{"id":10295,"date":"2016-06-17T11:02:13","date_gmt":"2016-06-17T15:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/"},"modified":"2016-06-20T09:45:51","modified_gmt":"2016-06-20T13:45:51","slug":"licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/","title":{"rendered":"I Want That!"},"content":{"rendered":"

TV Kids\u00a0surveys some leading content rights owners about building kids\u2019 brands in a crowded and fragmented marketplace.<\/em><\/p>\n

Americans spent almost $20 billion on toys last year, a nearly 7-percent increase on how much they shelled out in 2014. The key driver for that boost? Content. Whether movies, TV shows, apps or YouTube channels, content-based properties continue to propel the market.<\/p>\n

The list of last year\u2019s top-selling traditional toy items, compiled by NPD Group, reflects an interesting new development in the licensing space, at least as far as TV rights owners are concerned. The biggest seller wasn\u2019t something inspired by\u00a0PAW Patrol<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles<\/em>\u00a0(although both are in the top ten), or even the mega franchise\u00a0Star Wars<\/em>\u00a0(also on the list). It was a set of collectibles for Shopkins, a brand that just hit the market in 2014; as of January of this year, more than 240 million characters had been sold worldwide. There\u2019s no Shopkins film or TV series (yet?)\u2014but there are videos, lots of them, on YouTube and fan sites, and they had logged more than 900 million views as of this January.<\/p>\n

The good news is, in an ultra-crowded and competitive market, it is still possible to come out of nowhere with a brand and set off a buying frenzy. Less comforting? The market is shifting dramatically, and changes in kids\u2019 consumption habits and the media landscape could present a whole new set of opportunities, or woes, for the industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumers still demand great stories and when they find one they like they will consume it ferociously\u2014the rise in binge-watching is a testament to this,\u201d observes Rick Glankler, the president and general manager of FremantleMedia Kids & Family (FMK). \u201cBut with so much platform fragmentation and content saturation, the stories have to be really good and highly original if they are going to stand out and drive deeper brand engagement, which is what drives successful consumer-products programs. In addition, the plethora of blockbuster theatrical releases that have become sustainable franchises has further saturated an already congested market and, with their massive investment, eaten into an area that was traditionally dominated by broadcast\u2014even in preschool. This broad choice is great for consumers, but continues to pose massive challenges for IP owners and licensors competing to reach kid audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Glankler notes, engagement is the key word\u2014if a child doesn\u2019t feel an attachment to your characters, they won\u2019t be interested in urging Mom and Dad to buy the toys, apparel and more. Television (or OTT) success is just stage one, however, in building a long-term brand. And retailers are looking for a lot more than strong viewing figures when they\u2019re determining what to put on their shelves.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile still critically important, ratings are no longer the single most important driver for securing shelf space,\u201d Glankler says. \u201cRetailers are looking to see how brands engage with kids off- and on-screen and are relying more and more on IP owners and licensors to invest heavily in marketing their brands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cristiana Buzzelli, the senior VP of licensing and acquisitions at Italy\u2019s Rainbow, has a similar perspective. \u201cThe scenario for girls\u2019 IP is very competitive, so good broadcasting is crucial but no longer enough to ensure the success of the franchise. You need to appeal to the audience and hit them with strong identification power that can really tie kids to the brand in a unique way. Then, product-wise, the creative assets to be provided to licensees have to be great.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the veteran brand Miffy, which originated in children\u2019s books by Dutch author Dick Bruna more than 60 years ago, the key has been keeping the product line fresh. \u201cWe\u2019ve had licensees for 50, 60 years\u2014some have been with us the entire time, which is amazing!\u201d says Marja Kerkhof, the managing director of Miffy\u2019s brand-owner, Mercis. \u201cAlso, there are always new parties to work with, especially in apparel. We are primarily a preschool character, but we have a big program with Uniqlo for tween and teen t-shirts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mercis has product lines built around the original 2D images of the little rabbit, as well as a style guide for the 3D Miffy from the new series,\u00a0Miffy\u2019s Adventures Big and Small<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe make a trend book every year and we keep it updated,\u201d Kerkhof says. \u201cAlso, we have projects that are very different. In some countries we have programs with athletics clubs for young kids to exercise. We have art projects. We have exhibitions in museums. There are always new initiatives.\u201d<\/p>\n

SKEWING THE SKUS<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\nThe key for brand owners is having a diverse mix of products. Cyber Group Studios, for example, has already amassed some 50 licensees for its flagship preschool brand\u00a0Zou<\/em>, which is broadcast in 150 territories.<\/p>\n

Alexandra Algard, the international licensing and marketing director at the Paris-based company, says that books and DVDs have been the strongest performers so far. \u201cIn France, we have a huge partnership with Larousse for books,\u201d she says. \u201cWe have also developed a program in Italy with key publishers.\u201d In the U.S., meanwhile, the company partnered with fast-food outlet Chick-fil-A on a promotion where\u00a0Zou<\/em>\u00a0books were featured as part of kids\u2019 meals.<\/p>\n

With a third season currently in production,\u00a0Zou<\/em>\u00a0is a well-established property, although Algard notes that the brand\u2019s market awareness is not at the same level in every territory. \u201cFor example, we\u2019re just starting to launch a licensing program in the U.K. and in Spain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zorro the Chronicles<\/em>, meanwhile, is just beginning its global rollout following its international launch at MIPJunior 2015. Partners on board include Hachette for publishing in France and French-speaking countries and Swatch for a Flik Flak watch. Discussions with toy licensees are under way.<\/p>\n

At Licensing Expo, Rainbow will be focusing on its new animated series\u00a0Regal Academy<\/em>, aimed at girls 4 to 7, and the live-action kids\u2019 and tween show\u00a0Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Buzzelli says that \u201cRegal Academy<\/em>\u00a0is a very toyetic show, where great storytelling is developed alongside appealing play patterns based on role-play concepts, collectability (thanks to the main and secondary characters) and different outfits for the characters.\u201d Key categories include toys, back to school, stationery, gifts, fashion accessories and publishing. Giochi Preziosi has signed a pan-European master toy deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaggie & Bianca Fashion Friends<\/em>\u00a0is driven by two of the most appealing elements for the audience: music and fashion,\u201d Buzzelli continues. \u201cSimba, which is already the European master toy partner, is exploiting the great potential of the show with a product line based on arts and crafts, musical toys, role play [and] fashion accessories.\u201d<\/p>\n

For FMK, three shows will take center stage at Licensing Expo:\u00a0Kate & Mim-Mim<\/em>,\u00a0Danger Mouse<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Tree Fu Tom<\/em>. For\u00a0Kate & Mim-Mim<\/em>, FMK has toys, publishing, digital and apparel covered in the U.S. \u201cWe are looking at signing additional secondary categories, including bedding and bath, seasonal, activity and party goods,\u201d Glankler says.\u00a0Danger Mouse<\/em>\u00a0toys rolled out in the brand\u2019s launch market of the U.K. this spring. Other key categories will be launching this fall. For\u00a0Tree Fu Tom<\/em>, meanwhile, toys are on shelves in Australia and are rolling out in the U.K. and other markets this year.<\/p>\n

CLASSIC COMEBACK<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\nDHX Brands\u2019s main focus for Licensing Expo is the new\u00a0Teletubbies<\/em>. \u201cThe original was an absolute phenomenon for L&M,\u201d states Tom Roe, the commercial director at DHX Brands. \u201cThe characters are very appealing\u2014cuddly, bright and colorful\u2014and resonate strongly with a young preschool audience. So when DHX\u2008Media acquired\u00a0Teletubbies<\/em>, it was decided our focus for the new series would always be about not losing their core appeal: it\u2019s evolution rather than revolution, updating them and modernizing them for a 21st century audience. \u201d<\/p>\n

Initial merchandise results have been strong so far in the U.K., and Roe is keen to replicate that success in other markets, particularly in the U.S., where the company is working with CPLG\u2008North America. Partnerships have already been signed with Spin Master for toys, VTech for interactive electronic toys and Hybrid for apparel, \u201cas well as stacks of other best-in-class licensees,\u201d Roe says. \u201cWe\u2019re still working on other categories, up to and during the Licensing Expo, and there are very few we won\u2019t look at for\u00a0Teletubbies<\/em>, given the wide appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roe says that for DHX, building\u00a0Teletubbies\u00a0<\/em>as a \u201clong-term proposition\u201d is paramount. \u201cTeletubbies<\/em>\u00a0is a unique property in that it\u2019s new but it also has a heritage. As a result, the opportunity is there to accelerate the time frame if we choose. Normally we\u2019d like to get the broadcast launch, building the popularity and awareness first. We have a new audience, so it\u2019s about making sure we introduce the property to a new generation and really seed it well, making sure people pick up on it and fall in love with it, and then we launch toys. Going too quickly in terms of launching products and categories after broadcast is definitely a way to increase the risk of having a shorter-term piece of business overall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Developing a mutually beneficial relationship with retailers \u2014especially the big ones\u2014is crucial. \u201cThey\u2019re going to make a significant difference to the awareness and revenue performance\u201d of your property, Roe says. \u201cOne of the major frustrations for a lot of retailers is that they\u2019re going into a competitor\u2019s store and seeing pretty much exactly the same product being offered.\u201d The key, he explains, is \u201ccoming up with tailor-made solutions for these retailers, rather than simply offering the same or similar solutions to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

FMK\u2019s Glankler notes the development of opportunities outside of the big-box retailers. \u201cThe independent toy chains in the U.K. continue to grow year on year and are becoming an essential part of the retail mix,\u201d he says. \u201cRetailers are also becoming more savvy about the need to drive footfall by offering more immersive in-store retail experiences, which provide great opportunities for us with character costume tours and similar initiatives that help expand brand engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another expanding area is the digital space, where e-books, games and apps are providing a wealth of opportunities.\u00a0\u201cFor our preschool properties, the world of apps and mobile games is huge,\u201d DHX\u2019s Roe notes.<\/p>\n

DIGITAL DOMAIN<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\nFMK\u2019s Glankler says that \u201conline is the single most important destination for moms to find out more about the content their kids love, and kids are the first to adopt new technology. Once we have that digital engagement in place, and it\u2019s still early days for some of our brands, we can then look at ways to drive commercial revenue. In terms of commercial revenue, apps are a key focus area, but platforms like YouTube also provide us with an opportunity to seed our own content and to generate revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, the games and apps landscape is crowded, so gaining awareness for your properties can be a significant challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe launched\u00a0Zou<\/em>\u00a0in the digital market and made an app and two e-books,\u201d Cyber Group\u2019s Algard says. \u201cWe supported the launch with a lot of marketing aspects. We partnered with broadcasters in order to promote the app. We made a lot of deals with distributors. It\u2019s a challenge to be on the top of that market, but we succeeded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mercis, too, found innovative ways to promote its digital assets. \u201cThere are various ways to present them and incorporate them, for example in preschool activities with kindergartens,\u201d Kerkhof says.<\/p>\n

For DHX\u2019s Roe, \u201cIt comes down to consumer feedback: people look at the ratings. If you come out with a quality product and it gets picked up early and you start to get those ratings, then it can snowball. It\u2019s the consumer-driven endorsement that really helps.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Surveys some leading content rights owners about building kids\u2019 brands in a crowded and fragmented marketplace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":290,"featured_media":10299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","category-top-stories","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nI Want That! - TVKIDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I Want That! - TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Surveys some leading content rights owners about building kids\u2019 brands in a crowded and fragmented marketplace.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-06-17T15:02:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-06-20T13:45:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2016\/06\/kids_talent__0596-e1466430291703.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"333\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mansha Daswani\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mansha Daswani\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/\",\"name\":\"I Want That! - TVKIDS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-06-17T15:02:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-06-20T13:45:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/83da304c8bad8bfdb3edd7eb47cfe5ad\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/licensing-expo-preview-i-want-that\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"I Want That!\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\",\"name\":\"TVKIDS\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/83da304c8bad8bfdb3edd7eb47cfe5ad\",\"name\":\"Mansha Daswani\",\"description\":\"Mansha Daswani is the editor-in-chief and associate publisher of World Screen. 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