Cynopsis: Kids!
08/14/12

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, August 14, 2012, and this your first early morning briefing.

This week marks the launch of Curiosityville (www.curiosityville.com), a new on and offline personalized play and learning environment designed for K3-8 and their parents/caregivers. Founded by CEO Susan Magsamen, and created in collaboration with educators, parents, researchers and child development experts, Curiosityville offers fun learning activities, six animated characters and their related stories, as well as technology that allows parents/caregivers to track each child’s progress in real-time. Coinciding with the launch of the new site, Curiosityville has also teamed with partners, including National Geographic Kids, The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development and The Association of Children’s Museums, who will all support Curiosityville’s mission to help kids learn in various areas of their lives. Curiosityville will provide National Geographic Kids (www.nationalgeographic.com/kids) with content for kids and parents to support its National Geographic Little Kids offerings, while also providing some of National Geographic Kids’ resources at Curiosityville.com. While there are a number of thinks that kids can do on the site for free, memberships full access to Curiosityville.com are available for $79/year.

Kids and Tweens tablet usage hits 13% in 2012 versus only 3% in 2011, according to The NPD Group‘s new research report Kids and Consumer Electronics: 2012 Edition. Meanwhile the research also shows that portable and console video game systems maintain their status as the highest usage level among K4-14. What is also interesting in the report, but not completely surprising, is that its younger kids that have the highest tablet usage as parents are likely handing them off to their younger kids to entertain and engage them. At the same time usage of “more sophisticated devices” – specifically computers and video game devices – increase as a kid gets older. Other findings from the report include:

• Households with K4-14 own on average 10 different devices, with kids using an average of five of those devices.
• TVs, computers and cell/smartphones continue as the highest household ownership.
• Household ownership of console and portable video game systems, media tablets, and digital video cameras experienced the most significant increases.
• Portable video game systems are the most popular devices personally owned by K4-14, with six years of age being the average age of adoption, which is slightly younger than 2011 where the average age was 6.4.
• Kids continue to wield the most purchasing influence when it comes to selecting and buying new gaming systems and portable entertainment devices.
• Parents tend to be influenced more often by brand reputation, low price, safety aspect and educational value, whereas kids are more focused on aesthetics, popularity and entertainment value.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

1. Fast & efficient personalized service

LICENSING

Zodiak Kids appoints UK-based Vivid Imaginations as the Master Toy licensee for the new Nick Jr. (UK) CGI animated series Tickety Toc. The preschool series is produced by Zodiak Kids’ production company The Foundation, and Korea-based FunnyFlux Entertainment. Vivid Imaginations plans to launch a line of Tickety Toc toys in the UK and France from fall-winter 2013. The range includes plush, collectable figures, playsets, puzzles plus track and vehicle play and is based on the Tickety Toc characters including the twins Tommy & Tallulah and puppy-dog train Pufferty. Tickety Toc launched on Nick Jr. in the UK in April 2012, and is set to launch on Channel 5 (UK) milkshake! block and on France 5 this fall. Other free-to-air broadcasters who have picked up the series (52 episode) include Disney Junior (Canada), TG4 (Ireland), NRK Super (Norway), YLE (Finland) and Pop TV (Slovenia). Zodiak Kids holds all worldwide rights for Tickety Toc, excluding Korea and Japan.

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products UK (NVCP) completes an umbrella deal with UK furnishings licensee Character World. Under the agreement, which covers the UK and Ireland, Character World will create bedroom textiles, towel products and bedroom furniture based on all Nickelodeon brands, including Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Victorious, Winx Club and Bubble Guppies.

TCG (f/k/a The Canadian Group) taps JLK Brand Licensing Group as its licensing and merchandising agent for the Roxx brand in the US. Targeted specifically to school age and tween boys, Roxx is a collectible, trade-able, playable, head-to-head game of skill. Under the deal, JLK Brand Licensing Group will represent ROXX for all licensing and merchandising efforts across the US. ROXX will rollout in categories including collectibles, apparel, hats, back-to-school products, footwear, stationery and sporting goods. In addition, JLK Brand Licensing will implement ROXX promotions in packaged goods and at fast food chains. The Roxx line also features collectible pieces, carrying and display cases, and additional accessories.

UK-based JELC is appointed as the global licensing agent for the preschool property The Froobles. Developed by Top That! Publishing, The Froobles features a group of friendly fruit and vegetable characters that so far star in 12 storybooks and will be featured in an upcoming line of educational activity books. JELC will focus on creating and implementing an international licensing program for The Froobles. Top That! publishes The Froobles books in the UK and US and has co-publishing deals in Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, and South Korea. Froobles apps are available on iOS and Android. JELC and Top That! are targeting a number of licensing categories, with the first phase of the program focusing on toys and games, electronic learning, apparel, food and drink and arts and crafts. The next phase will include bedding, melamine, toiletries, and decor, dress up and role-play, greetings, partyware, luggage, bags and other categories will follow. Outdoor play equipment manufacturer Playtec is planning to preview a Froobles line at the Education Show at the NEC in March 2013.

MARKETING

Toon Goggles‘ (www.toongoggles.com), the kid-targeted free online content channel, mobile iOS app is now available for download worldwide. The app, which launched in North America in March 2012, allows kids to view the Toon Goggles channel. The app is designed for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Toon Goggles library features programming from producers and distributors from around the world, including BRB Internacional, Animasia Studios, Cyboars International, Your Family Entertainment, and Millimages, among others. Toon Goggles is fully COPPA-compliant.

Little Pim, the kid aimed foreign language learning program featuring 35 minute episodes, launches new language apps, Little Pim: Wake Up Smiling, Little Pim: Eating and Drinking and Little Pim: Playtime, at LittlePim.com (http://www.littlepim.com/digital-downloads/) and via LeapFrog’s App Center. Debuting this month, Wake Up Smiling teaches 60 words/phrases for morning and evening routines is available in Spanish, French and English/ESL, and Chinese Mandarin, German and Italian apps for Eating and Drinking. Playtime teaches another 60 words and phrases around the world of play, from blocks to boats, and will be available beginning September 18, 2012.

MORE KIDS STUFF

In Canada, Astral‘s Disney Junior will premiere the new Canadian original series Justin Time on Sunday, September 16 at 8:30a. The channel will also offer a series preview of Justin Time on Saturday, September 8 at 9:50a, as the lead out to the Handy Manny special Firefighter Manny (1×45). The sneak peek of Justin Time will also be available on DisneyJunior.ca and Disney Junior OnDemand from September 8, with a new episode available weekly on Disney Junior OnDemand beginning September 16. Following the premiere of Justin Time, the series (each episode is comprised of 2×11 episodes) will take up its regular timeslot weekend mornings at 8:30a. Additionally, the Justin Time site on DisneyJunior.ca is now live and features activities and games. Commissioned by Family Channel (Canada), Justin Time is produced by Guru Studio (The Backyardigans, Guess with Jess, Mudpit). The series is created and developed by Brandon James Scott, Frank Falcone and Mary Bredin.

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) inks deals for a range of Nickelodeon programming in South East Asia.

– In Malaysia, NTV7 signs on for season 2 of the preschool animated series Ni Hao Kai Lan, with TV3 taking season 1 of live action series The Troop, season 6 of SpongeBob SquarePants and season 1 of Planet Sheen. Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) acquires the first season of Big Time Rush. Also in Malaysia, Juita Viden has picked up seasons 6 and 7 of the original series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as season 1 of Victorious and Nickelodeon’s TV movies The Boy Who Cried Werewolf and Best Player on behalf of TV3.
– MediaCorp okto (Singapore) inks new deals for season 7 of SpongeBob SquarePants and the first season of Penguins of Madagascar, as well as renewing its deal for season 6 of SpongeBob SquarePants.
– Vietnam’s International Media JS Company acquires Penguins of Madagascar seasons 1 and 2, and the first season of Kung Fu Panda, as well as seasons 6 and 7 of the original series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on behalf of SCTV6-SNTV and VTC7-Today TV.
– In Thailand, POD Worldwide picks up the hybrid animated series Wonder Pets seasons 1-3 for the country’s Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), while Medialink Entertainment is set to air Kung Fu Panda season 1 and Penguins of Madagascar seasons 2 and 3 on Channel 7.

Union Media will showcase Komixx Entertainment‘s new stop-frame animated series, Toby’s Travelling Circus (52×10) in Cannes at MIPJunior and Mipcom this October 2012. The series revolves around Toby, a carefree 7-year-old and the world’s youngest ringmaster of his own circus, and his faithful toy monkey pal Momo. Toby’s Traveling Circus is written, created and produced in the UK, with the Manchester studio MacKinnon & Saunders providing the stop-frame model animation. In a unique move, Channel 5 (UK) milkshake! programming block has already ordered a second season of Toby’s Travelling Circus prior to the series initial launch.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Thursday, August 9, 2012, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
DISNEY CHANNEL:      K2-11 1221; K6-11 891; TWEENS 9-14 709
NICKELODEON° :        K2-11 1019; K6-11 673; TWEENS 9-14 572
CARTOON NETWORK** : K2-11   688; K6-11 485; TWEENS 9-14 375
DISNEY XD:              K2-11   218; K6-11 175; TWEENS 9-14 150
NICKTOONS:            K2-11   110; K6-11   76; TWEENS 9-14   67
°Nickelodeon Total Day: Mon-Thurs 7a-8p; 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

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Friday, August 10, 2012, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
DISNEY CHANNEL:      K2-11 1325; K6-11 955; TWEENS 9-14 782
NICKELODEON° :        K2-11 1014; K6-11 647; TWEENS 9-14 526
CARTOON NETWORK** : K2-11   599; K6-11 420; TWEENS 9-14 341
DISNEY XD:              K2-11   261; K6-11 213; TWEENS 9-14 191
NICKTOONS:             K2-11    76; K6-11   56; TWEENS 9-14   48
°Nickelodeon Total Day: Mon-Thurs 7a-8p; 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

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question: Who travel the world in their Commvee? The Wild Thornberrys. Kudos to: William “Chip” Beaman-Soundelux Design Music Group/Hollywood; John Hardman-Saban Brands LLC/LA.

Today’s Trivia Question: What is the name of Tommy Pickles’ dog? (Email [email protected] 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!
08.14.12

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