MIPCOM Spotlight: NordicWorld

CANNES: NordicWorld heads to Cannes with a slate of formats that includes Celebrities on Skis, U-Turn and Drunk, as well as a host of fresh factual series.

The first of the trio is made by United in Denmark for TV 2, while U-Turn is from Denmark’s DocEye for DR and Drunk is from Teddy TV in Norway for NRK. They are appealing because they have “great fresh ideas in a familiar and safe context,” according to Jan Salling, the COO and sales director of NordicWorld. “Clients always say they are looking for ‘the next big thing’ or a new genre-breaking format, but when it comes down to what they are really going to buy it’s always the same,” he says. “They tend to always buy ‘same-but-different’ formats, meaning formats which seem safe and familiar, but have a new and fresh take on a specific subject.”

When Exit Afghanistan aired on the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK in May, it pulled in one of the largest audiences of the summer season. NordicWorld’s CEO, Espen Huseby, has high hopes that it will perform equally as strong in other parts of the world. The company is also highlighting Mission Northern Norway. “It’s a visual feast and we believe it will become a must-see series for anybody who loves pushing the limits—even if only from the safety of an armchair,” says Huseby. Next up is The Green Planet, which looks at various environmental issues. “This is no finger-wagging eco-rant,” says Huseby. “It’s a compelling and balanced examination of the problems that confront us all—and how we, the most advanced and intelligent species on the planet, have contributed to this dangerous state of affairs.”