Tag Archives: Aardman Animation

Preschool animation series Brave Bunnies scores Italian book deal

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Italian publisher DeA Planeta Libri, a subsidiary of Grupo Planeta and DeAgostini, has become the first company in the Italian market to publish books based on the popular kids’ series Brave Bunnies, produced by Ukrainian production team Glowberry. The deal was arranged by KidsMe, the distributor and agent for Brave Bunnies in Italy.

The book collection includes sticker books Amici Incredibili (Incredible Friends) and In Giro per il Mondo (Around the World), as well as hardcover books Eroi Controvento (Brave Heroes), Strisce da Esploratore (Hidden Treasure), and Pulizia Cosmica (A Great Mess).

In October, DeA Planeta Libri launched the books in leading book chains across 800 stores nationwide, as well as on online platforms. Besides dedicated book stores, the books are available in over 300 mass-market outlets across Italy.

Olga Cherepanova, originator of the Brave Bunnies concept and Creative Producer of the series, says: “The first release of books based on Brave Bunnies is a major event for the series team. It’s another step toward building a fully fledged universe around the Brave Bunnies series and its characters. Each new viewer of the series is motivating and inspiring us to go forward. That’s why we are always excited to gain new fans and connect with the established fanbase in a new way — through print media.

“We are proud to work with the talented team of KidsMe and DeA Planeta Libri, the undisputed market leader.”

KidsMe became Glowberry’s first partner and paved the way for the worldwide distribution of the project, which has included a global toy contract with toy company Spin Master, a deal with publisher Penguin Random House, and more.

Brenda Maffuchi, Chief of Co-Productions, Licensing and Sales Officer at KidsMe says: “We are very happy to have confirmed this first license for Brave Bunnies in Italy. It will be the first of many licenses and contracts we are working on in the Italian market. We are hoping to confirm these agreements very soon because we know that Brave Bunnies is an IP with great potential and we can’t wait to see the brand’s products in the Italian market.”

In Italy, BRAVE BUNNIES premiered this spring on RAIYoYo. The series first aired on the streaming service Rai Play and began airing on Rai YoYo nationwide on April 19.

Aimed at preschool kids and based on an original idea by Olga Cherepanova, Brave Bunnies is co-created with Spanish animation studio Ánima and is distributed internationally by Aardman Animations.

 

 

Aardman and Netflix secure promotional partners for musical short Robin Robin

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Award-winning independent studio Aardman has announced partnerships with the UK’s largest nature conservation charity the RSPB and Twinkl Educational Publishing, for animated musical short Robin Robin.

Robin Robin is a 30-minute festive holiday short, created by its directors Dan Ojari and Mikey Please. The stop-motion film was produced at the Aardman studios in Bristol, is due to launch on Netflix in November 2021 and features the voices of Gillian Anderson, Richard E. Grant, Adeel Akhtar and Bronte Carmichael.

This Christmas season the RSPB is inviting families to celebrate their inner robin with a series of Robin Robin-themed adventure trails on over 30 of its nature reserves around the UK and exclusive activity packs. Running from 24 November to 10 January, the trails will encourage young adventurers to learn to sing like a robin, find their very own superpower, and use all their senses to connect with the robin within. Other activities on offer include nest building, storytelling events and robin-themed crafts, while RSPB nature reserve cafés will also be offering Robin Robin-themed food and drink.

Kate Struthers, RSPB Visitor Experience and Event manager, says: “We are so excited to be working with Aardman and Netflix to celebrate the festive magic of the robin with families across the UK. They’re one of the UK’s most beloved birds and a true Christmas icon. Our new trails will immerse families in the Robin Robin story and bring it to life amongst nature, and we hope the film and our adventure trails can inspire everyone to discover robins and other wildlife near them and get outside in nature. Our Robin Robin activity pack also includes activities and ideas on how you can help robins and other wildlife at home this winter.”

Alongside the trails, Aardman and Netflix have partnered with educational publisher Twinkl to create exciting new Robin Robin learning materials to use at school and home. Twinkl will be providing the official resources for young viewers aged 3 to 11, prior to the film’s release, and the storyline fits perfectly into their wider campaign about wellbeing this Christmas, with inspirational messages about being happy with what you have and finding where you belong.

Christmas TV time can be transformed into an opportunity for learning as these completely free resources can also be used by parents, creating a time for families to come together and engage in fun activities based on this new Christmas classic. From writing and maths mystery activities on the rules of ‘The Sneak’ to recreating the ‘Sticky Brown Poo’ cake, these educational materials link learning directly with scenes from the Netflix special, so children can engage with everything they experience off the screen as well as on it. Children can also step behind the curtain, whether it’s exploring scientific facts about robins, composing music, or even learning how to create a stop-motion animation. Find out more at twinkl.co.uk/robinrobin

“Being able to link Twinkl learning materials with Netflix programming makes for a really powerful opportunity for educators and parents,” says Jonathan Seaton, Co-Founder and CEO of Twinkl. “We love the idea of bringing a new dimension of off-screen learning to the Netflix ecosystem through Robin Robin.”

In addition, Macmillan Children’s Books have just launched a publishing range associated with the new film which includes a classic picture book, film tie-in picture book and range of activity and novelty books.

Robin Robin launches on Netflix on November 24 – netflix.com/robinrobin

Wallace and Gromit take lead role in DFS’ Christmas ad A Comfy Carol

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Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit are placing themselves in the heart of UK homes this Christmas, thanks to the pair’s leading role in the furniture specialist DFS’ latest festive advert.

The new heavyweight campaign kicked off last week and has gone on to take primetime slots in TV scheduling, including centre breaks during Coronation Street on ITV.

Called A Comfy Carol, the campaign is the result of a collaborative effort between Aardman Animation and DFS and brings the beloved duo – as well as sleigh load of carol singing sheep – back onto the TV screen in the lead up to the festive season as Wallace and Gromit do the rounds with a bit of sheep-infused-carol singing.

The ad spot has been directed by Aardman’s Will Becher, and features Wallace’s newest invention, the Ewe-phonia – a prodding device that prompts the choir of sheep to bleet out their own rendition of Deck the Halls.

Check out the latest TV spot below:

Aardman teams with British designer Julie Dodsworth to create unique new Shaun the Sheep designs

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The British Artisan designer, Julie Dodsworth has partnered with Aardman to create a set of hand painted designs, taking inspiration from the colours of the British countryside and the popular Shaun the Sheep brand.

The new Shaun the Sheep x Julie Dodsworth collaboration not only renders the series’ hero Shaun in a unique new way, but delivers on Aardman’s ongoing ethos of ‘we do more’ buy extending the brand into new areas in new ways.

Painted in Julie Dodsworth’s signature style, the new patterns have been developed to suit a range of categories, from homewares, fabrics, and toiletries, to stationery and garden equipment.

Danny Heffer, creative lead, sales and marketing at Aardman, said: “We are really pleased to be working with British talent like Julie Dodsworth on this new design collection. Julie is known for her floral hand painted style, which translates nicely into Shaun’s rural world.

“It’s been refreshing getting a new perspective on Shaun the Sheep and it we think it will be popular with fans not only in the UK, but in a number of territories around the world. We are currently looking for a range of licensing partners to take along with us on this design journey and help to bring Julie’s interpretation of Mossy Bottom Farm to the retail market.”

Julie Dodsworth added: “I’m thrilled to have been invited to work with Shaun the Sheep and all the team at Mossy Bottom. From the viewpoint of being a genuine fan it has been fantastic to create designs that reflect Shaun’s humour and colourful character. My thanks to all the team at Aardman.”

Aardman promotes Rob Goodchild and Alison Taylor to new director roles

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The independent animation studio, Aardman, has promoted Alison Taylor and Rob Goodchild to the positions of director of distribution and business development and commercial director, respectively.

These newly created roles in the sales and marketing arm of the business form part of a departmental restructuring to consolidate all the studio’s sales, marketing, and brand management expertise. Both Taylor and Goodchild will be central to providing market insight, financing, distribution and licensing for Aardman’s portfolio of brands.

In her new role, Taylor will be responsible for driving the financing, distribution and long-term content exploitation strategy for each brand. She joined the firm’s broadcast and development department in 2004, where she advanced through the sales team before being promoted to head of sales and acquisitions in 2016.

Since then, Taylor has led the international distribution team and is responsible for global distribution of Aardman’s own award-winning series such as Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time, along with third party distribution for children’s properties such as Digby Dragon(Blue Zoo Animation) and Brave Bunnies(Glowberry / Anima Kitchent) across all content platforms.

Taylor also played an integral part in securing Aardman’s first Original with Netflix, Robin Robin, with financing content for new and existing brands being a key part to her new role.

Meanwhile, Goodchild joined Aardman as UK licensing manager in 2008 before progressing to head of licensing. In that time he secured major partnerships for all of Aardman’s key brands supporting global business growth, particularly in Japan and China, as well as working to deliver innovation-led projects such as The Big Fix Up, a new Wallace & Gromit immersive story told through AR (augmented reality) in collaboration with Fictioneers.

In his new position as commercial director, Goodchild will assume strategic responsibility for the selling and marketing of the studio’s services including third party commercials and short films, the rights exploitation for all Aardman brands, and defining new business opportunities such as the development of IP and animated content for third party brands, theme parks and attractions.

He will be tasked with delivering revenue across different categories and markets, influencing growth in key territories across Europe and Asia. Goodchild also directs the development of Aardman’s branded interactive business, working to increase its presence in the gaming space and with pioneering companies to grow the studio’s output in new technologies including AR and Blockchain.

Both will report to Sean Clarke, managing director at Aardman.

Clarke said: “Behind each of our beloved brands is a wealth of knowledge across rights, distribution, sales and marketing that, over recent years, has allowed us to start very successfully representing third party brands in addition to our own IP.

“The restructuring of our sales and marketing arm is the natural next step in maximising this industry-leading expertise, to continue to realise the full potential of Aardman’s IP alongside developing our studio service work for third party brands. Alison and Rob will make a formidable partnership, working alongside Lucy Wendover who will continue to lead the Marketing and Brand team.”

Upcoming Aardman projects include the recently announced Robin Robin, a half-hour, festive, musical tale coming to Netflix in 2021, and a Shaun the Sheep half hour special also for Christmas 2021.

In autumn of this year, the studio will launch Wallace & Gromit: The Big Fix Up, a brand-new AR immersive experience created in collaboration with Fictioneers backed by funding from UK Research & Innovation (UKRI). Rendered in CG using the latest technology, fans will be able to interact in a host of new ways and get closer than ever to the iconic duo.