Silvergate Brings New Octonauts Attraction to China

Silvergate Media has partnered with Merlin Entertainments to bring its hit preschool property Octonauts to Changfeng Ocean World in Shanghai, part of the SEA LIFE global aquarium chain.

Launching in June 2020, the new themed experience will be the biggest Octonauts attraction worldwide. The attraction will offer guests the opportunity to play and explore in a fully submersed Octopod within Changfeng Ocean World’s huge new “Stingray Bay” experience.

Visitors to the new attraction will join their favorite characters, including Captain Barnacles, Kwazii and Peso and embark on an exciting Octonauts mission, learning all about the world’s oceans and the incredible creatures that live within them. There will also be a dedicated gift shop on-site offering retail opportunities to the brand’s many licensing partners.

The attraction will be promoted with a media campaign, and a press launch is scheduled for this month that will give media a first look at the new site prior to its official opening in the summer. This latest deal further cements Silvergate’s existing relationship with Merlin and builds upon the momentum of previous SEA LIFE partnerships in the U.K., Europe, Australia and the U.S., with additional new activations due to be announced in 2020.

Currently, Silvergate is readying the launch of the fifth season of Octonauts, which will bow this year.

“Our partnership with Merlin Entertainments underlines our ongoing commitment to dive deeper into innovative and immersive events that bolster our brands,” said Ron Allen, executive VP of commercial at Silvergate Media. “This new interactive adventure with Changfeng Ocean World will give fans an unforgettable Octonauts experience that truly reflects the show’s core values of education, exploration and entertainment—it’s a perfect brand synergy. We look forward to sharing the attraction with fans in China this summer.”

“Fun and discovery are at the core of what we do at Merlin and that is why Octonauts is an ideal fit for us,” said Anthony Newman, SEA LIFE’s global brand marketing director at Merlin Entertainments. “The new attraction will bring Octonauts to life in a way that has never been done before and we are very confident it will drive growth in visitor numbers when it launches at Changfeng Ocean World.”