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ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) will be returning to Licensing International Expo this year to forge new global partnerships and strike deals for its spectacular portfolio of ITV owned and third party brands. Thunderbirds Are Go will spearhead this year’s presentation slate which will also feature Classic Thunderbirds, iconic toy property Playmobil, the new “inspired by Playmobil” kids’ TV series Super 4, digital game sensation Cut the Rope and 1970s music icons Village People. “We’re delighted to once again be heading to ILE with such a strong and diverse line-up of properties” Trudi Hayward, SVP, Head of Global Merchandising for ITV Studios Global Entertainment comments. “Thunderbirds Are Go has had a fantastic response since its broadcast debut. The show has already gained a strong foothold in a number of territories and while at Licensing Expo 2015, we’ll be looking to build on that momentum to create new international opportunities.” Thunderbirds Are Go
Classic Thunderbirds It’s been 50 years since Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s iconic TV series Thunderbirds first blasted onto TV screens. To celebrate the anniversary year, ITVS GE is working closely with its partners to produce a special range of commemorative merchandise. Launching from AW15 in high-end retail channels, the authentic gift and collectible ranges and limited edition lines span DVDs, model kits, publishing, gifts and games. ITVS GE has planned a significant raft of marketing and retail promotions to support the anniversary celebrations. With retail and consumer interest in the brand boosted by the high profile Thunderbirds Are Go launch, new partners continue to join the classic Thunderbirds licensing programme that now includes 35 UK partners. From 2016, ITVS GE will continue to appeal to fans of the classic series by adding fashion, mass market gifting and humour to the licensing programme. Super 4 Inspired by the iconic Playmobil universe, CGI children’s comedy TV series Super 4 follows the adventures of Alex the Knight, Ruby the Pirate, Agent Gene and Twinkle the Fairy as they travel through five imaginary worlds. ITVS GE represents Super 4 in the UK and is building the consumer products campaign on the foundations of toys, games, publishing and digital. Bonnier Publishing will be releasing a range of books in 2016, Redan is on board as the magazine publisher and Kinnerton have been appointed as the confectionery partner. Super 4 consistently beats its slot average during its prime time slot on CITV, the number one kids commercial channel in the UK and the series has recently become available on leading video on demand platform, Netflix. New content will be delivered to broadcasters from this year, with new episodes debuting from Q3 2015 ahead of the launch of the second series in 2016. The pipeline of new content coupled with the strength of the show’s broadcast partners is driving demand for consumer merchandise. Master toy licensee Playmobil unveiled the first line of Super 4 toys at this year’s London Toy Fair and Nuremberg shows which were met with an enthusiastic response from retailers. Debuting at retail from September, the range of 16 SKUs captures the excitement for the series by harnessing Super 4’s key themes of adventure, imagination and friendship. The range will be supported by a TV advertising campaign, in addition to heavyweight PR and marketing activity. Playmobil Playmobil is loved by parents and kids alike and recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. With 30 different play themes across 80 different countries the brand continues to see retail sales climb as a result of the brand’s excellent retail presence and the unwavering consumer demand for merchandise. For Playmobil Retro, ITVS GE is building a consumer products campaign for the brand aimed at the adult retro and nostalgic market. Launching at retail from AW15, the range will celebrate the humour and iconic imagery of the unforgettable toy property. The licensing programme will be led by apparel, gifting and stationery categories. While targeting the current Playmobil generation of children aged 3-10 years, ITVS GE are assembling a broad licensing programme for Playmobil Blue across toys, publishing, apparel, promotions and events. Current partners on board for the evergreen heritage brand include Hallmark, Redan and Schmidt Spiele. Cut the Rope Cut the Rope, the app created by Zeptolab and featuring the candy crunching Om Nom, is now a 360-degree entertainment franchise with a presence that extends across digital games, broadcast, consumer products, promotions and social media. The global game sensation is played in 150 countries and has been downloaded more than 650 million times. New content will be added to this Cut the Rope game collection throughout 2015-16. The Village People The biggest disco group of all time, The Village People, is gearing up for its 40th anniversary in 2017. ITVS GE represents the brand in the UK and is currently building a retro consumer products programme inspired by the disco icons. Targeting teens and young adults, ITVS GE has fast fashion retailers firmly in its sights as retailers and consumers celebrate the party spirit of the 1970s. The brand’s style guide combines original photography with modern styling to offer four distinct new graphic styles for products that will be trendy, offbeat and fun. Launching at retail from Q3 2015, the new ranges will be led by the apparel and gifting categories, growing to include homewares, stationery, promotions for mass market retail from 2016 onwards. Current licensees include VMC for accessories, Trademark Products for apparel, Cooneen & Misirli are on board for nightwear, underwear and socks, Ginger Fox for gifting and Bare Tree Media build the digital category with a photo app. For licensing opportunities, please visit the ITVS GE team at Stand A121 or contact: consumer.products@itv.com or +44 (0)20 7157 6163. |
