YouTube Commissions Gummy Bear Series

TRIVANDRUM: Toonz Animation, a division of Toonz Entertainment, has inked a content deal with Gummybear International that will see the companies extend the Gummy Bear brand into entertainment and merchandising, with initial plans to launch an online series.

YouTube has commissioned a 39×7-minute episode series featuring the dancing and singing Gummy Bear character (originally known as Gummibär in its native Hungary). The series will be produced by Toonz in India. Additional plans include extending the Gummy Bear brand’s presence online, in consumer products and in the TV and feature film space.

P. Jayakumar, the CEO of Toonz Media Group, said: “With its considerable online fan base, this property has all the ingredients to be a success far beyond its current online presence. The commission by YouTube for a series of dedicated episodes is the first step in our plans to help build Gummy Bear into a 360-degree brand encompassing traditional broadcast, feature films and licensed merchandise.”

Jurgen Korduletsch, the president of Gummybear International, commented: “We’re excited to have found in Toonz an enthusiastic and motivated partner for the further development of our Gummy Bear. We’re looking forward to working with a company that clearly shares our vision to introduce our YouTube star to an even bigger audience by creating new content for traditional media platforms.”

The character is already popular online, with a Gummy Bear YouTube network that has drawn more than 5.2 billion video views, with more than 1.5 million subscribers.