Dislikes: Squidward, leashes, empty boxes of snail bites. 33

BLAZE

Let’s Blaze! Even pre-schoolers feel the need for speed and there’s nothing faster on the race track than Blaze! This new worldwide hit show is delighting audiences — get up close and personal with this science-loving speeder

AJ and Blaze

laze and the Monster Machines is a CG interactive series for pre-school children featuring Blaze, the world’s most amazing monster truck, and his driver and best friend 8-year-old AJ. The series follows their adventures in Axle City, a town populated with big-wheeled vehicles known as monster machines. Blaze is Axle City’s greatest hero and the champion of the racetrack! Whenever there’s trouble he’s the truck everyone turns to for help because he can do things no other truck can. Blaze has blazing speed, a special turbo boost that lets him accelerate and go faster than any other monster machine. But

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Whenever there’s trouble Blaze is the truck everyone turns to because he can do things no other truck can — he can go faster than any other monster machine.

Blaze has more than just speed. He also has the power to transform into any other vehicle or machine! Using his engineering knowledge Blaze can add new parts to himself and change into anything. From a hydrofoil to a hang glider to even a hair dryer, if you can engineer it, Blaze can become it. AJ and the audience at home help Blaze on his adventures by exploring the physics of how things move, tackling problems and discovering the component parts needed to make everyday technologies work. CG animation not only gives the show strong visual appeal but helps magnify the action packed drama that features in each episode too. The bustling modern metropolis, Axle City nestled amongst snow-capped mountains and beautiful coastline has one famous attraction — the monster dome! On racing days, fans come to watch their favourite trucks compete in tire-screeching, mud-splattering races. Bright action packed visuals makes this show eye-catching and engaging for boys and girls!

Blaze Kids comment Cian (3) is a huge fan of Blaze and the Monster Machines; mum Aoife tell us why: “Cian loves anything with wheels so once he discovered Blaze we had a very happy household. The fact that the characters talk really amuses him. From a mum’s point of view, I’m really picky about what my boys watch on TV and what I like about Blaze is that it has a moral compass. We are now on the hunt for a Blaze bedspread though so do let me know where I can ﬁnd one!”

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Who is the master toy licensee? driver brings technology into the Now for the science bit mix with his pair of Skywriting There is an upward trend among gloves, which let him sketch out parents to encourage learning diagrams to help illustrate how through play and entertainment scientiﬁc ideas work. Interaction and many studies indicate that the with pre-schoolers is key to the information passed on is retained series, as it encourages and digested more learning through asking readily and easily the audience for help in than using traditional Educational solving its missions. learning methods. appeal is Parents seem pleased to note that Blaze highlighted Speedy success centres on STEM Since debuting on through the (science, technology, Nick Jr. in March 2015, storylines as engineering and Blaze and the Monster Blaze takes on maths) teaching and Machines has shown a new problem that their little ones impressive viewer in each episode ratings leading to an are learning about through science increased demand for trajectory, gradients and angles at a young and engineering products from both age means that while parents and retailers. and AJ brings they may be a touch As a result Fishertechnology into too little to master Price brought forward the mix. these, they most the launch at toy certainly can absorb specialists across the the basics. UK to pre Christmas. Educational appeal is highlighted Encouraged by the excitement through the storylines as Blaze there is for the property further takes on a new problem in consumer product categories are each episode through science, set to roll out from spring-summer engineering and AJ, Blaze’s human 2016.

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Fisher-Price, Nickelodeon’s master pre-school toy partner have created a toy range which will bring something different to the pre-school sector, offering children unique action-packed products that incorporate the STEM curriculum. The intro line focuses on the show’s breadth of characters through vehicles that will drive collectability and bring the characters’ unique personalities to life. Playsets will deliver on the speed, stunts and the storytelling of the show. Across the line STEM plus monster truck action will deliver a fresh take on a category.

With a unique formula there are four key attributes to the show…. Monster Trucks • A pre-schooler will be drawn to the world of Axle City, a city populated by big, fast, and furious monster trucks, each with unique appearances and personalities.

Fast-paced Adventure • The series is driven by action-packed, fast-paced adventures in and outside of Axle City with wild travel sequences, crazy jumps, and high-speed twists and turns.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths • This is the ﬁrst preschool television series to solely focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) curriculum and introduces children to scientiﬁc principles in a fun and engaging way.

Comedy • With slapstick and physical humour, each character bring laughter and silliness to every episode, whether Crusher and Pickle end up ﬂat on their bellies in the mud pit or Blaze and AJ cross the ﬁnish line with leaf moustaches on their faces.

JANUARY 2016

DORA

Adventure of a lifetime Explore Nickelodeon’s plans for Dora’s modernised new series and how licensing is making everyday an adventure for young fans

or 15 years, Dora has been entertaining pre-schoolers around the world. But in the new, modern extension to the property, Dora has left the jungle and is taking on a brand new adventure exploring the city of Playa Verde with her new group of friends. This is no ordinary city, however, and around every corner there are magical worlds ﬁlled with surprises, obstacles and villains waiting to test her. New horizons Dora’s new group of friends — Kate, Naiya, Emma, Alana and Pablo — all have unique interests but share Dora’s passion for exploring, adventures and helping out in their community. Kate loves acting, Naiya enjoys science and maths, Emma’s musical, Alana loves playing football and looking after animals, and Pablo loves sports and adventures. With these new friendships, Dora is now more relatable to kids through her real life experiences. Dora has not left her bilingual talents behind, in the brand new series the second language is organically woven into the narrative and the songs. s. Music is an integral part of the show, ow, with catchy pop tunes throughout hout that help to drive storylines forward ward and always prove a hit with th pre-schoolers! In her new modern world, Dora now ow carries a smartphone, which also has a map app to help her on her adventures, es, and a magic charm bracelet et which she uses es to overcome obstacles and challenges by calling in bilingual phrases ses to bring the charms to life.

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Dora is now more relatable to kids through her real life experiences

Power of play Fisher-Price is the master toy partner for Dora and Friends, aiming to bring to life the adventures of the show for every little girl through hands-on imaginative play that also helps to spark conversational skills. The bold and bright toys launched back in July 2015 with a range of beautiful dolls, playsets, magic charm bracelets, and even a train-and-play Perrito. With further expansion across hardlines and softlines planned for 2016, brand new product innovation is set to emulate the new and exciting content themes that are coming through in Series 2. From ballet to gymnastics, and even magical gy g unicorns, the e adventure a venture is set to ad come c me alive in the world co w of consumer products. produ Pioneering Pion onee on e rin content At A launch back b in in November Novembe 2014, and 20 2 014 014 1 , Dora an Friends: Frien nds Into nds: nd the t e City was th Nick Niick c Jr.’s best be launch, laun la au ch, and since then it has remaine remained firmly within the top five shows on the channel. When products hit h the shelves at retail in July, the property benefited from robust robu retail and consumer marketing campaigns, including the

Kids corner Dora has made a big impact in the life of little Cliodhna (3). Nick’s explorer has a firm fan favourite! Cliodhna’s mum Suzanne tells us why her daughter loves the show so much. “I actually remember when Dora first came onto our screens back in the early noughties. I wasn’t watching it then myself but I do recall the impact it had. It’s a really positive show for a young girl to watch because Dora is such an independent character and I think that influences Cliodhna. I’ve noticed that she references Dora quite a lot, particularly if we go for a walk in our nearby woods, and she has started to ask for Dora toys now too — so I guess that is going to be on my shopping list soon.”

channel’s eight-week long Sing A Long Summer with Dora and Friends on-air stunt. Bringing to life the musical element of the show, an experiential signing booth toured the country in partnership with Sky and Smyths Toys Superstores offering kids the chance to record themselves singing the Dora and Friends theme tune. Looking forward into 2016, Dora fans will be excited to hear that she will be reuniting with her old amigos Boots and Backpack in brand new episodes in Series 2. Not forgetting plenty of other themes, on-air stunts and marketing campaigns, the show is set to continue building momentum into 2016 and beyond. Bright, engaging and magical, every day is an adventure in the world of Dora and Friends.

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Dora and Friends Dora

Emma

Naiya

Dora’s growing up and still going on magical adventures! She uses her problemsolving skills to discover new things about her city, her friends and in two languages. A musician, singer, athlete, and devoted student, Dora tries to ﬁnd new ways to give back to her family and community. As always, Dora is an active girl, ready for any adventure that may come her way.

Emma is the star of the school band and a great musician. She plays violin, piano, guitar and sings in two languages! She even works with the elementary band to teach them how to play like her. She works hard on her music and in her classes but her friends can always get her out on an adventure with them. Emma will go with her friends anywhere but always shines brightest on the stage!

Naiya is one of the smartest girls in school and great at solving puzzles. She’s a whiz at maths, science and learning new languages. She loves studying the stars in the night sky and the natural world around her. Naiya loves her city of Playa Verde and knows all about its history (and many of its secrets).

Alana Athletic, conﬁdent, bilingual and a great football player, Alana is the popular kid at school but never lets it stop her from being nice to others. Alana coaches a peewee football team, loves animals and volunteers at the local animal adoption shelter. Alana also has a hidden talent: she’s a gourmet chef in the making and loves to try any exotic food.

JANUARY 2016

Kate Kate loves to sing, dance, act, and grab the spotlight whenever she can! Artistic Kate is known in school for her colourful personality. She likes to read stories and trade books with Dora but she loves to make her own stories as well, writing plays for the neighbourhood kids and dressing up in costumes whenever she feels like it.

Pablo Dora’s classmate Pablo is one of her best friends in the city. He’s energetic, playful, smart and can solve any problem, even if it’s by accident! Pablo is always on-thego and excited to join Dora’s adventures but he can get distracted easily. Still, Dora’s bilingual buddy is always ready for adventure.

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SHIMMER & SHINE

Genie - us in a bottle! Best friends, magic, sparkle and loads of laughs — what every little girl loves — and Nick Jr.’s new show has all this, and more, in abundance! Let’s get up close and personal with these bewitching twins and their pals

himmer and Shine is a magical brand-new CG animated series following genie-in-training twin sisters, Shimmer and Shine, and Leah, their best friend. The show is centred on magic, wishes, friendship and humour. In each episode, Leah is faced with a problem that requires help from her friends. Shimmer and Shine’s naiveté about the human world causes them to always wish up the wrong things, sending the girls on dynamic adventures. Ultimately, through teamwork, the genies and Leah must ﬁnd a way to ﬁx the problem without the use of wishes. What a girl wants Whilst focusing more on humour,

NAHAL

Cast a spell! Get to know the enchanting entertainers that are the Shimmer and Shine characters SHIMMER Shimmer is all heart. A sweet, loveable ball of energy who is always looking for ways to maximise the fun. She’s bright, cheerful, giggly and an eternally optimistic dreamer. Always having the time of her life, Shimmer loves nothing more than doing what she’s doing at any given moment. She thinks her sister Shine has the best ideas and wherever she goes, her pet gibbon monkey Tala, is always by her side.

mischief and adventure the show introduces a social-emotional curriculum emphasising the importance of teamwork, resilience and overcoming obstacles. Throughout the series, we try to show our audience to look at mistakes from a different point of view and think creatively about how to problem solve. As well as this, the animation team behind the show are using a unique and innovative style. Breaking all the rules of TV animation with how ornate and beautiful the designs are, they are working with a studio that is creating custom made programmes to achieve a style that hasn’t been done for TV. Not only are we the only ones using this system, but

SHINE Shine is sassy, courageous, confident, bold and witty. Even though they’re twins, Shine comes across as the older sister (technically she is, but only by a minute). Shine has plenty of words of wisdom … that she makes up on the spot. She can’t be tied down by seriousness, formalities or etiquette but the one thing that makes Shine melt is animals, especially her pet Bengal tiger cub Nahal.

Nahal is Shine’s Bengal tiger cub. This cute kitty likes to pounce on whatever strikes her fancy – anything from food to a toy she can bat around with her paw. Like her owner, Nahal is silly and feisty, but she can also be a bit of a scaredycat. She tends to be more cautious than Tala and is easily startled by sudden movements and sounds. But Nahal melts any time Shine scratches her belly.

TALA Shimmer’s gibbon monkey is a sweet, playful goofball who likes to climb all over Shimmer and sit on her shoulders and head. She’ll also climb just about anything to reach whatever shiny object catches her eye. Tala has a touch of

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it will allow us to push our imaginations beyond anything else that is out there at the moment. Plus, to show our commitment to this show, Series 2 and 3 were greenlit before the show even launched on Nick Jr. in the UK. With Series 1 proving to be an on air hit, here is a sneak peak into Series 2… The series will explore Zahramay Falls and the genies’ palace and expand their world with other animals and characters, including some magical villains. Adventures will take to the water with boats and beaches and even see episodes where our genies transform into ballerinas! Overall the property is set to sprinkle a dose of magic and sparkle

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Kid’s corner Singing, dancing, and generally ruling the roost are ﬁve-year-old Sadhbh’s favourite things. Having recently started “big school”, Sadhbh’s mum Suzanne says that her daughter is really starting to notice how relationships work in the real world. Shimmer and Shine is now Sadhbh’s favourite ZAC TVs programme and she Sweet, quirky, and kind-hearted Zac is Leah’ good friend and next-door neighbour. Zac explains why in her own is bright and goofy, but in an endearing words. way. He has an amazing ability to shrug away “I like Shimmer and the weird genie stuff happening around him, often sharing a ridiculous story from his own experiences to justify the Shine because it is all shenanigans Leah finds herself involved in. purple and pink and those are my favourite colours. I have a friend called Leah and there is a girl called Leah in the show so that makes me like it too. The show is all about magic and friends too and I like that.”

through the pre-school girls’ market, from charming characters to brand new themes and an innovative product line, the show is sure to be a hit. With a robust consumer product roll-out plan to swiftly follow in autumnwinter 2017 stay tuned as we announce of ﬂurry of new partners very soon.

vanity and loves to dress up and look at herself in the mirror. Her endless curiosity can make her a bit of an accidental troublemaker. She’s never mean or annoying, but curiosity and mischief are a big part of her monkey nature.

LEAH Leah is warm, caring and thrilled to have secret genies as her best friends. Sensitive to others’ feelings, she does whatever it takes to make the people she cares about happy. Leah is straightforward, honest, and very patient … and thank goodness, because her genies make a lot of mistakes.! She is also the most grounded of the trio. Her natural instinct is to be calm and to think things through before she acts, so having Shimmer and Shine as her genies keeps her on her toes!

JANUARY 2016

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WISSPER

Let’s shout

Show facts ● Currently airs on Milkshake (launched back in October 2015) ● Produced by m4e AG and Absolutely Cuckoo ● Created by Dan Good ● Full consumer products roll out in 2017

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Entering Wissper’s sper’s world But how doess Wissper get to their worlds? She opens the fridge to step into the Ice World, the Forest World is under her bed, the living room carpet blooms into the Grass World, the sand pit in the back garden becomes the Desert World and the Water World bubbles up through her bath water.

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special she is.. Wissper can an talk to animals ls so, when she hears them calling, she always helps.

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Welcome to Wissper’s world When we ﬁrst meet Wissper it is in her home with her parents and brother. Wissper is clearly an

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issper is a regular, if sometimes quirky, little girl. Except for one little thing: she can talk to animals! She can sense their feelings, empathise with their problems and hear their voices — and the animals know this. Creatures of all shapes and sizes seem to instinctively know that when they have a problem, Wissper will ﬁnd the solution. Wissper the animal whisperer is a natural heroine for young viewers everywhere.

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This year sees the launch of a modern-day Dr Doolittle with cute characters and the delightful Wissper. Read on to learn more about the animal-loving little girl who can chat to all creatures great and small.

Who is Wissper? She is a 7-year-old girl, who was born with the magical ability to whisper to animals and she has a loving connection to all creatures. By using the magic words “Shhh Shh Shhh!...” Wissper can transport herself to anywhere there’s an animal in trouble. She is very sweet natured — except when animals are behaving badly. And when she needs help, she can summon one of her seven animal friends.

22 22

DIGBY

is on ﬁre! Ab brand d new property about b a non-ﬂying but gentle dragon is about to set the world alight!

nother of Blue Zoo’s hot properties, and one about which they are incredibly excited is Digby Dragon. Due to broadcast on Nickelodeon, which has also picked up the consumer products rights, Digby is a real labour of love for Blue Zoo. Digby came to Blue Zoo through artist Sally Hunter who presented the team with her original sketches. Sally is the woman behind Humphrey’s Corner which launched in 1998 and generated £200million in retail revenue. Digby is a character she has drawn for 25 years, ﬁrst created when she was visiting her grandmother in Scotland. Blue Zoo quickly felt a connection and believed that a great creative partnership could be created. “We simply fell in love with the characters,” explains Daniel Ismail, Blue Zoo Animation Studio’s Chief Operating Ofﬁcer. “Sally knew the characters but she didn’t know how to write their stories or how to make a TV show.” Taking Sally’s original concept, Blue Zoo skewed Digby towards an older audience so that they could have more ambitious storylines rather than those aimed at a pre-school market. The deal with Nickelodeon seemed a natural and happy option. Daniel explains: “We have been working for several years with Nick on various pieces of IP, when they saw our

pitch they immediately fell in love with the characters, Digby’s world, and the potential for both a brilliant show and great merchandising.” And the rest is history. Daniel and the Blue Zoo team knew that Nickelodeon were the right crew to propel Digby on to the worldwide stage and help develop the show into a compelling smash-hit show. “On a brand that looks like it’s going to be a worldwide hit, it’s crucial to have a big player in your corner,” says Daniel. “Nick has a great reach both here in the UK and right around the world. “Certainly being attached to Nick provides a huge boost for the property.” But it doesn’t end there — the future is already bright for Digby Dragon. “Series 2 of Digby is already in discussion, master toy licence meetings are underway, more channels right around the world are picking up the show each month — we see a lot of opportunities and growth right now”, reveals Daniel.

Meet the magic dragon Digby He’s a kind-hearted, brave, determined and heroic type of fellow but Digby is a little too generous and trusting and unfortunately, he can’t ﬂy or breathe ﬁre which makes him a little ineffective at being a dragon.

Fizzy Fizzy is a fairy who is ever the optimist. She’s creative, affectionate, faithful and can bake. However, Fizzy gets quite distracted by the world, isn’t the best at magic and lacks a bit of common sense.

Grumpy Grumpy is an elf who is resourceful, patient and oh-soknowledgeable but he suffers from being a bit pessimistic and, you guessed it, grumpy.

Chips Chips is a nut-mad energetic squirrel. An optimist who is full of energy, Chips also gets easily distracted and has a short memory span and can be naively fearless

JANUARY 2016

Marianne James, VP Marketing and Consumer Products Nickelodeon says: “We are going to be strategic with the marketing for the series — making the most of our own digital, on air and social channels as well as competitor channels to ensure that audiences are aware of and excited for the show. The series launch will also be supported with PR outreach across TV and parental press as well as bloggers. “It is a pre-school property and we believe ranges such as forest playsets, vehicles and plush would work well. Dress up and role play would lend themselves well along with sleepwear and select apparel.”

LILY’S DRIFTWOOD BAY

Catch Lily’s Drift Nick Jr. broadcasts one of the most original and quirky shows on kids’ TV – Lily’s Driftwood Bay. The British production boasts a fantastic voice cast and transports viewers to a make-believe place which leaves you all warm and fuzzy inside! We catch up with Colin Williams, Creative Director of Sizteen South, the company which brings Lily’s Driftwood Bay to our screens and who is passionate about making the show as beautiful as it is.

Who is Lily?

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Lily is a six year old girl who lives with her dad in a singleparent family on a remote island in the middle of nowhere. From the window of her beach hut, she can see Driftwood Bay. Every day a new sea treasure washes ashore and, as she wond wonders what it might s is transported be, she he imagination to in her a community of characters that live on a makeb believe island.

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Colin says: supporters and they were the ones It all started in autumn 2009 that had the belief in me, us and the when my daughter’s friend’s show. They came on-board a few mum’s friend asked me if she months later, just after Kidscreen, could send me pictures of committing to the show after just some art that she had made seeing a show bible and animation – they were quirky animals test. They are great partners! that were made from pieces I think that success of stone, shell and builds success – we hope other stuff that had to continue rolling the been washed up on From the show out internationally. the beach. beginning It airs in over 30 countries I loved the idea Nickelodeon and broadcasts daily of making art from were huge in the US, Australia, things that people Scandanavia, Hong Kong had thrown away, supporters and across Europe and so we bought the Colin Williams, on Netflix. It launches on idea - and spent Sizteen South Piwi+ in France and on the next five KiKa in Germany in early years creating a 2016. children’s television We want to see show based it spread into every on community, continent and every inter-generational country. We’re in relationships and production on series two creativity – a show and we’ve got lots of where everything exciting news coming up in 2016. is organic – everything onThe show has been described to screen, all music is real and us as a modern classic and that’s a played live, and all sounds are huge compliment to us. recorded from real beach. Quality is paramount in everything we do – it’s a storyWorking with Nickelodeon driven show and we put a huge and creating brand values emphasis in writing stories that hold I remember pitching the show r up a mirror to a child’s real world. for fo the first time at MipCom and We deal with the good and bad showed it to most of the major sh sides of life. international broadcasters at that in It’s a very visual show too but market. From the beginning, m Nickelodeon UK were huge actually, before we animated a single frame, I worked with to create the our composer com sound of Driftwood Bay – it’s a modern mode folk sound – and the sound very much influenced the visuals. v I wanted to create a stop-motion feeling show sto without being limited wit

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to the restrictions of traditional It has a lot of life lessons and we’ve stop-motion, so we created a set covered topics like pollution, birth, of rules for design, animation and death and are dealing with topics sound which we are such as dementia as well. very strict about and which ultimately give On working with a topWe’ve it the feeling of a show quality cast almost lost that feels like a modern In creating the show, we the sense of classic. Lily is a modern had some initial artwork community girl with old fashioned based on a family of and Driftwood characters – but they values. Bay aims to Lily is a six year old had little character and girl who has sand under personality. reignite this her fingernails, shells in In writing, it’s true that Colin Williams, her pocket and seaweed much of what you write Sizteen South on her boots. She’s a real comes from what you girl, and she is defined know – and the cast were by her personality – all chosen based on great spirited, passionate, characters that they’d kind, compassionate and previously played. All of caring. She’s not perfect them played characters though and can rush headfirst into that I adored too. a situation and annoy lots of people We contacted each of them, told too. them about the show, why we were The show focuses on a threemaking it and why we wanted them generation community and promotes – and they all said yes! They really inter-generational relationships in are a brilliant cast and they’re each a non-blood related environment. loving bringing their characters to We’ve almost lost the sense of life. They give the show a stamp of community and Driftwood Bay aims credibility. Big-name actors are really to reignite this. It’s also a show about busy and they’ll only get involved in creativity and making good use of projects that they really want to do. the things that people throw away. They have to love the stories!

What next for Lily’s Driftwood Bay? We’re working closely with the Nickelodeon team on securing some high-proﬁle licence and retail partners. We are looking forward to revealing all in the next few months. 2016 is a very exciting year for Lily and her friends – we launch Lily’s Driftwood Bay at retail, we deliver another 52 episodes, we launch on the biggest children’s broadcasters in France and Germany and look forward to more nominations and awards too! And ﬁnally, we’ll begin drafting out some new episodes as well as some specials too.

COLIN WILLIAMS

JANUARY 2016

Meet the team Get in touch with the UK Nickelodeon team who bring the licences to life

Marianne James VP, Consumer Products UK & Ireland & European Retail Sales and Marketing Marianne.James@vimn.com

Adam Reed

Ashley Holman

Amelia Bedford

Senior Director of UK Hardlines and Business Development Ashley.Holman@nickelodeon.co.uk

Senior Manager – Licensing EMEA, International Media and Publishing Amelia.Bedford@vimn.com

Jess Brown

UK Marketing Director Adam.Reed@nickelodeon.co.uk

Director of UK Softlines and European DTR Jess.Brown@Nickelodeon.co.uk

Katie Ball

Soﬁa Frode

Sarah Patel

Softlines Category Manager Soﬁa.Frode@nickelodeon.co.uk

UK Retail Marketing Executive Sarah.Patel@nickelodeon.co.uk

Charlotte Boyce

Amandine Soares

European Retail Campaign Manager Charlotte.Boyce@vimn.com

Fashion Graphic Designer Amandine.Soares@nickelodeon.co.uk

UK Retail Sales Coordinator Katie.Ball@nickelodeon.co.uk

For more information please contact consumer products@nickelodeon.co.uk

© 2016 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES © Viacom Overseas Holdings C.V. © 2016 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAW PATROL © 2016 Spin Master. All Rights Reserved. Lily’s Driftwood Bay™ © Copyright Sixteen South Limited 2016. Lily’s Driftwood Bay™ and Driftwood Bay® and logo, characters and elements are trademarks of Sixteen South Limited. All rights reserved. DIGBY DRAGON © Fizzy Productions Ltd. 2016 All rights reserved. © 2016 Wissper Ltd.