Masha and the Bear home furnishing licenses announced for Italian marketBRANDORA Editorial Staff - June 2015 |
Bed linen and clocks add to massive licensing success in Italy of preschool animation hit
Maurizio Distefano Licensing has announced two more major licences in the Italian market for the runaway preschool animation hit Masha and the Bear, this time in the home furnishings category.
Gabel, a leading group in the textile sector with a full range of home linens, is planning a range of Masha and the Bear bed linen, while Nemesi, a leading maker of high-quality licensed timepieces, will supply Masha and the Bear clocks and watches. Both will use imagery from the internationally popular Russian animated property that has already won over 50 licences in the Italian market.
Featuring images of both Masha, a happy, cheeky, energetic and very high spirited little girl, and her friend, a big and kindly bear who used to work in a circus, as well as a delightful supporting cast of friendly animals, the Nemesi line will include wall clocks, alarm clocks and wrist watches. It will launch in high street retail, major supermarkets and specialist stores across Italy in September 2015.
The Gabel line will also use the striking imagery from the popular show on its range of children’s sheets, duvet covers, duvets, quilts and bedspreads. The Gabel range will launch in high street retail, major supermarkets and specialist stores across Italy in September 2015.
With a core audience of children aged 3-9, Masha and the Bear launched in its home market of Russia in 2009. It has since become a huge hit around the world thanks to its winning combination of music, songs, engaging storylines and inventive animation. Visual storytelling is emphasized over dialogue, making the show easy for young children to enjoy and giving it a universal appeal. Today the 3D CGI animated adventures of the little girl and her big bear friend are being broadcast in over 100 countries around the world.
In Italy the animated series airs on DeA Junior and RaiYoYo where transmissions of the entire first two 26-show seasons are in progress, to great acclaim from children and parents. Ratings have already been very impressive and have helped to inspire a very successful licensing campaign managed in Italy by Maurizio Distefano Licensing. In fact, within only its first eight months, Masha and the Bear has become one of the top licensed properties in the Italian market.
Renato Bucciero, Director, Nemesi, says: “The friendly, kind bear and his cheeky little friend have amused young children from the moment they appeared on TV in Italy and also provided some wonderful imagery perfect for a range of children’s clocks and watches. We’re delighted to be working with this charming and very popular property.”
Paolo Baratelli, Marketing Director, Gabel says: ”The colour, charm and sense of fun of the show have provided some striking imagery for our new range of kids’ bed linen, which we are sure will be very popular with the show’s many young fans as well as parents and gift-buyers.”
Maurizio Distefano, Founder and Director of MD Licensing, adds: “We are representing Masha and the Bear in Italy because we see it as an ideal property for the pre-school market — and we’re thrilled viewers, retailers and many high-quality licensees agree. Masha and the Bear is a phenomenon that has made a major impact in Italy already but is certain to reach much greater heights.”