dhx brands supplement spring 2016

0179_DHX_LSB_SUPPLEMENT_COVER.indd 1 06/01/2016 10:30Covers_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 101 18/01/2016 16:42

The Licensee Roster

TOYSMaster toy - Character Options Outdoor toys - MV Sports & Leisure Puzzles and games - Ravensburger Electronic toys & learning aids - VtechNovelty toys - HTI GroupAmusement plush - Whitehouse LeisureInflatables - Bladez

APPAREL & ACCESSORIESSunglasses and glasses cases - AFB Nightwear, underwear, swimwear - Aykroyds Outerwear - Blues Clothing Headwear, scarves, gloves - Drew Pearson Bags - Posh Paws Nightwear, underwear, swimwear - TDP LicensingSocks - MisirliAdult character dress-up - Rubies Masquerade

PUBLISHINGPublishing - Egmont

STATIONERY/GIFTINGPosters and mugs - GB Eye Stationery, activity sets - International Greetings Stickers - Paper Projects PARTY/PAPERWAREPartyware, balloons - Amscan International Greeting cards, gift wrap - Gemma International

HOMEWAREBedding, blankets, towels - Character World Beds, furniture, night lights - Worlds Apart Lunchware, drinkware, mugs, tins - Zak!

TOILETRIES/HEALTHCAREToiletries - Kokomo

FOOD/CONFECTIONERYChocolate confectionery - Bon Bon Buddies

NON-RETAILCostume characters - Rainbow Productions

TOYSMaster toy - Golden Bear Wheeled toys - MV Sports & Leisure Puzzles - Ravensburger

APPARELNightwear/underwear - Aykroyds Outerwear - Blues Clothing Footwear - Fashion UK Socks - Misirli Nightwear/underwear - TDP Licensing Bandana bibs - Zippy Suit

PUBLISHINGBook formats - Penguin Personalised publishing - Pen Wizard Magazines - Immediate Media

DIGITAL PUBLISHINGE-books and ELAs - Inspiration Works (Kidz Delight)

FASHION ACCESSORIESJewellery and hair accessories - The Carat Shop Bags, wallets - Trademark Collections

STATIONERY/GIFTINGGreeting cards and calendars - Danilo Stickers - Fun Stickers Posters - GB Eye Money tins - More For Your Store

PARTYParty and balloons - Gemma International

HOUSEWARESBedding and home furnishings - DreamTex LED lights - Ledlightszone Lunchware, tableware, drinkware - Spearmark Wall coverings - Stickerscape Home furnishings - Worlds Apart

DIGITAL & HOME ENTERTAINMENTDVD - Abbey Home Media Gaming Application - P2 Entertainment

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT/ATTRACTIONSLive entertainment - Minor EntertainmentAttractions - Merlin Entertainment

TOYSMaster toy - Golden Bear Wheeled toys - HTI Group Puzzles and games - Ravensburger Amusement plush - Whitehouse Leisure

APPAREL & ACCESSORIESNightwear, underwear, socks - C & M Licensing Outerwear - Fashion UK Bags, purses, wallets - Trademark Collections

PUBLISHINGBook formats - Harper CollinsMagazines - DC Thomson Compilation magazine - Immediate Media

STATIONERY/GIFTINGPosters - GB Eye Greeting cards, partyware and balloons - Gemma International

HOMEWAREBedding, cushions, towels - DreamTexLunchware, drinkware, tableware - Spearmark

HOME ENTERTAINMENTDVD - Abbey Home Media


Our Wonderfully Supportive Licensees!

Listings_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 16:20 Page 35

Covers_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 102 18/01/2016 16:42

3A SPECIAL DHX BRANDS SUPPLEMENT

This special DHX publication was produced by Max Publishing. Editor: Michelle Board. Editor in chief: Jakki Brown. The advertising was handled by Ian Hyder and Rob Willis.The creative director was Mark Grayson.Copyright 2016: While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication was correctat the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can theyaccept responsibility for the standing of advertisers, nor any organisations mentioned in the text.

DHX Brands Introduction

4-57-9

11-1315

17-19

DHX Brands OverviewTeletubbies OverviewTeletubbies Licensing ProgrammeTeletubbies Licensee FeedbackIn the Night Garden Overview

2123

25-2729

31-3334

In the Night Garden Marketing StrategyIn the Night Garden Licensee FeedbackTwirlywoos OverviewTwirlywoos Licensee FeedbackMake it Pop OverviewAirmageddon Overview

Contents

We are really proud of our achievementshere at DHX Brands. Less than 18 monthssince our inception, the brand

management and consumer products division of DHXMedia has firmly established itself as one of the mostpragmatic, innovative and forward-thinking licensors inthe industry. We’ve quickly built a first class global team from a UK

head office base, covering all the key areas of licensing,brand management and creative services, supportedby the strength of DHX Media, one of the fastestgrowing companies in the kids and family business.The DHX Brands approach is exemplified by the speed

in which Teletubbies has developed from a strategyconcept, through to a greenlit production withnumerous best-in-class licensees on board to bring the

much loved propertyback to the forefrontof the licensing stage. New Twirlywoos

demonstrated similar agility in coming to the market as we quickly built a significant licensingprogramme for this brand new innovative series fromAnne Wood, and the older-skewed high-energy high school musical brand Make it Pop which is gaining real traction. We have also injectedconsiderable momentum into the well-loved, globally-recognised brand In the Night Garden,including broadening the brand to include In the NightGarden Nursery to appeal to parents to be, gifters andfamilies with newborns.But we’re not reflecting too much on the past, we’re

too busy looking forward and planning for much more to come. Say eh-oh to 2016!Peter Byrne, executive vice president, DHX Brands

Welcome

3 DHX Contents NEW_v8_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 09:47

4 A SPECIAL DHX BRANDS SUPPLEMENT

Going places

DHX Brands Overview

Left: Peter Byrneexecutive vice presidentfor DHX Brands.Below centre: A newgeneration of childrenhave fallen in love withthe Teletubbies.

In the middle of 2014, DHX Media brought all itslicensing and merchandising activity together under anew dedicated brand management and consumer

products arm: DHX Brands. The new division is able tofocus on DHX Media’s core slate of high-profile licensedproperties under the DHX Brands banner, bringingtogether licensing, brand managementand creative services teams.

Peter Byrne heads up DHX Brands asexecutive vice president and explainsthe rationale behind the creation of thisdivision: “DHX Media is a key player inproduction, distribution, broadcast andlicensing of children’s programming. Itowns the world's largest independentlibrary of kids' and family content, atmore than 11,000 half-hours. DHX Mediahad been involved in licensing, but it wasn’t a key focus.With the creation of DHX Brands we’ve been able tostreamline and bolster our licensing activities andmaximise the strength of selected DHX Mediaproperties in core markets.”

The key areas for growth for DHX Brands have come fromits three main preschool properties: In the Night Garden,Teletubbies and Twirlywoos. “We have some of the mosticonic preschool properties from recent times and with thebacking of DHX Media, have been able to develop thesechildren’s properties in exciting new ways,” says Peter.

Speaking about In the NightGarden Peter says: "I knew wehad an evergreen on our hands,but it had been lacking inattention and activity hadstalled. We’ve put a lot of effortinto it and are very pleased withits positioning now.” In the NightGarden has been boostedthrough new branding, a newwebsite, a year-long integrated

social media and marketing plan, high profile events and abrand new style guide.

In just 18 months DHX Brands has firmly putitself on the licensing map, ramping up activityon all its brands. Its core stable of preschoolproperties – Teletubbies, In the Night Gardenand Twirlywoos - are having a phenomenal timein the market, and the recent addition of Make ItPop and Airmageddon sees DHX Brandsexpanding into whole new demographics.

4-5 DHX Brands Overview_v8_Art & Design LSB 08/01/2016 15:54

The much-anticipated return of Teletubbies in Novemberhas been a huge success for everyone involved. “The initialratings have been superb, we’ve got the top broadcasterson board and an exceptional range of toys from CharacterOptions on the market,”says Peter. “It was aglobal phenomenon inits heyday, and it will bethis time round too.”

Twirlywoos is thenewest preschoolproperty for DHXBrands and is showing alot of promise asPeter explains: “Thepreschool market is incrediblycrowded, but we’re thrilled withhow well Twirlywoos has beenreceived. Golden Bearlaunched the toy line inJune and we’ve got awhole raft of licenseesworking with us across key categories.”

While DHX Brands mayhave cut its teeth on preschoolproperties, it is expanding intonew demographics with twonew brands from DHX Media:

Make It Pop and Airmageddon. Make It Pop targets girlsaged 6 to 12 years and is a musical-comedy seriesfollowing the antics of a high school band. Airmageddon

is aimed at boys 6 to 12 years,whereby kid-contestantscreate a drone, then do battlehead-to-head in an arena.

“Make It Pop andAirmageddon put DHX Brandsinto a whole different sphere,”says Peter. “We’re not just

about preschool brands anymore. Make It Popdebuted on Nickelodeon in the US in Apriland went straight to the number 1 spot for

girls 6 to 11 years. Airmageddon launches on CBBCin the spring and has a lot of potentialfor consumer product.”

There is plenty more on thehorizon for the business in

different sectors andnew content

opportunities. “We’ll be rollingout and expanding our currentportfolio and looking for new

developments in 2016/17,” saysPeter. “The next 18 months are sureto bring a few surprises to themarket. Watch this space!”

DHX Brands Overview

Left: The brand newTwirlywoos website isnow live.Below: Make It Popdebuted onNickelodeon in the US in April and wentstraight to thenumber 1 spot forgirls 6 to 11 years.

Working with CPLGDHX Brands has appointed CPLG to represent its properties in theterritories where it has offices. CPLG is one of the world’s leadingentertainment, sport and brand licensing agencies with offices inthe UK, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland,Middle East, Greece, Turkey and the US.

The global view“We’re building the globalfootprint of DHX Brands, withhubs in London, Los Angeles andToronto,” says Peter. “We workwith a handful of key propertiesand for some we focus on selectedterritories only, while we have aworldwide focus for others. WhereCPLG has a presence, we work with those teams, butoutside of Europe and North America we work withexternal agents, such as Haven in Australia. China –in factAsia in general - presents a huge opportunity for many ofour brands. We’re in discussions with a number of partnersabout bringing our brands to this market.”


Inset: Fearne Cotton atthe Teletubbies launch.Right: A Pinky Ponk toyfrom China.

4-5 DHX Brands Overview_v8_Art & Design LSB 08/01/2016 15:55

CONTACT OUR SALES TEAM TODAY+44 (0)845 004 9217

www.characterworld.com [email protected]© Copyright Character World Ltd

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FULLPRODUCTRANGEAVAILABLESEPT 2016

Teletubbies (R) & (C) DHX Worldwide

06_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 6 11/01/2016 16:43

into the spotlight.

Below: Po, Laa-Laa, Dipsy

and Tinky Winky are back

to enthral and entertain

a new generation of

youngsters.

Bottom: Victoria Bushell.Say

to the neweh-ohSay

to the neweh-oh

Teletubbies overview

Omain characters: Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. Itachieved critical acclaim, winning multiple awards,including a BAFTA in 1998 for best preschoolprogramme. Its enduring resonance ishighlighted by the brand’s YouTube channel,which averages more than 91 million views per month.It was against this backdrop that DHX Media

decided to update the Teletubbies,bringing a refreshed look to the brandin 60 new episodes for CBeebies.The new series - which launched in

21st century with CGI effects and modern storylines fortoday’s preschoolers.

“When DHX Media acquired Ragdoll Productions in2013 we had a clear opportunity to do something

fantastic with Teletubbies,” explains VictoriaBushell, DHX’s vice president of global brandmanagement. “The classic Teletubbies continued tocaptivate audiences around the world, even

though no new episodes had been made for14 years. It seemed like the right time tobring it back.”

But it wasn’t just a case of ‘right place,


7-9 Teletubbies Overview_v8_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 13:28

Teletubbies is one of the most

successful global children’s

brands of all time. It has been

seen by over a billion children

worldwide and the original

episodes aired in more than 120

territories, in 45 languages. So

it’s no wonder that the first new

episodes in over 14 years have

propelled the Teletubbies back

riginally created in 1997, Teletubbiescaptivated an entire generation ofpreschoolers, following the adventures of the

the UK in November - features the same well-lovedcharacters and styling, but has been brought into the


right time’ for Teletubbies, there was something muchmore fundamental, as Victoria explains: “The originalepisodes of Teletubbies had been made nearly 20years ago and were in danger of fading off-screenforever, such is the pace of technology. The classicepisodes are still shown on TV around the world, butwith the change in television formats there will

original Teletubbieswill not be of goodenough quality to beshown on TV. We felt it would be a real shame if this happened.”DHX engaged UK

production companyDarrall Macqueen toproduce the new

look the same as they did nearly 20 years ago, therehave been some major changes. “The biggest change isthat the original show was filmed outdoors on a farm inWarwickshire. The new show is filmed on blue screenand then the characters are superimposed on a modelin a studio overlaid with CGI effects. It meanswe’ve got a much richer, more vibrant world, andeven though it is a model it actually feels morereal than the old one,” says Victoria.The Teletubbies themselves have not changed

much; they are still the loveable and huggable liveaction costume characters from the original show -except they now have touchscreen tummies. Humourand movement are still very central to the show and theTeletubbies allow children to learn through laughter and play. Many of the favourite elements from the original show

are still there: the Tubby Toaster, Po’s Scooter, the Noo-noo and the Voice Trumpets. And of course there are afew new surprises for young fans including the TubbyCustard Ride and Tiddlytubbies – smaller Teletubbies.

momentum and building on the excitement movinginto 2016. There’s consumer product coming to marketnow, the international roll out this spring and we’realready planning for the 20th anniversary in 2017. TheTeletubbies are well and truly back!”

Teletubbies overview

The Teletubbies takeoverThe Teletubbies media machine kicked into action at thebeginning of summer 2015, with a series of experiential eventsand PR activities to support the launch of the new series. “Weworked with a high-profile PR agency on some amazing stunts,including the takeover of Good Morning Britain for a wholemorning, a dance for Strictly Come Dancing and hugs from thecharacters on London’s South Bank. We created such a buzzaround Teletubbies and the overall campaign received 2.2 trillionOTS (opportunities to see). We even had #Teletubbies trendingon Twitter," says Victoria.

Going digitalDigital opens up a whole world of possibilities and fun with theTeletubbies and is something that DHX is fully embracing. A brandnew Teletubbies website will launch in January, including games,activities and new content designed for a young audience to useon mobile devices. A TeletubMe web app, released in October,allows people to upload their own faces replacing those of theTeletubbies and Sun Baby. “We are aware that children have accessto content across multiple devices and platforms, and thecompetition is fierce,” says Victoria. “We’ve got to make sure thatwe engage with children away from the TV programme as well.”

Above: The Tiddlytubbies -

smaller Teletubbies - are a

new addition to the show.

Right: The TeletubMe app

has been very popular,

allowing people to upload

their own faces to

the Teletubbies.

7-9 Teletubbies Overview_v8_Art & Design LSB 08/01/2016 16:42

“It was very important that we didn’t deviate from the

Davenport and Anne Wood put so much into theTeletubbies and the brand had such a connection with its young audience. It’s a case of evolution

original concept too much,” says Victoria. “Andrew

rather than revolution.”This gentle approach to

modernising the brand has paidoff for DHX with Teletubbiesachieving a 66% share of theHWCH 0-3 audience (housewiveswith children 0-3 years) in its firstweek. It was also the top rankingseries of all preschoolprogramming in its first month(Mediaocean/BARB November

2015). “We’re now very focused on maintaining the

become a time when the

episodes, and although at first glance the Teletubbies

Inset: The Teletubbies’

world is brighter and

richer than ever before.

Below: Tom Roe.

Consumer Products

Tof the public and industry this time, the brand isgoing to be just as popular. “The reaction to Teletubbiescoming back has been unbelievable,” confirms TomRoe, commercial director for DHX Brands. “I’ve neverseen anything like it. People have such faith in the

internationally, all wanting to beinvolved. It demonstrates thepower and heritage of the brand.”The gentle approach that DHX

has taken with modernising thebrand has gone down well withpotential licensees and partners,according to Tom. “We’ve very

bought into our vision of the brand and it’s great to beworking with so many best-in-class partners.”

perfectly toconsumer

Time to

play


Time to

play

The first consumer products for

Teletubbies hit the shelves in

January, with toys and

publishing leading the way,

followed by a full raft of

products across all categories in autumn/winter, from over 65

market-leading licensees internationally. The fact that Teletubbies has

attracted so much interest from consumer and trade levels is testament

to the enduring popularity and love for the brand.

11-13 Teletubbies Licensing_v8_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 09:35

he success of the Teletubbies in the late 1990swas phenomenal and going by the initial reaction

gently brought the brand into the 21st century, evolvingit rather than changing it. Our licensees have very much

brand and we’ve been inundated by callsfrom licensees, retailers and agents

DHX works closely with its licenseesto create products that meet theconsumer’s need as well asrespecting the values ofTeletubbies. The rich landscapeof the Teletubbies’ world, as wellas elements in the show - suchas Po’s Scooter, the Tubby Phoneand the Tubby Custard Ride - all

lend themselves

products.

Rainbow December 2015.indd 1 18/12/2015 12:34026_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 26 06/01/2016 17:54

“The product line from Character Options is amazing,”says Tom. “The plush is absolutely superb and theplastics line is fantastic as well. Character Options reallyunderstand the brand and has lots of fresh ideas thatincorporate the essence of the show into the line.Character Options’ distribution is second-to-none in theUK and we’re also delighted to be working with SpinMaster and Giochi Preziosi for distribution in Europeand North America.”Publishing is integral to the brand, with Egmont’s

books and magazines coming to market in summer2016. The range will include story books, colouring,sticker and activity books, annuals, novelty books andsound books, and a standalone Teletubbies magazine.And come autumn/winter,

another wave of Teletubbiesproducts will come to the marketacross apparel, outdoor toys,electronic toys, accessories,stationery, gifting, party, homewareand health and beauty. In terms of developing the

consumer products programme,DHX is working with its own in-house licensing agent,CPLG to build the brand in the UK, Europe, the Middle

appointed Haven Licensing as the agent in

Australia and New Zealand.

stream with broadcast deals in place in majormarkets as Tom explains: “We’re working withsome top broadcasting platforms and Teletubbies

will be rolling out in early 2016 in the USA(Nick Jr), Canada (FamilyJr), Australia (ABC 4 Kids),France (Gulli) and Italy (RaiYoYo). We hope to be on airin most major territories bythe middle of 2016.” The company has also set its

sights set on the lucrativeAsian market, especially China.

Teletubbies already has an existing fanbase in China - it was the first Western

“There is a huge buzz around Teletubbies at


Consumer Products

Highly sought afterToday’s licensees have every belief that Teletubbies will be a hitwith the public just as it was when it launched in 1997. Such was thepopularity of the Teletubbies back then that some stores limitedthe number of dolls that customers could purchase and others soldout within hours of delivery. Between September and December1997, more than one million Tinky Winky, Laa Laa, Dipsy and Podolls were sold. Some reports from the time say that Teletubbiesmerchandise was so popular in the Christmas of 1997 that itoutsold all other toys twice over.

Teletubbies styleOne of the biggest challenges the DHX creative team had to facewas living up to everyone’s expectations of the brand. Paul Keech,DHX’s vice president of creative services explains: “When you workon a completely new brand you can put your own stamp on it. Butwhen you work on a brand such as Teletubbies, you need to berespectful. Everyone knows what the Teletubbies should look like.Everyone has an opinion. We’ve remained very true to the originallook and feel of the brand, refreshing the characters and setting, notcreating a whole new show. We’ve updated the style guides withnew graphics, new fonts and new art work.And we’ve created a style guide that is justthat – a guide. A core part of Teletubbies isabout having fun and licensees should beable to do that with our style guides.”

Above: The plush line from Character

Options is cuddly and vibrant.

Above: The Tubby

Custard Ride from

Character Options.

Right: Paul Keech.

Above: New

graphics and

artwork from the

style guide.

11-13 Teletubbies Licensing_v8_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 09:36

East and North America. DHX has

preschool property to air in China, on CCTVreaching an audience of 300 million children.

the moment,” sums up Tom. “Live events andattractions are something we’ll be looking at for2017 and we’re also exploring some major tie-ups in the FMCG category. And on theinternational scene, once we’ve got thebroadcasting deals in place, we expect thosemarkets to really take off.”

International markets will soon be coming on

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• Multiple callouts here!• Multiple callouts here!• Multiple callouts here!

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Licensee Feedback

Jon Diver, managing

director, Character

Options:

“It has been over 12 months since westarted working on the newTeletubbies toy collection and we aredelighted to see the range finally go on shelfthis month. The experience with the team atDHX has been incredibly supportive andpositive, especially owing to the great materialwe have been given to work with. In terms ofthe product range, we have the World ofTeletubbies small play collection, small supersoft collectables, talking 8” soft toys and a line-up of novelties, such as the new TubbyPhone and a fun Drive and Steer Noo-noo.”

, product

preschool puzzles at Toy Fair 1997. We are delighted to be workingagain on this remarkable property, and will launch our range of highquality puzzles in AW2016.”

Phil Ratcliffe, sales and

marketing director, MV Sports:“Teletubbies was a massive hit for MV Sportslicensees first time round and it looks set toachieve similar heights with the new series. Inparticular Po’s Scooter was one of the ‘must have’

a sector leading toy for Christmas 2016. We are also launching abroader range of wheeled and outdoor toys to include ride-on toys,trikes, scooters and skates.”

, brand director,

particularly well on bedroom accessories. Our Pan-EuropeanTeletubbies bedding range, including duvet covers and cushions,will be rolled out to retailers in September 2016.”

Emily Howarth, license account

manager, Bon Bon Buddies:“We’re thrilled to be working with DHX onTeletubbies. It’s exciting to develop products for a

seasonal chocolate products, followed by a full roll out in 2017across seasonal products and everyday confectionery.”

TeletubbiestalkLicensees

TeletubbiestalkLicensees

Top: Teletubbies

playset from

Character Options

Andrew Barrett, director of

product developement, VTech:“We are excited to be working with DHX onlaunching a range of Teletubbies licensedproducts. Remembering the hype from 20 yearsago, the team at DHX have done a fantastic jobwith the PR, raising awareness to get Teletubbiesback at the forefront of consumers’ minds.

Products such as a Roly Poly Po and Teletubbies Musical Book,demonstrate how VTech develops high-quality and innovativeelectronic products. The VTech Teletubbies range has had a positiveresponse from retailers and will be on shelves in summer 2016.”

Teletubbies has impressed licensees across a wide range of categories and

2016 will see some truly innovative product launches.

Sten Jorgensen, head of global brand

management & international

sales, Egmont Publishing:“Teletubbies is one of the most successful andiconic children’s brands of recent times, sowe’re thrilled to be partnering with DHX. Wehave the international rights for Teletubbies toproduce a range of children’s books andmagazines and will be launching in the UK inJuly 2016 with a mini pocket library and four board books.A standalone magazine will launch in autumn. This will befollowed by a broader range of books including storybooks, colouring, sticker and activity books, annuals,novelty books and sound books.”

15 Teletubbies Feedback_Art & Design LSB 08/01/2016 18:15

toys from the original series and we expect, our Po’s Scooter will be

Tim Kilby

Character World:“Teletubbies has been a phenomenal global successin the preschool arena since 1997. It is arguably one ofthe most iconic and influential children’s brands of thelast 20 years, and we are excited to be working withthe property. The fun, brightly coloured characters

lend themselves perfectly to a whole host of merchandise and work

new generation of fans. Our Teletubbies product rangeis launching for Easter and Christmas 2016 with small ranges of

Sarah Stevens

manager, Ravensburger:“Ravensburger and DHX’s partnership goes fromstrength to strength, as we work together onthree exceptional preschool properties – In theNight Garden, Twirlywoos and Teletubbies.Ravensburger first developed and manufactured

Teletubbies products almost 20 years ago – launching a range of

The BAFTA award-winning In the Night Garden firstlaunched in March 2007, offering up a magicalworld which revolutionised

the way a whole generation ofparents and childrenapproached bedtime television.Created by Anne Wood andAndrew Davenport of RagdollProductions, the live-actionshow was designed to relaxand entertain very youngchildren (aimed at children fromone to four years old) and features a mix of costumecharacters, puppetry and computer animation.

The show has aired every week night on CBeebiessince its launch, except for a five month period in 2008

when it was removed from CBeebies’ bedtimehour, only to be re-instated due to a petitionfrom parents.

“What is remarkable about In the Night Garden is thatalthough there have been no new episodes made since2007, it was still the top series for HWCH (housewiveswith children) 0-3 years for the first half of 2015 onCBeebies,” reveals Victoria Bushell, DHX’s vice presidentof global brand management. “This is testament to the

pip?Isn T that

In the Night Garden Overview

A

Baby loveAt BLE last year DHX announced its plans to extend In theNight Garden into the baby and nursery market. “It seemedlike a natural progression to take the brand down thisavenue,” reveals Paul Keech, DHX’s vice president of creativeservices. “We’re giving the brand a completely new look withsofter, gentler colours in a muted palette. The graphics aresoft and sketchy, quite traditional-looking.” The range willlaunch in spring 2017 and will be mainly targeted atexpectant parents who already have children, as they will befamiliar with the brand, but it will appeal to new parents,grandparents and gift givers as well.


IN The niGht gaRdeN iS oNE OF TheFasTesT gRowIng prEscHooLProPerTieS iN tHE UK, thAnkS tO dHXBraNds’ cOmmItmEnt to deLivEriNGInnOvaTivE pRodUctS aND ExpEriEncESTO TodAY’S cHilDreN. IT Has heLD TheCovEteD bEdtIme slOT ON CbeEbiESSinCE IT LauNchED IN 2007 aND IS WelLSet to maIntAin thIS AT LeaST UntIL2021, UndErpInnED BY A dEal thAT DhxHas wiTH CbeEbiES.

LEft: the brAnd geTs a nEw SofTer, gEntLylOok wiTh Its nuRseRy And baBy StyLe GuiDe.

INset: watChiNg in The NIght GArdEn Is a BedTime rItuAl For mAny pre-sChoOleRs.

17-19 ITNG Overview USE!!!!! _Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 13:35

ExCiTiNg

eVeRy iSsUe!GiFtiiTTiiNNg

ExxCEx TT

tttIn the Night Garden TM & © DHX Worldwide.

Brought to you by the number 1

pre-school publisher, Immediate Media.

It is the ONLYmagazine for children

aged 18 months and over (with all gifts safety tested

and suitable from18 months).

Available in allgood newsagents and

supermarkets.

OfFiCiAl mAgAzInE

As seen on

OfFiCiAl mAgAzInEmAgAzInE

OfFiCiAl OfFiCiAl OfFiCiAl mAgAzInE

magazine for childrenaged 18 months and over (with all gifts safety tested

and suitable from

AdVeRtIsEmEnT

The top 5standalone pre-school

monthly magazine (ABC Audit

Jan-Jun 2015).

TaIlOr-MaDe

FoR ToDdLeRs

ITNG_AD_2015_DHX_BROCHUREv2.indd 1 07/01/2016 09:14018_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 18 07/01/2016 10:19

A SPECIAL DHX BRANDS SUPPLEMENT

In the Night Garden Overview

19

power of the brand. It has become an integral part ofthe bedtime routine for children and parents.”

The fact that there is no new content doesn’t causeany issues for DHX, as Victoria explains: “In the NightGarden is timeless, the stories and characters don’t date.It still looks as fresh as it did when it first came out. Thepreschool licensing market is well-known for beingcompetitive, but In the Night Garden remains at the topof its game and is still growing according to Tom Roe,commercial director for DHX Brands. “It is the 4thbiggest preschool licence according to November NPDdata. It’s firmly in evergreen territory now.Golden Bear’s toy collectioncontinues to do well at retail, withfour lines in the range beingincluded within the top 25selling preschool licenseditems (NPD YTD Nov2015). The In the NightGarden magazine fromImmediate Media is themost successful preschool magazine ever. And PenguinRandom House, our publishing partner, hassold over 12 million books.”

Tom continues: “The licensing programmehas gone from strength to strength and wehave quality partners on board and havewitnessed a real appetite for products from ourloyal fans. A new core guide and seasonalguides launched in 2015 enable licensees tocreate stand-out products.”

On the international scene the brand is gainingmomentum particularly in Australia and China as Tomexplains: “We’ve got a growing programme of licenseesin Australia, including Jasnor as master toy, PenguinChildren’s Books and Showtime Attractions for meetand greets. China has massive potential and we have abroad deal with UYoung Media Group for a licensingand merchandising campaign for In the Night Garden.”

This commitment to the brand from DHX bodes wellfor the future. Innovative

marketing initiatives anda strong licensing

programme will keep thisevergreen brand in the

forefront of everyone’smind for years to come.

audiences increase each year - our sixth tour in 2015 sawthe highest attendance figures yet! Rather than take ashow into local theatres, we tour a purpose-built inflatablevenue that’s designed to meet the needs of very youngfamilies. It means we can deliver a consistent customerexperience that’s on-brand and exceeds expectations. It’sa real pleasure to be part of something that’s so importantto so many families.”

ABove: THe ninKy nonk MUsiCalACtiVity TRain fRom goLdenBEar was tHe 3rd beSt SelLingpResChoOl Toy ytd (Npd,nOveMber 2015)..LEft and bOttOm Left: in TheNIght GArdEn live tOurs With a puRpoSe-BuiLt inFlaTabLe VenUe.BElow cEntRe: andRew coLliErfRom miNor enTerTaiNmeNt.

17-19 ITNG Overview USE!!!!! _Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 13:37

In the Night Garden Live The popular In the Garden Night live show hasbeen seen by over half a million visitors since2010 and there was a 12% increase in attendanceyear-on-year in 2015. Andrew Collier, the creativedirector of Minor Entertainment, comments: “Welaunched In the Night Garden Live in 2010, andthe show has toured the UK every year since. I

don’t know of any other preschool property in the UK thatsustains an annual tour, and remarkably we’ve seen

In the Night Garden Marketing


In the Night Garden has reignedsupreme at the top of the preschoolcharts for almost 10 years now. DHX

Brands has been investing in a number ofinitiatives, as Victoria Bushell, DHX’s vicepresident of global brand management explains:“We have created more consumer touchpoints,such as a brand new immersive website, apioneering web app and new social mediaplatforms such as Twitter and YouTube.”

DHX ramped up the marketing activity on In the NightGarden last year and one of the most successful eventswas the birthday celebrations at CBeebies Land atAlton Towers. “To celebrate the firstanniversary of the In the Night GardenMagical Boat Ride at CBeebies Landwe had a big party in May forcompetition winners, bloggers,journalists, retail buyers and licensees,”says Victoria. “We had face painting,balloon modelling, dancing and weset a Guinness World Record for thebiggest ever polar fleece blanket, asunfurled by Igglepiggle at 98.8 sq.m.”

Another successful campaign lastyear focused on bedtime rituals with

sleep expert Mandy Gurney from Millpond Children’sSleep Clinic giving her top tips on helping childrensleep away from home. The aims of this long termpartnership are to strengthen In the Night Garden aspart of the bedtime ritual, as well as increasing brand

awareness and engaging with fans on social media. “We’ve recently collaborated with Jo Jingles, bringing

themed In the Night Garden musical activity sessions topreschoolers who go to Jo Jingles music and movementclasses in the UK. They’re just another way that we canconnect with our fans beyond the screen,” says Victoria.

An enduringly popular show, innovative marketinginitiatives like these will ensure that In the Night Gardencontinues to entertain and enthral new audiences for

years to come.

Keeping the

growingNight Garden

HIgh-prOfiLe MarKetIng caMpaIgnsaCroSs All plAtfOrms eNsuRe in tHe nigHt garDen reMaiNs FreShaNd RelEvaNt Year aFter yEar.

RIght: SHop diRect's in the NIght GArdEn DigItal cAmpAign wAs Very sUccEssFul.

Retail bites: Andrea Gornall, Senior

Buyer, Shop DirectIn The Night Garden is Shop Direct’s 4thbiggest licence within preschool toys and hasseen consistent growth over the last few years.Last year we launched a digital campaign tobring In The Night Garden to the forefront of

our shop during our key baby and toddlercampaign. Thisincluded a brand store, sponsorship of thetoys landing page as well as social mediacompetitions. This was a highly successfulcampaign for us and has helped boostthe range throughout AW15.

21

INset: celEbrAtiNg ThefIrst aNniVerSary ofIn tHe nigHt garDenMAgiCal boAt ride atCbeeBies LAnd atALton TOweRs In may.

ABove: jo jinGlesbOugHt in theNIght GArdEntHemEd SesSioNsto iTs ClaSseslAst yeAr.

ABove: iggLepIggLe’s98.8 sq.m BlaNketmAde by drEamTex hasa guInnEss woRldREcoRd For the bIggEsteVer poLar flEecebLanKet.

21 ITNG Marketing_Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 13:39

TWIRLYWOOS and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Ltd. © (2016) Ragdoll Productions Limited/DHX Worldwide Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

RRP: £5.99

Coming soon

Asseen onTV

RRP: £5.99 RRP: £4.99

RRP: £4.99RRP: £5.99 RRP: £5.99

twirlywoos_a5ad.indd 1 07/01/2016 10:1822_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 22 09/01/2016 13:07

Licensee Feedback


the Nightthe WAY TO Garden of

Barry Hughes, general

manager, Golden Bear:

Musical Activity Train at number six. Therange continues to expand in 2016, withlarger items being released later in the

year ahead of the festive period.We're delighted and proud tohave this hugely popular brandwithin our portfolio and we lookforward to working closelywith DHX to continue thebrand's success.”

Anthony Duckworth, managing

director, Dreamtex:“Dreamtex has been a licensee for In the Night Garden since2013. We love the brand, not only because of the amount ofviewing available to the consumer, but also because of thequality of the licensees that are working onit too. We’ve had atremendous reaction to ourrange through retail andmail order channels andare increasing ourproduct mix for 2016.New items include somefantastic head-shapedcushions, beanbags, new towelling productsand a range of co-ordinating wall décor.”

Juliet Matthews, publishing

director for media &

entertainment, Penguin

Random House Children s:

into an evergreen brand. Our aim now is

been to emphasise bedtime, which for us is the brand’s uniqueselling point in the preschool market.”

been working on In the Night Garden since itsinception. In the Night Garden hasconsistently been a best seller wherever listed.We will be listing pyjamas, robes and walkingsleepers in 2016 and we are looking forwardto a superb year with this well-known andimpactful preschool brand.”

LEft: PYjaMas frOm aykRoyd aNd sons.

Trevor Jones, licensing

director, Danilo:“We have worked with In the Night Garden brandsince 2008, not long after the programmelaunched In the Night Garden has proven to be an evergreenbrand for Danilo. We will continue toupdate some of our great carddesigns to keep our In the NightGarden card range looking new and refreshed.” ABove: IGglEpiGgle’s loSt blaNket is oNe Of

tHe Most pOpuLar tiTles fRom peNguIn.LEft: danIlo’s Age-raNge caRds.

BelOW: new cuShiOns frOm dreAmtEx.

ABove: talKing UPsy daIsy and IGglEpiGgle fRom goLden BEar.

THanKs To RecEnt inVesTmeNt By dhX brAnds, Many lIceNseEs Are haVing a grEattIme wiTh in The niGht gaRden.

23 ITNG Licensee Feedback_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 10:42

“Golden Bear Toys has been apartner with DHX for almost three years. Ourtoy collection continues to do well at retail, withfour lines in the range being included within theTop 20 Selling Preschool Licensed items (NPDYTD Oct 2015); including hero products theTalking Plush at number two and the hugelypopular (and multi-award winning!) Ninky-Nonk

David Aykroyd, joint

managing director,

Aykroyd and Sons:“Aykroyd and Sons are delighted to have

“We have been publishing In the Night Gardenbooks for nine years and in that time we’ve soldmore than twelve million Night Gardentitles. It’s been amazing to see the brandtransition from an initial runaway success

to complete the brand’s transition into aclassic. The first step in this strategy wascommitting to our beautiful illustrated artstyle and moving away from usingphotographic assets in our books. Our second key decision has

Inset: Twirlywoos is a laugh-out-loudtreat for youngsters.Bottom right: The art work for theTwirlywoos concentrates on thecharacters, allowing them to shine.

Twirlywoos Overview

Twirlywoos is the latest creation from that masterof children’s programming; Anne Wood of RagdollProductions. With input from early-years

expert Professor Cathy Nutbrown, the series usesslapstick humour to explore educational conceptssuch as ‘through’, ‘underneath’ and ‘over’. It’s a reallaugh-out-loud treat for preschoolers, encouragingthem to gain confidence in their own perceptions ofthe world and reinforce their understanding as theygrow and develop.“The whole premise is that the characters know less

than the young children watching, so that gives theaudience a confidence in their own learning. It playsback their interests to them,” says Victoria Bushell,DHX’s vice president of global brand management.“There’s also something in it for slightly older childrenin terms of the comedy and that they can predictwhat happens next, again giving them confidence.Anne Wood has come up with another show that istruly connected with children.”Twirlywoos began airing on CBeebies in February

2015 and has been incredibly well received, withaverage TVRs for HWCH 0-3 (housewives with

children 0-3 years) increasing a staggering 24% monthon month. Twirlywoos has consistently been in the top10 most watched programmes across all children’sprogramming (BARB data,HWCH 0-3,Nov 2015). Thebrand isdeveloping a

The silly antics of Great BigHoo,Toodloo, Chickedy and Chickhave young audiences laughingout loud across the UK. Meet theTwirlywoos, the latest IP fromRagdoll Productions, and onethat is proving extremelypopular for DHX Brands.


SIlLy fUn,fUlL OfsUrPrIsEs

SIlLy fUn,fUlL OfsUrPrIsEs

GEtTiNg tHe lOoK“The Twirlywoos style guide was quite a challenge because the showitself is so clean and simple,” says Paul Keech, DHX’s vice president ofcreative services. “The characters don’t speak and much of thehumour is about timing and theway the characters look at thecamera. We’ve concentrated onthe characters and making themshine. The feedback fromlicensees has been positive andit’s great to see the way they’veinterpreted the style and put theirown twist on it.”

25-27 Twirlywoos Overview_Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 10:17

For more information please contact your sales agent.

© 2016 DHX Worldwide Limited. In the Night Garden and all related characters, titles and logos are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Limited. All Rights Reserved.

M

USICAL ACTIVITY PINKY PONK

Lots of fun sounds, lights and stories

3 shapesorting

figurines

BIG RED BOAT PLAYSE

TBIG RED BOAT PLAYSET

BGGGG

D BOAAAATATA LLAYY

BIBIBIIGGGGGGGGGRRRRERERERER DDD BDBDDBDBOOOABABAATTOTOTATAATA PAPAAPAPLTLTTLTLATATAYYYPYPYSPSPSSEELELLELEETTATAT

Features 10fun activities

With sounds,songs &

flashing lights Spinthe Quacky

Birds

Spinthe Quacky

Birds

IGGLEPIGGLE’S BEDTIME BOA

T

For more information please contact your sales agent.

© 2016 DHX Worldwide Limited. In the Night Garden and all related characters, titles and logos are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Y EETTTT

Spinthe Quackythe Quackythe Quacky

Birds

SpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinSpinthe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quackythe Quacky

BirdsBirdsBirdsBirdsBirdsBirdsBirdsBirdsBirds

GGLEPIGGLE’S BEDTIME BOAT

TALKING SOFT TOYS

Newly styled

TALKING TWIRLYWOOS

TALKING TWIRLYWOOS

RUN-ALONG FUN SOUNDS TWIRLYWOOS

RUN-ALONG FUN SOUNDS TWIRLYWOOS

Features 10fun activities

VISITORS FIGURINE SET

Extensive SpringTV campaign

Brands to inspire...

Brands to inspire...

Lights flash!Lights flash!

PullcordPullcord

Activities galore!

Extensive SummerTV campaign

TWIRLYWOOS and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Ltd. © 2016 Ragdoll Productions Ltd/DHX Worldwide Ltd. All Rights Reserved.



loyal and very engaged following,with parents full of praise for theshow on Facebook and Twitter. Asocial media campaign after anappearance by the costumecharacters in June atBritmums Live (the UK’sbiggest bloggingconference for parentingand lifestyle bloggers)reached two millionpeople. And launching inApril is a partnership to reach 1,000nurseries across the UK.“The nursery campaign is expected to

reach 50,000 children with Twirlywooscurriculum-based activities,” saysVictoria. “Nurseries will receive Twirlywoos brandedlesson plans, take-home booklets and posters. Thispartnership takes full advantage ofthe educational quality of theTwirlywoos as well as drivingengagement with the brand.”Twirlywoos has certainly made a big

impact digitally in a short space oftime. The Twirlywoos brand pageon the CBeebies website has clipsand games, with the Stop-GoCar game being one of the mostpopular pieces of content on the whole website. Adedicated Twirlywoos website launched in October withgames, activities and competitions as well as events andproduct information. On the licensing side Golden Bear has come on board

as master toy partner for the brand, launchingthe first toys in June 2015, including the

according to NPD data despite only being onsale since June (NPD Nov 2015). The toys came

to the market extremely quickly. It was about ninemonths in total from our unveiling of the brand atBLE in 2014 to the toy launch in June,” says Tom

Roe, commercial director for DHX Brands.“The publishing programme from HarperCollins launched in October and has had agreat response and we’re expecting thestandalone magazine coming in Februaryfrom DC Thompson to be a top seller aswell. We’ve built a strong consumer

programme with about 20 licenseesalready on board,” continues Tom. Twirlywoos apparel, wheeled toys,

partyware, home furnishings and mobile apps will allbe coming to the market from the beginning of the year.“The style guide is particularly strong for Twirlywoosand there’ll be some beautiful products hitting theshelves over 2016, including some stand-out apparellines. Licensees have really embraced the fun andhumour of the Twirlywoos,” says Tom.On the international scene, DHX Brands has broadcast

deals in place with Canada (Family Jr), France (Gulli andTiji), Finland (YLE), Sweden (SVT), Norway (NRK) andIsrael (Hop!). Australia, USA and other territories willfollow over the course of 2016.

“There is a lot of activity this year around Twirlywoos,including new episodes, meet and greet events, retailinitiatives and of course, the roll out of the consumerproducts programme,” says Victoria. “We’ll bemaximising all our touch points so fans can enjoy thebrand anywhere and anytime.”

accessories towards the back end of the year and into SS17.”

Left: Barbara Robinson, Mothercare Group.Below: A meet and greet atBritmums in June engaged withtwo million people on social media.Centre: Home furnishings fromDreamtex will be coming to themarket spring/summer 2016.Below centre: The talking plushrange from Golden Bear won Best New Toy at the London ToyFair in 2015.Bottom left: Fashion UK’s apparelrange uses 3D tactile elements.

Twirlywoos Overview

25-27 Twirlywoos Overview_Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 10:18

Talking TwirlywoosPlush, which wonBest New Toy at theLondon Toy Fair.“The toys have beena huge hit and are

already the 9th biggest preschool licence

REtAiL BiTeS: BArBaRa RObInSoN, hEaD Of lIcEnSiNg AnD ChArAcTeR At MOtHeRcArE grOuP“Since ELC Toys launched Twirlywoos last year we have seen sales growing. Theyhave been featured on our core character fixture in top stores and have alsobeen selling well online. We’ll certainly be continuing to list them in our SS16 offer.

With this toy success under our belts, we are also looking to extend into apparel during 2016,primarily within the sleepwear and underwear area, with a view to opening out into outerwear and

“The Twirlywoos licence joined Golden Bear’s

it's already a top 10 preschool licence and isdestined for even greater things in 2016. The toyrange launch was led by hero product the Big Red

Boat Playset, which wasselected as part of the top toys at theDream Toys event in November as wellas being highly commended in thePractical Preschool Awards. The rangealso includes a plush collection,headed up by the Twirlytop Toodloo,which won a gold award in thepopular lovedbyparents.com awardsearlier in the year. We've seen a strongdemand for the toy range this year so

we're looking forward to another exciting year in 2016!.”

for the second month running. Wesecured distribution for the TwirlywoosDVD in traditional and non-traditionalmarkets. The success of the DVD is downto the strong broadcast platform fromCBeebies and the key element of anysuccessful preschool show - the humour.Children laugh out loud to Twirlywoos andthat gives it the repeat viewing attraction. Our second release is due out in March 2016 in time for Easter.”

Above: Big Red Boat Playsetfrom Golden Bear


strong and 2016 promises to deliver someexceptional products to the market.

daywear in the next few monthsbased around the fun and colour ofthe characters. We’ve translatedthe fun and curiosity of the characters in3D tactile products, using overlays and other interestingelements. The product range looks and feels really interesting.”

29Right: Scooter from HTI

Thalia Clare, licensing executive,Gemma International:“Gemma International is a relatively newlicensee for DHX and we’re very excited tobe partnering on its three brilliant

preschool properties,including Twirlywoos. ForTwirlywoos we have a brightand colourful age, no-age and relationsgreeting cards and wrap range, featuringthe wonderful key characters with productavailable from the end of January 2016.DHX are a delight to work with and we’rehaving very positive conversations withretailers on all our ranges for next year.”

Above: The firstDVD from AbbeyHome Media

IN A WhIrL OvErTWiRlYwOoS

Above: Long-sleeved top from Fashion UK

Above: Greetingcard from GemmaInternational

Rachel Denwood, publishing &creative director, HarperCollins:“HarperCollins is proud to be thepublishing partner for Twirlywoos,and we have extremely ambitiousplans for the brand. With itsexceptional pedigree, joyfulcharacters, strong learningelement and sheer silliness andsense of fun, Twirylwoos lends itselfperfectly to the creation of stand-out books for pre-schoolers. InOctober 2015 we launched twoboard books and a little library andfrom early 2016, we’ll roll out a robustmulti-format annual publishing plan which will featureconcept books, novelty titles, activity and sticker books.”

Above: The Twirlywoos Little Library

Licensee Feedback

29 Twirlywoos Feedback_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 09:07

The licensee line up for Twirlywoos is incredibly

Barry Hughes, general manager, Golden Bear:

portfolio this year and despite only launching in June

Jon Law, sales manager, Fashion UK:“Twirlywoos is a newlicence for Fashion UKand it looks verypromising. We’re

launching a very nice range of

Emma Evans, sales & acquisitionsdirector, Abbey Home Media Group:“Twirlywoos hasperformed well since itwas released inOctober 2015 and

continues to be our top seller on Amazon

Alison Downie, global licensing director, HTI:“Twirlywoos is another excellent brand from the DHX portfolio and we are thrilled to havebeen chosen to work with them again. The HTI product development and marketing team islooking forward to launching a successful range of Twirlywoos wheeled toys in 2016,supported by a multi-platform marketing campaign. The buzz about this brand within thetrade and retail community, not to mention amongst consumers, is sure to secure somegreat retailer listings and sales.”

www.misirli.co.uktwitter.com/MisirliUKLtd

We are proud to be working with 3 of the best

PRE SCHOOL PROPERTIESPlease contact us for product development opportunities...

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MAKING IT POP

The new tween show – Make It Pop – is hitting the sweet spot withaudiences around the world. And although it is still early days, DHX Brandshas picked this as ‘one to watch’; ticking all the boxes for its targetaudience: music, dance, fashion and social media.

The new tween show – Make It Pop – is hitting the sweet spot withaudiences around the world. And although it is still early days, DHX Brandshas picked this as ‘one to watch’; ticking all the boxes for its targetaudience: music, dance, fashion and social media.

31

Make It Pop is a new musical-comedy set in ahigh school about three girls and a boy whocome together to start their own

K-pop-inspired band (Korean pop). Theband, XO-IQ, becomes a school-widesensation and they compete for a placein the upcoming school musical.Produced by DHX Media in Canada, the series features original songs and performances in every episode.

Make It Pop premiered inApril 2015 on Nickelodeon US,where it quickly rankednumber one for kids and girls6-11 years, and became themost-watched long-formcontent on Nick.com and on theNick app. Season two wasgreenlit just two weeks after thefirst episode aired. It debuted onNickelodeon in the UK in July,Australia in August and France in

October and will be rolled out in more internationalterritories in 2016.

“There’s nothing like it in the market for girlsaged 6 to 12 years,” says DHX’s vicepresident of global brand management,

Victoria Bushell. “Make It Pop hasreally struck a chord with thisdemographic with its focus on

media channels that children in

And it seems that audiences can’t

WHAT’S POPPING?!

Inset: Make It Popcentres around thegirls and their bandwith DJ Caleb Davis;XO-IQ.Below centre: XO-IQhas released sixalbums all availableto download onlineand based on themusic in the series.Bottom: Jodi Mappa,Sun-Hi Song andCorki Chang in MakeIt Pop, a newmusical-comedyhitting the sweetspot for girls aged 6to 12 years.



31-33 MAKE IT POP_Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 11:15

dance, music, social media and fashion.It has had exceptional ratingsright from the start and has hit thesweet spot of this age group withits distinctive look and feel. We’veeven heard through our social

playgrounds are re-enacting the dances.”

get enough of Make It Pop. Therehave been over 20 million views onYouTube since the launch in Apriland 13.7million people tuned intoseason one on Nickelodeon in the

m

US. A huge marketing campaign around theThanksgiving and Christmas holiday saw Make It Pop ona billboard in New York’s Times Square and Twitterparties with the cast.

The band on Make It Pop - XO-IQ - has released sixalbums all available to download online and based on themusic in the series. The band made its first liveappearance at the pre-party for the 2015 NickelodeonKids' Choice Awards and has also performed at the 2015YTV Summer Beach Bash in Toronto and featured at theNickelodeon Halo Awards in November.

Not only is Make It Pop breaking new ground with itstween audience, it is also taking DHX Brands into a wholenew demographic. “There is a lot of opportunity forconsumer product on Make It Pop centred around musicand fashion that are targeted at an older demographicthan most of our other brands,” says Tom Roe,commercial director for DHX Brands. “Jakks Pacific ismaster toy licensee in all territories outside of Europe andwill launch product in fashion dolls, plush, dress up, roleplay and girl’s electronic toys over 2016. This is a reallyexciting time for DHX Brands and we’re looking forwardto working on some innovative products, particularlyaround apparel, accessories and lifestyle products.”

With the second season coming to the US in Januaryand the launch of Jakks Pacific’s first toys soon after, this standout series with a beating musical heart has all the ingredients to be a success. It definitely is going to be ‘one to watch’.


Inset: Make It Pop on abillboard in TimesSquare in New York.

MAKING IT POP

Meet the bandMake It Pop follows three girlsin boarding school - mediastar Sun-Hi Song, fashionistaJodi Mappa, and bookwormCorki Chang - who, with thehelp of Caleb Davis as DJ, forma high school K-Pop-inspiredband called XO-IQ.Sun-Hi Song: a pop diva andsocial media guru, she isalways ready for the spotlightand never far from her mobilephone to update the ‘Sun-HiNation’ on everything andeverybody in her life.Jodi Mappa: a total fashionistawith a passion for dance, shecreates the look for the bandand choreographs their superdance moves.Corki Chang: a talented violinistwho loves to study and do wellin school, Jodi is the good girland the voice of reason in theband.Caleb Davis: a talented DJ withthe right beats for every song,he dreams big and his high-energy personality is the glue that keeps the band together.

Make it fashionableDHX Brands has been workingon a number of smaller fashionpacks as well as a style guide forMake It Pop licensees, as PaulKeech, DHX’s vice president ofcreative services explains: “Thefashion packs are bite-sizebrand guides, and contain asmaller number of graphics and patterns than the complete style guide. MakeIt Pop is fashion-led and fashion changes so fast, so we’ve got to be able torespond to this quickly. The fashion packs will be connected to the show, but ina much looser way than other brands. We’ll be able to provide different assetsto different licensees segmented by age, retailer and design. There arecertainly a lot of options.”

Below: An exampleof one of the Make ItPop fashion packs.

Make it to playJill Nordquist, senior vice president ofmarketing, girls' division for JakksPacific says: "We are thrilled to be themaster toy licensee for Make It Pop inall territories outside of Europe. Girlswill love seeing their favorite Make itPop characters’ trendy fashion, catchymusic and unique personalitiesrepresented in Jakks Pacific’s toy line.We look forward to the launch of thefashion doll line this Februaryexclusively with Toys R Us, followed bymass distribution rolling out in August.As the year unfolds a variety of fashiondolls, plush, role play, and girl’selectronic toys will also hit the market."

33

31-33 MAKE IT POP_Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 11:16

AIRMAGEDDON

Airmageddon, which launches onCBBC in February, combinesexcitement, creativity, and skill in athrilling aerial contest withdrones. DHX Brands is handlingthe brand management andlicensing on this, targetingthat lucrative market of boysaged 6 to 9 years.

Airmageddon is a brand new show wherecontestants compete with remote controlled drones in the ultimate test of aerial skill. The

show has been commissioned by the CBBC and isproduced by DHX Media in association with ConceiveMedia. It has been created by Steve Carsey, whoseprevious format creationsinclude Robot Wars, TheMatch and Techno Games.

“Airmageddon put DHXBrands into a whole differentsphere,” says Peter Byrne,executive vice president forDHX Brands. “We’re veryexcited about this new showand we’re already talking to partners about how tobring the excitement and creativity of Airmageddon toconsumer products. We’re looking at targeting boys 6to 9 years for consumer products. There’s a lot ofpotential around toys and we’re exploring othercategories as well.”

In Airmageddon, four teams of two players customisetheir own drone to compete inside the ‘Airena’ in knock-out challenges, including air assault courses, skill roundsand head-to-head races.

Each team is made up of one child, plus his or her‘wing man’ - this can be a friend or relative of any age

who will provide an extra pair ofeyes and tactical support. Theteams all start with a standard basedrone, which they customisedepending on the challenge. Theteams compete against each otherwhile House Drones interfere andblock the contestants as theyattempt the challanges.

The show revels in the fantastical, imaginative use ofwhizzbang technology in a competitive, funny andspectacular environment. It empowers kids and putsthem in control of the action as they get to play a livingbreathing video game, which can only be masteredthrough skill, strategic thinking and team work.

Airmageddon is set to premiere on CBBC with twoseasons from February 2016 and in Canada on DHXTelevision’s Family CHRGD in spring 2016.

Airmageddon on CBBCCheryl Taylor, controller ofCBBC says: "Airmageddonis going to be a high octaneentertainmentextravaganza testing ouryoung contestants to the limit asthey battle to determine which team can claimultimate mastery of daring drone-control skills"

Airmageddon on Family CHRGD“The entertaining, competitive and unpredictable nature ofAirmageddon makes it a natural fit for Family CHRGD – anetwork that takes everyday adventures and makes themextraordinary,” said Michael Serafini, vice president,programming, DHX Television. “With video games top ofmind for a lot of kids, the integration of gaming technology

into programming combined withthe competition element positionsthis show to be popular with viewersand contestants alike.”

A SPECIAL DHX BRANDS SUPPLEMENT34

Inset: Teamscompete in the‘Airena’ in a seriesof challenges.

34 Airmageddon _Art & Design LSB 09/01/2016 12:28

The Licensee Roster

TOYSMaster toy - Character Options Outdoor toys - MV Sports & Leisure Puzzles and games - Ravensburger Electronic toys & learning aids - VtechNovelty toys - HTI GroupAmusement plush - Whitehouse LeisureInflatables - Bladez

APPAREL & ACCESSORIESSunglasses and glasses cases - AFB Nightwear, underwear, swimwear - Aykroyds Outerwear - Blues Clothing Headwear, scarves, gloves - Drew Pearson Bags - Posh Paws Nightwear, underwear, swimwear - TDP LicensingSocks - MisirliAdult character dress-up - Rubies Masquerade

PUBLISHINGPublishing - Egmont

STATIONERY/GIFTINGPosters and mugs - GB Eye Stationery, activity sets - International Greetings Stickers - Paper Projects PARTY/PAPERWAREPartyware, balloons - Amscan International Greeting cards, gift wrap - Gemma International

HOMEWAREBedding, blankets, towels - Character World Beds, furniture, night lights - Worlds Apart Lunchware, drinkware, mugs, tins - Zak!

TOILETRIES/HEALTHCAREToiletries - Kokomo

FOOD/CONFECTIONERYChocolate confectionery - Bon Bon Buddies


TOYSMaster toy - Golden Bear Wheeled toys - MV Sports & Leisure Puzzles - Ravensburger

APPARELNightwear/underwear - Aykroyds Outerwear - Blues Clothing Footwear - Fashion UK Socks - Misirli Nightwear/underwear - TDP Licensing Bandana bibs - Zippy Suit

PUBLISHINGBook formats - Penguin Personalised publishing - Pen Wizard Magazines - Immediate Media

DIGITAL PUBLISHINGE-books and ELAs - Inspiration Works (Kidz Delight)

FASHION ACCESSORIESJewellery and hair accessories - The Carat Shop Bags, wallets - Trademark Collections

STATIONERY/GIFTINGGreeting cards and calendars - Danilo Stickers - Fun Stickers Posters - GB Eye Money tins - More For Your Store

PARTYParty and balloons - Gemma International

HOUSEWARESBedding and home furnishings - DreamTex LED lights - Ledlightszone Lunchware, tableware, drinkware - Spearmark Wall coverings - Stickerscape Home furnishings - Worlds Apart

DIGITAL & HOME ENTERTAINMENTDVD - Abbey Home Media Gaming Application - P2 Entertainment

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT/ATTRACTIONSLive entertainment - Minor EntertainmentAttractions - Merlin Entertainment

TOYSMaster toy - Golden Bear Wheeled toys - HTI Group Puzzles and games - Ravensburger Amusement plush - Whitehouse Leisure

APPAREL & ACCESSORIESNightwear, underwear, socks - C & M Licensing Outerwear - Fashion UK Bags, purses, wallets - Trademark Collections

PUBLISHINGBook formats - Harper CollinsMagazines - DC Thomson Compilation magazine - Immediate Media

STATIONERY/GIFTINGPosters - GB Eye Greeting cards, partyware and balloons - Gemma International

HOMEWAREBedding, cushions, towels - DreamTexLunchware, drinkware, tableware - Spearmark

HOME ENTERTAINMENTDVD - Abbey Home Media


Our Wonderfully Supportive Licensees!

Listings_Art & Design LSB 11/01/2016 16:20

Covers_DHX_Supp_Spring_2016.indd 103 18/01/2016 16:42

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dhx brands supplement spring 2016

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