Cynopsis: Kids!
10/12/12

Good morning. It’s Friday, October 12, 2012, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Hasbro and China-based Alpha Animation sign a collaboration and investment letter of intent for a long-term co-development partnership, under which the two will establish a Chinese joint venture company that will co-develop toys and games. Initially the partnership will focus on Alpha Animation’s popular Blazing Teens TV series. Blazing Teens is a multi-season series about high schools in China and their Yo-Yo competitions. Additionally, a Hasbro property will be developed as well. Both projects will be developed together for China and global markets.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

The Foundation, a Zodiak Kids UK production company, and Singapore-based One Animation, which specializes in CGI animation, enter into a new agreement to develop three kid-targeted animated TV properties. The deal was put together by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA).

BRB Internacional and Dracco enter into a deal for a new 3D animated TV series based on the popular girl-targeted Filly (www.filly.com) toy line. The Filly (26×26) series will be produced by of with Screen 21, BRB’s creative studio, and is slated to launch in 2014. The series will follow the adventures of the Fillys in their fantasy world. Simba Dickie Group is the Master Toy distributor and licensee for the Filly brand. BRB Internacional will distribute Filly throughout the world (excluding Germany) and will manage licensing rights in Spain and Portugal.

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LICENSING

Mind Candy, creators of Moshi Monsters, launches the Poppet, one of the six main characters from Moshi Monsters – she’s the pink one, as a stand-alone girl 6-10 aimed brand. To begin, Mind Candy has partnered exclusively with fashion retailers Accessorize and Claire’s to launch a line of Poppet merchandise in the UK on November 18 and 19, 2012, respectively. The initial Poppet products feature a selection of stationery items including pens, notebooks, pencil cases and lockable journals. Consumers will be able to differentiate the Poppet stand-alone brand by the blue headband she wears on all the new Poppet products.

Denmark-based The Lego Group and Nickelodeon further their long-standing partnership to include the development of a new construction toy line based on Nickelodeon’s newly launched CG animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series. The new collection will debut in North America and the UK in January 2013 and will roll out around the world later in the year. Lego will unveil one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles playsets and select minifigures from the upcoming toy line this week and weekend at New York Comic-Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (26×30) series currently airs on Nickelodeon (US) Saturday mornings at 11a. The series is also set to launch on Nickelodeon UK this month, and under a newly completed deal on ITV1 and CITV in spring 2013.

Bulldog Licensing, the licensing rep for the Roobarb and Custard cult animated property, signs a new UK license deal with Flame Tree for a new line of calendars for 2014 featuring the classic cat and dog duo. Other UK Roobarb and Custard licensees include: Fred and Ginger (pet accessories); Fatspanner (pub entertainment machines); Brazier & Co (plush); Mogzilla (publishing); Poetic Gem (apparel); Museums and Galleries (greetings); and Riviera (canvas wall art). The property is also involved in a promotional partnership with the UK animal charity PDSA, which has featured the characters in charity collections, on T-shirts, in shop fronts and on PDSA vehicles, as well as in the charity’s London Marathon publicity efforts, promoting the organization’s Pet Fit Club and text-to-donate campaigns and also on pet good company Centaur vehicles. Created by Grange Calveley in the early 1970’s, Roobarb and Custard starred in the Bob Godfrey directed BBC animated series Roobarb, which ran for just one season. The combative characters were also the stars of the 2005 series Roobarb and Custard Too, which aired regularly on Channel 5 (UK). eOne recently extended its rights for iTunes sales of the original series.

MARKETING

There was a time in the US when you could go to a major department store and there was a toy section. For me that store was the main Marshall Field’s in downtown Chicago (fine, I’m old, it is now a Macy’s) – and I still have the Cat in the Hat plush with a molded head and a pull string voice box (that sadly no longer works), which my grandmother purchased for me there (OK, so I’m a pack rat too). Well, now Macy’s and Toys”R”Us are offering up that opportunity again, as they partner to feature Toys”R”US Express-branded departments in 24 Macy’s stores in major markets across the US this holiday shopping season. These pop-up departments, operating on a leased basis, will cover an average of about 1,500 square feet and will be open roughly form October 15, 2012  January 15, 2013. Depending on how the pop up toy areas do (and other factors) the concept could expand in the future.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Actress Octavia Spencer (The Help, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) signs a deal with Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, to publish Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective, the first time author’s two-book middle-grade series. The first title, Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective: The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit will be published in fall 2013. Not an average 12-year-old, Randi Rhodes is a Brooklyn vigilante with a Tae Kwon Do black belt. After Randi’s mother passes away, her father decides to move them to the small town of Deer Creek, Tennessee. Randi couldn’t be more unhappy  that is until a mystery arises when the town’s 200-year-old time capsule, which is rumored to contain hidden treasure, mysteriously disappears. Randi must solve the case, as the town’s fate hangs in the balance. The book also features an interactive experience via an index that offers activities and a website.

Cosgrove Hall Fitzpatrick Entertainment (CHF Entertainment) reveals that celebrated English actor Sir David Jason will lend his voice to a character named Skipper in its new preschool animation series Pip! (52×11). The actor has a long-term relationship with Cosgrove Hall, having provided voices for characters in some of its most popular animated series over the years, including Danger Mouse, Count Duckula and Wind in the Willows. Designed to encourage preschoolers to use their imagination, learning through laughter, while supporting their social and emotional developmental and early problem solving skills, the series is set in the fictional seaside town of Salty Cove and revolves around the adventures of Pip, a puppy, and his best friend Alba, a cat, and their various friends. Pip’s uncle Skipper is an old sea dog who can tell a great story and runs the lighthouse there. Pip! was created by photographer Charlie Ward based on his childhood and adult (as a parent) experiences on summer vacations in coastal towns. Pip! is currently slated to air on Channel 5’s Milkshake block when production is delivered.

A Little Charlie Bear heads to the West End in a new live show. CPLG, the licensing agent for Chapman Entertainment‘s preschool series Little Charley Bear, unveils plans for a live stage show (50-minutes) based on the series, which airs on CBeebies, to run in London at the Ambassadors Theatre this December 5-24, 2012. There will be a total of 40 shows. A UK-wide Little Charley Bear live show tour is under consideration for 2013, with discussions underway with the Merlin Group about live event opportunities.

There is still time left to nominate passionate executives and professionals in the kid media industry for the Cynopsis Kids People Awards – the late deadline is Thursday, October 18, 2012.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Jon Greenwood is appointed as President, Ipsos MediaCT in the US. In his new position, Greenwood is responsible for the Ipsos MediaCT’s media, content and technology research specialty across the country, which includes leading the media/tech analytics team, the motion picture group, and audience measurement teams within the company. Most recently, Greenwood was Global President of WPP’s Media Innovation Group (MIG), overseeing businesses in the US, Europe, South America and Asia. He previously served as EVP/Global Operations and General Counsel at 24/7 Real Media, and began his career as a corporate litigator.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Wednesday, October 11, 2012, 6am-6am, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON° :            K2-11 769; K6-11 321; TWEENS 9-14 229
DISNEY CHANNEL:          K2-11 746; K6-11 453; TWEENS 9-14 333
CARTOON NETWORK** : K2-11 455; K6-11 286; TWEENS 9-14 237
DISNEY XD:                  K2-11 169; K6-11 129; TWEENS 9-14 105
NICKTOONS:                 K2-11   60; K6-11   47; TWEENS 9-14   57
°Nickelodeon Total Day: Mon-Wed 7a-8p; Thurs-Fri 7a-9p; Sat 6a-10p; Sun 6a-8p
**Cartoon Network & Adult Swim share channel space ADSM airs Sat.-Thurs. 9p-6a
Source: Disney from Nielsen Media Research Data.

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Friday’s Fun Fact: When asked where he keeps his Oscars, Pixar’s John Lasseter said, “We discovered that Barbie clothes actually fit pretty well.”

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question: What cartoon character owned two pet rats, named Ray and Charles? Michael on The Jackson 5ive. Kudos to: David Stern-BARD Entertainment/NYC; Andy Krinner-aNb Media/NYC.

Today’s Trivia Question: Who voiced Anne Chan in the cartoon The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan in 1972? (Email John@cynopsis.com 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!
10.12.12

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