The Powerpuff Girls Grows EMEA Footprint

LONDON/NUREMBERG: Cartoon Network EMEA is boosting the presence of The Powerpuff Girls reboot in the region through the launch of merchandise inspired by the show and the signing of further free-to-air broadcast deals.

The first wave of products has begun hitting shelves across EMEA, with the rollout led by the global master toy range from Spin Master. Fashion, accessories, gifting, homewares, personal care, FMCG and back-to-school products will follow. In Spain, where the show airs on Turner’s Boing, the toy line will debut in February at nationwide retail chains Carrefour, Alcampo and Eroski. It will also launch at specialist retailers El Corte Inglés and Toys“R”Us, and independent retailers such as Juguettos, Toy Planet, Mapa, Dimasa and Poly.

In the UAE, where Cartoon Network Arabic is free to air, the toy range, which includes playsets and plush, launched exclusively at Toy Store last November following its debut at the Cartoon Network Zone in IMG Worlds of Adventure in October. In the U.K., meanwhile, January 21 marked the launch of the toy line at Argos, and The Entertainer also introduced the range into stores and online on January 26.

In March, The Powerpuff Girls will launch on Gulli in France and on Disney Channel in Germany. The series launched in the U.K. on CITV in November, and in Italy, it is already airing on Boing (a joint venture between Turner and Mediaset), where it has become the most-viewed show of all kids’ channels in its prime-time slot. Additional free-to-air broadcast deals will be unveiled shortly.

“With its credibility and heritage already firmly established with mums and millennials, The Powerpuff Girls is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the current ‘Girl Power’ trend that is taking the toy industry by storm,” commented Johanne Broadfield, the VP of Cartoon Network Enterprises EMEA. “We’re delighted to see retailers across the region share our enthusiasm and passion for the property—through shelf-space allocation, as well as comprehensive marketing support. The Powerpuff Girls is well on its way to becoming top-of-mind with girls in all our key markets!

“We’re ensuring girls across EMEA can join Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup on their action-packed quests to save the world, thanks to these significant free-to-air broadcast deals and our digital plans. Added to that, we’re building the buzz even further through multiplatform engagement initiatives, a stunning cinema campaign and other marketing and retail activations right across the region.”