Cynopsis: Kids!

02/22/08

Good morning. It’s Friday, February 22, 2008, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Kids in China are not going to be watching some of the most popular cartoons from around the world under a new government ban of imported animated series during primetime (5-9p) there. The ban, which begins May 1, 2008, is furthers a previous move by the government that prevented animated programming to air between 5-8p.  It isn’t the content that China’s officials are looking to guard; rather it is China’s own animation industry.

CYNOPSIS KIDS WENT TO THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR 2008 …

The Lego Group was at Toy Fair celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Lego brick, 30th anniversary of the minifigure, the 10the anniversary of Lego Mindstorms, and most exciting for Lego fans, some 135 new products, where functionality of each new product was the keyword of my tour.  New to the various Lego lines are:

• Lego Agents, a secret agent building and role-play concept comprised of six sets; getting a makeover is the Mars Mission line with new transforming vehicles; the Castle gets new products including a battle between trolls and dwarves; Exo-Force includes new battle machines and vehicles; Lego City gets a new police HQ and the Coast Guard a nifty doc; other new items include six pull-back jumping racers, four Ferrari sets and Tiny Turbos playsets for the Lego Racers line.
• In the licensed Lego category are the Indiana Jones and Speed Racer lines, as well as a new extension for Lego’s Star Wars line, which will be based on the upcoming new animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series.  Lines getting new items are SpongeBob SquarePants, which gets a great little Sandy Cheeks minifigure, and Batman with four new sets and a Harley Quinn minifigure.

Front Porch Classics expands its line with a new line called, the Greatest Stories Ever Played, which includes games based on classic movie and book: Prince Caspian: Quest for the Throne (kids 8+/May 1, 2008); The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe (kids 8+/August 2008). The Greatest Stories Ever Played Kids Edition: Sleeping Beauty (kids 5+); Where the Wild Things Are (June 15/kids 5+); 101 Dalmatians (kids 5+) among others.

Wildbrain inks partners for its licensing program for the preschool series Yo Gabba Gabba!, which airs on Nick Jr. and is produced by Magic Store and Wildbrain.  Yo Gabba Gabba merchandise set to be available this year includes: Kidrobot (vinyl toys); Lougefly (accessories); and in the apparel category product is expected from Kidrobot, The Merchandise Company, Might Fine and Success Apparel; Simon & Schuster (books); Nickelodeon/Sony BMG (CDs); NSI International (crafts); Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment (DVDs); Blue Box International (electronics); Sababa Toys (wood puzzles, Uno); Basic Fun (keychains); toys from Master Toy licensee Spin Master; and in the home decor category products from The Betesh Group, G-Wiz, Marshmallow and Spin Master to name a few.

MARKETING/LICENSING

Dubailand, a member of Tatweer, inks a deal with Hit Entertainment to develop a range of family entertainment projects for Global Village at Dubailand, the new leisure and entertainment theme attraction.  Specifically, Hit is creating the Little Big Club, a 25,000 sq-ft indoor/outdoor project, featuring its characters including Barney, Pingu, Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends and themed rides. Slated to open 4Q 2008, Little Big Club will also feature party and educational spaces and a theater for live shows, screenings and so on.

Disney Baby Einstein debuts a new brand campaign that focuses on real moms and their real stories this month.  The imitative, which builds off of the concept that Moms operate heavily off of word-of-mouth information, includes a new ad campaign as well as the debut of the redesigned website where moms share stories about their babies and the Baby Einstein products.  Moms are invited to share their stories and photos about their kids and the company’s products on the website’s mom-to-mom forum.  Following the re-launch of the website, the company will launch a “real stories” print campaign, titled Real People. Real Discoveries.  The website, which features sections offered in Spanish, is designed by Real Branding.  Siltanen & Partners Advertising created the campaign.

THQ Inc. announces development of Big Beach Sports, an outdoor sports action game, for Nintendo Wii.  The title features sports including US football, volleyball, soccer, cricket, disc glove and bocce  all on the beach.  Big Beach Sports is slated for release in summer 2008.  Maybe the sand will help prevent me from falling every time I play Wii games.

Electronic Arts unveils several new deals:

• EA Partners is teaming with indie game developers Starbreeze Studios (The Darkness and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay) to reinvent one of EA’s classic franchises.  The title, with the internal code name Project RedLime, is being developed for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.  More information is slated to follow in the next months.
• Electronic Arts and Image Comics are partnering to produce a new comic book series based on the upcoming survival horror video game, Dead Space.  The new six-book series is set in the Dead Space universe and will be penned/illustrated by Ben Templesmith and penned by Antony Johnston.  The first issue of the Dead Space comic will be available from March 3, with a limited edition version of the first issue with exclusive cover art available at WonderCon (February 22 & 23).  The Dead Space game is under development at EA Redwood Shores, and set to ship fall 2008 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the PC.  The game is not yet rated.
• At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) Electronic Arts Inc. announced its invitation to participate in a special closed beta at The Sims Carnival, its new online community and gaming effort.  The Sims Carnival will be available to the public online in spring 2008.  To potentially be selected for participation in a closed beta for theimscarnival.com, create a new account at

www.thesimscarnival.com .

Twentieth Century Fox, IHop Restaurants and Valpak are partnering in promotions for the upcoming movie Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!  Beginning this week 43+ million US HH will receive promotional information about Horton movie promotions via Valpak.  Horton Hears a Who! opens wide March 14, 2008.  The Twentieth Century Fox, IHOP and Valpak national promotion is supported by a $3 million TV ad campaign, bowing in the US this week.

STONE SOUP

Kids’ involvement in family decisions has a direct correlation to their overall level of confidence and optimism according to the new YTV Tween Report of about 1,000 online interviews with parents and K7-14, conducted in Canada by Decode and Corus Entertainment YTV.  The survey, which looks at kid lifestyles, attitudes and spending habits, also found that kids continue to play a key role at home in making decisions about food, entertainment, family trips and computer purchases.  Specific findings from this year’s survey include:

• Parents report that kids influence breakfast choices 97% of the time and lunch choices 95% of the time (with 38% and 31% of kids, respectively, always having an influence in these categories).
• Kids have a say on where the family eats as a group 98% of the time.
• Kids have a say on family entertainment choices 98% of the time; and help decide on family trips/excursions 94% of the time.
• When shopping for clothing Kids choose what they will wear 95% of the time.
• At home kids are asked for their input on software 76% of the time as well as 60% of the time on computer purchases for the entire household, according to parents

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Disney Channels Worldwide has made a number of executive moves as part of its European expansion, which will include increased production, all six will report to John Hardie, EVP and Managing Director/Disney Channels Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA):

• Michael Cairns takes up his new position as VP and GM, Disney Channels UK and Ireland from March 2008; A Disney Channel veteran, Cairns was most recently Managing Director and VP, Disney Channel Australia and New Zealand.  Cairns takes over Robert Gilby, who was recently named SVP and Managing Director, Disney-ABC International, Asia-Pacific.
• Lars Wagner joins as VP and GM, Disney Channel Germany, Switzerland and Austria.  Most recently Wagner was with Discovery Channels Germany, where he was Channel Director.
• Helene Etzi is upped to VP and GM, Disney Channel France.  Etzi, who had been Marketing Director, will manage Disney’s channels in the French market.
• Also in France, Simon Amselem is promoted to SVP/Channel Distribution DAIT EMEA.
• Casper Bjorner is promoted to VP and GM, Disney Channels Scandinavia and Emerging Markets, overseeing channels in Scandinavia, Poland, the Middle East and South Africa.  Prior to this he was VP/Marketing and deputy Managing Director, Disney Channels UK, Scandinavia and Emerging Markets.
• Nicoletta Gelli is named to the new position of VP/Brand Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA, she will be responsible for franchise development and synergy.  She had been VP/Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA.
• Anna Hill is upped to Executive Director/Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA, responsible for cross-channel marketing across the region.  She was Marketing Director, Disney Channels UK and Emerging Markets.

Friday Fun Fact:  A group of cows is known as a kine. (twelve cows are a flink)

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  On the long running series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, after Sabrina graduates from college, what is the name of the magazine she writes for in Season 7?   SCORCH    Kudos to: Catherine Pirrone-Nickelodeon/NY

Today’s Trivia Question: In a 2007 TV commercial, cookies were driving in a car while singing the song “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League. What brand and kind of cookies were they?  ( Click here with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)

Later — Gwen
Gwen Billings for Cynopsis: Kids!
02.22.08

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