Entertainment Rights’ Postman Pat

TV Kids Weekly, July 11, 2006

NAME: Postman Pat

ORIGIN: Postman Pat is
based on a series of books.

CREATORS: British author John Cunliffe and animator Ivor Wood.

TV SHOW: The preschool brand Postman Pat appears in over 100 countries around the world including
the key territories of the U.K., U.S., Japan, Germany and France. Set in the
close-knit community of Greendale, the series stars Pat, who has many qualities
that children love—he is warm and friendly and has a helpful
problem-solving attitude. The series portrays a gentle world where everyone
works together to resolve everyday dilemmas.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: The series is produced by Chris Bowden at Cosgrove Hall
Films for Entertainment Rights, with Jane Smith of Entertainment Rights serving
as executive producer.

COMMISSIONING BROADCASTER: BBC and CBeebies.

TV SALES: Postman Pat has
been sold to more than 100 territories around the world, including HBO Family
in the U.S., Disney Channel in Japan, Super RTL in Germany and Nickelodeon
France.

MAJOR TOY LICENSEES: In the U.K., Martin Yaffe International for master toy,
Ravensburger for puzzles, Corgi for die-cast, Winning Moves Games for Top
Trumps cards.

OTHER PRODUCTS: The Postman Pat
licensing program incorporates a wide range of products across toys, publishing
(Egmont, Simon & Schuster, Panini and PIL), home furnishings and apparel.

STRATEGY FOR ROLL OUT: Postman Pat first
appeared on the BBC in 1981 and Pat, the main character, has become an iconic
figure in the U.K. The series, which built up tremendous brand recognition over
the course of the past 25 years, has 97 percent recognition among adults in the
U.K. Kathleen Hricik, Entertainment Rights’ executive VP and managing director
for the U.S., Canada and Latin America, is well aware that the brand does not
yet enjoy this kind of phenomenal awareness in the Americas. But it is her job
to begin building it. “My domain is North and South America, but we’re starting
with the U.S. because what works well here easily transcends boundaries to
Latin America and to Canada,” she explains. “We’ve had this huge promotional
initiative with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). That all began because a key
theme of the Postman Pat series is mail
and letter writing, which is a natural fit with the USPS.”

The Postman Pat character appeared
live in the U.S. for the first time when he attended Washington 2006, the World
Philatelic (stamp) Exhibition between May 27 and June 3 in Washington, D.C.
This exhibition, which takes place once every decade, is the biggest stamp
exhibition in the U.S. and attracts an international audience. “Postman Pat was
present at the event, signing cards, giving out stickers and postcards, and
performing in stage appearances,” says Hricik. “HBO Family, who is currently
broadcasting Postman Pat, was on hand
with a screenings area for kids to watch back-to-back episodes of the series.”

Entertainment Rights also has
other initiatives planned to support the Postman Pat brand. “We’ve done an educational outreach program which
was sent in May to 5,000 classrooms in the six states around Washington D.C.,
reaching almost 200,000 children from preschool to second grade,” explains
Hricik. “We will extend the outreach program in the fall, through Cable in the
Classroom’s website, which reaches teachers and classrooms nationwide. It will
also be downloaded on HBO Family’s website for teachers to access.”

Postman Pat soundbooks from Publications International have been in
110 Barnes & Noble stores across the U.S. since April.

Hricik is very satisfied with the
partnership Entertainment Rights has forged with HBO Family. “It is a wonderful
starting pay-television platform for Postman Pat. One of the other key avenues we will be exploring is a
free-television partnership for fall 2007 following the HBO Family window, and
we are actually starting discussions to bring Postman Pat to a broader audience,” says Hricik.

Entertainment Rights is working on
a spin-off show from Postman Pat called
Guess with Jess, which will be ready in
2008. “We already have a master toy deal outside the U.S. with Fisher-Price,”
says Hricik. “We haven’t begun production, but they are very enamored with the
property and with the characters."

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