Benjamin the Elephant

TV Kids
Weekly, September 11, 2007

ORIGIN: Adorable and fun-filled animated
adventures based on successful audio stories.

DISTRIBUTOR: Kiddinx Studios

AUTHOR: Elfie Donnelly

TV SHOW: Benjamin the Elephant takes small children on exciting
adventures around the world. Benjamin’s adventures are imaginative, playful and
fun. Always jumping in to help a friend, Benjamin becomes a pirate, a fire
fighter, a cowboy and even an Arctic explorer. There are 52 half hours and four
specials available in traditional 2-D animation.

EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER: Kiddinx
Studios, Berlin

DIRECTOR: Karsten Kiilerich from A Film,
Copenhagen

COMMISSIONING
BROADCASTER: Super
RTL, Germany

TV SALES: The U.S., Germany, France, Italy, the
U.K., Hungary, Poland, the Middle East and Asia.

MAJOR TOY
LICENSEES: Schmidt
Spiele in Germany for educational games, puzzles, plush and more.

OTHER
PRODUCTS: More than
500 products, including DVDs, Gameboy games, food items, bathrobes, dishes,
sheets, toothbrushes, books, bikes and suitcases, are available. There is also
a touring stage musical, a magazine for preschoolers and a web community.

Kiddinx has
launched a themed day in kindergartens throughout Germany supporting Benjamin’s
values for health, helpfulness, happiness, joy, compassion and courage. The
character is being used in many homes to teach preschoolers foreign languages,
singing, rhythm, movement and dance. Kiddinx has also developed a series of
downloadable audio stories to be played to children at bedtime. The new-media
business is being expanded, and a launch is planned for North America offering
a range of activities such as games and e-cards, as well as video on demand.

STRATEGY
FOR ROLLOUT: As part of
its efforts to build the brand, Kiddinx has been working “closely with
broadcasters, sharing advertising ideas and supporting merchandising projects,”
says Andrea Bannert, the director of TV and merchandising at Kiddinx, adding
that the company is offering up games and downloads to aid the promotional
efforts for the show.

On the
merchandising front, Bannert says that the “product launch for media,
magazines, books, etc., should be simultaneous with the series broadcast. We
believe that win/win situations grow out of a combination of positive
promotion, stable TV ratings and all-round general interest, which is then
supported with other products.”

Bannert
stresses the versatility of the brand. “Benjamin is in every kind of media product,
including books, DVDs, CD audio stories and CD ROMs, games for Gameboy, with
all sorts of fun and playful educational content. It is great for toys:
creative games, plush, puzzles. Kids also love to collect him in all his
various fun roles: as a fireman, explorer, pirate, etc.”

At MIPCOM,
Kiddinx will be targeting renewals on the show as well as expansion into new
territories. “We really believe in Benjamin,” Bannert says. “Everyone who has
licensed Benjamin
becomes a fan. He grows on kids and parents alike. People trust him.”