Nickelodeon Announces Licensing Programs

During a special presentation held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas, Nickelodeon highlighted its leadership position as the world’s number-one TV-based licensing business by unveiling plans for new product launches and retail initiatives.  Four of Nickelodeon’s hottest properties, Victorious, Winx Club, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Team Umizoomi, were featured during Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas, as Nickelodeon Consumer Products (NCP) announced new licensing partners, merchandising programs and casting news.

The event culminated with a performance by Cymphonique Miller, star of the upcoming Nickelodeon showHow to Rock, who performed the new theme song to Winx Club, “Winx You’re Magic Now,” live for the first time.

“The breakout success of Victorious and Team Umizoomi, combined with the new Winx Club andTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, has given us a tremendous opportunity to develop exciting retail and merchandising programs,” said Leigh Anne Brodsky, President, Nickelodeon Consumer Products.  “This summer fans will be able to enjoy brand-new Victorious products and preschoolers will be able to extend their love of math with the Team Umizoomi Preschool Math Kits.  We’re also looking forward to 2012 when we will introduce products based on new episodes of Winx Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

Victorious:

Nickelodeon will launch the first products from Victorious, Nickelodeon’s latest hit live-action comedy series, exclusively at Walmart stores in the U.S. and Canada.  More than 250 Victorious-themed products, including apparel, accessories, entertainment, and school supplies, will be available at Walmart stores during a special back-to-school window from July to September 2011.

Since its launch last April, Victorious has been the number-one program in its timeslot on all TV with kids 6-11, tweens 9-14, and teens 12-17, reaching 14.4 million kids, 15.1 million tweens, and 11.4 million teens each quarter.

Winx Club:

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq: JAKK) will be the master toy licensee for the animated action and fantasy series, Winx Club as part of a multi-territory agreement for a new line of toys.  The JAKKS Pacific Winx Club product line is scheduled to launch in Fall 2012 to coincide with the premiere of the brand new CGI episodes of Winx Club on Nickelodeon and will span multiple categories, including dolls and playsets, role play, dress-up and Halloween costumes.

Team Umizoomi:

Nickelodeon’s first consumer products line for Team Umizoomi, the first preschool series to focus entirely on math, will launch with the Team Umizoomi Preschool Math Kits. Offered exclusively at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide beginning in July, the kits will provide a hands-on, interactive way for preschoolers to experience math with their parents and incorporate math into everyday life.  The Team Umizoomi Math Kits can be purchased online from Nickelodeon in mid-July.

Team Umizoomi is currently in its second season and has been one of the top preschool shows on TV since its launch in January 2010. It is a top-five preschool show on all television and is consistently number-one in its time period every day.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Sean Astin joins the cast of Nickelodeon’s all-new CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) as Raphael, one of four teenage brothers dedicated to a life battling the evil denizens of New York City.  Rounding out the cast are Jason Biggs as Leonardo, Rob Paulsen as Donatello and Greg Cipes as Michelangelo.  The series is currently in production at the Nick Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif., and set to premiere in 2012.

Nickelodeon will continue to work with its original and long-standing toy partner, Playmates Toys, which has been the creative force behind the successful TMNT master toy program over the last two decades.  Playmates is developing a product line based on the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which will cater to kids and consumers all around the world.