Prime property preview

Nick filling out mass programs for Ni Hao and iCarly

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products is giving new preschool entry Ni Hao, Kai-lan a major market push this year. The group is playing up the show's Chinese-inspired elements in a character-driven program that starts rolling out across US and Canadian specialty retail outlets in spring 2009 with toys (Fisher-Price), publishing (Simon & Schuster) and apparel (Kids Headquarters) leading the way. Though he's engaged in conversations with core partners about contributing to the mass program, SVP of global marketing and retail development Jim Davey also wants to round it out with other licensees in extended apparel, accessories and soft lines for fall 2009 in the US, and worldwide in spring 2010.

An initial wave of product for iCarly is gearing up to hit department and specialty retail this year, but Nick is working on a mass-market phase that will roll out in the latter half of 2009. Since technology is a major component of the TV series, Davey says the team is naturally looking for ways to match that focus in its CP strategy for the property, particularly in electronics, gaming, music, toys and publishing. The mass program will debut in the US and Canada first, with global distribution planned for 2010. Nick is targeting a broad six to 12 girls demo, with toys appealing to the younger end of this range and categories like youth electronics hitting a bit older.

Fremantle getting into OPP (Other People's Properties)

FremantleMedia is making a much bigger splash at Javits than in previous years, holding court in a booth that's twice the size, representing two new kids properties, and prowling for more. WordWorld fills the preschool gap in Fremantle's portfolio, and SVP of interactive and consumer products David Luner wants to extend the property's current program into more crafts, electronics and games with a style guide that plays up its strong characters and educational merits. He's also looking to add value and interest to the existing 42-SKU product range (largely consisting of DVDs, puzzles and crafts), thinking along the lines of infusing plush product with interactive features. WordWorld currently has a retail exclusive with Target in place until the end of next year, and Fremantle hopes to augment this pillar account with a stronger presence in North American specialty channels by spring 2009. Airing on PBS, the series averaged a 2.7 rating in its first season, and it's the channel's highest-rated show after the PBS Kids morning block.

Rebecca BonBon is a dog of a different color entirely, giving Fremantle an entrée into the tween fashion market. An art brand created by Hello Kitty genius Yuko Shimizu, Rebecca is a French bulldog born in Paris and living in Manhattan. Luner is looking for fashion-oriented manufacturing partners in apparel, accessories, jewelry, back-to-school and stationery, and all categories are open at the moment. The team is in talks on retail exclusives in mid-tier and higher-end channels, aiming for a global spring 2009 launch.

The Licensing Shop shows some skin with Almost Naked Animals planogram

With producer 9 Story Entertainment just weeks away from announcing a US broadcast partner for Almost Naked Animals, The Licensing Shop is launching the pre-TV phase of its program for the cheeky short series. Chief strategist Nancy Fowler is looking to seed the market with images of the property's quirky, underwear-clad characters on t-shirts, greeting cards, underwear (naturally) and trading cards for early 2009. She's negotiating for specialty, department store and mid-tier distribution and won't roll anything out at mass until late 2009 or early 2010, when the series starts airing. At that point, Fowler hopes to expand the program with a soon-to-be-announced toy partner, and is open to talking with licensees in apparel, publishing and video games. Based in Toronto, Canada, The Licensing Shop is repping Almost Naked Animals worldwide, except in Germany.

DreamWorks preps three film properties for 2010

With Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa hitting theaters in November and a sequel for Kung Fu Panda strongly hinted at, SVP of consumer products Kerry Phelan says DreamWorks is still focusing on building global kids film franchises. Meanwhile, the evergreen ogre that started the whole strategy is stomping on with Shrek Goes Fourth due out in May 2010 (product target: kids four to 12), joined by new film How to Train Your Dragon in March (boys eight to 12) and a project with the working title Mastermind (boys six to 12). Phelan says all categories for DreamWorks' three 2010 kid pics are wide open, with the exception of video game rights, which have already been locked down by Activision (Dragon, Shrek) and THQ (Mastermind).

The studio is gearing up on an initiative to re-release some of its existing 2-D animated movies as CGI offerings, beginning in March 2009 with Monsters vs. Aliens, so Phelan will be looking for innovative licensees skilled at translating 3-D aesthetics into merch lines.

Scholastic lays foundation for next Harry Potter

Pegged by the New York Times as the next Harry Potter, The 39 Clues is Scholastic's number-one priority this year. The upcoming publishing franchise tells the story of siblings Amy and Dan Cahill, who travel around the world in search of 39 clues that will reveal the secret of their family history. Beginning this September, 10 books for kids ages eight to 12 will be released quarterly over the next two and a half years, packaged with collectible cards to extend the narrative experience. Scholastic is also investing in a content-rich website that will host a long-range contest centering around a family mystery similar to that featured in the books; the clever reader-cum-sleuth who solves it walks away with a cool US$100,000 prize.

Interactive products and video games will be the key drivers of a kick-off consumer products program for fall 2009, with toys, apparel, board games, puzzles and impulse items that may double as clues in the overarching mystery contest. Scholastic Media's SVP of consumer products and marketing, Leslye Schaefer, also sees opportunities at mass and book retail outlets for clever promotional tie-ins that play on the themes of adventure, secrecy and history that are the property's core values.