New licensing opportunities for hit animation Bluey as it launches in Italy and Greece

Produced by Ludo Studio and co-commissioned by BBC Studios and ABC Children’s, the much-loved global-hit animation Bluey will make its free-to-air debut on 27 December in Italy on Rai Yoyo, the public broadcast service’s preschool channel. The series will also air on ERT in Greece.

BBC Studios will also launch a new Italian language YouTube channel in January 2022 featuring clips and bonus content from the series.

Master toy partner Moose Toys will lead the product launch this coming Easter with their highly successful toy range via their distributor Giochi Preziosi. Other products from partners including global publishing partner Penguin Random House will follow. Maurizio Distefano Licensing was recently announced as BBC Studios’ licensing agent for Italy.

In Greece, Bluey will air on public broadcaster ERT, with transmission dates to be confirmed shortly. BBC Studios are in the process of finalizing the appointment of Partner Plus to act as licensing agent for Bluey in Greece and Cyprus. Giochi Preziosi will also handle distribution of Moose Toys in Greece and Turkey.

This marks further expansion in EMEA for the award-winning animation which has recently launched on free-to-air TV in Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and France. Bluey is also available on YouTube in French, Spanish and Danish and English with more than 950,000 subscribers.

The series follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler dog who loves to play and turn everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family, friends and community into her world of fun.

Bluey has won the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018, and has quickly become a global hit.

In Australia, Bluey is the number one kids show on broadcast television in 2020 and is the most-watched series ever on ABC iview. In June 2019, BBC Studios struck a global broadcast deal with Disney to premiere Bluey in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand and Greater China; it now screens in over 60 countries.

In the UK, it was the most viewed show on CBeebies in August and is also available on Disney+. In the US, across Disney Junior and Disney Channel in Q2 2021, the show was the #1 most watched TV series with kids ages 2-5.

Bluey has also won multiple awards, such as the International Emmy Kids Award in the prestigious Preschool Category in 2020, and its second AACTA Awards for Best Children’s Program that same year. The accolades continue in 2021, with Bluey winning four Kidscreen Awards in February.

Bluey is produced by multi-Emmy award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC Kids Australia, co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios, and distributed internationally by BBC Studios outside of Australia.

Bing-le bells: Pre-school IP lands major Italian toy retail presence this Christmas shopping season

Acamar Films’ flagship pre-school property, Bing, is to be a big presence across Italy this Christmas, thanks to the implementation of a marketing strategy throughout the region’s largest toy and retail stores, spearheaded by the Italian licensing agent, Maurizio Distefano.

The aim is to strengthen the Bing property and the consumer awareness around it both in-store and online throughout the key trading period.

Kicking off the strategy, leading Italian toy retailer Toys Center has set up new branded shelf areas dedicated to the popular pre-school series. With over 90 locations participating and with some areas including a light-up display, the concept will make it easy for consumers to make their Bing purchases this season.

Bing will also have a significant branded area at Toys Con Te, starting at the retailer’s newly opened location in Rome Tiburtina. Bing will then roll out across the retailer’s best-performing locations. 

On top of this, and through a collaboration with Bing’s master toy partner Giochi Preziosi, 157 Bing-branded bay areas have been created for Italy’s main mass-market retailers, including Carrefour, Finipier, Conad, Bennet, and Mondadori.

As Bing’s presence continues to grow in stores, the hit pre-school show’s e-commerce footprint is also expanding. Toys Center and Acamar Films recently collaborated on a dedicated Bing shop-in-shop on the Toys Center website. Various Bing products are now available to purchase via a direct link on Toys Center’s home page.

Acamar Films has also launched an Italian Bing Store on Amazon which was recently highlighted in a successful paid media campaign ahead of Amazon Prime Day on October 13th to 14th.

The series is currently number one on Rai Yoyo’s RaiPlay app and is the most watched series on DeA Junior. Pre-school fans have also been treated to the release of two new episodes on Rai Yoyo this November, including a Halloween episode and the Nicky Nicky episode.

In addition, as part of Acamar Films’ multi-platform distribution strategy, the Italian Bing episodes (together with various educational games and activities) are available to stream and download through the recently launched Bing app called Bing: Watch, Play, Learn, and on the official Italian YouTube channel.

The YouTube channel today boasts an average of 30 million views each month. Bing is also available on TIMVision’s on-demand platforms and on Amazon Prime Video in Italy.

Nestlé to develop ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks Levissima Issima water bottles

Nestlé is to develop a new line of ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks themed Levissima Issima water bottles thanks to a new partnership between Bagdasarian Productions and Maurizio Distefano Licensing.

Levissima Issima water bottles are a recognised range of children.s water bottles, designed to be easy to carry. The new range will feature five different designs to collect, depicting favourite characters from the series, including Alvin, Brittany, Theodore, Eleanor, and Simon.

Airing daily on K2 and Nick Junior, ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks is a highly successful reimagining of the popular singing chipmunks – created by Ross Bagdasarian in the late 1950s – that have been a hit with children everywhere for over 60 years.

The CGI-animated show focuses on the trials and tribulations of a single parent, David Seville, trying to raise six hyperactive chipmunks. The series takes viewers on a roller-coaster ride of music, laughter and stories guaranteed to entertain the Chipmunks’ many generations of fans.

Maurizio Distefano said: “I’m delighted to be able to announce the addition of Nestlé, a globally known name in food production, to the list of ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks’ licensees. The show continues to attract large audiences with its fantastic combination of comedy, music and great characters, and children will love this wonderful range of water bottles featuring their favourite characters.”

Beanstalk appoints Maurizio Distefano Licensing to grow Baileys and Guinness brands across Italy

Beanstalk has appointed Maurizio Distefano Licensing to expand its slew of Diageo brands, including the likes of Baileys and Guinness across Italy.

The partnership has been established, based on a shared philosophy between MDL and Beanstalk that a successful licensing programme requires a “strategic approach consistent with a brand’s unique positioning.”

MDL will be leveraging its specific knowledge of the Italian market to grow the Diageo brands on behalf of Beanstalk.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Beanstalk and look forward to growing the licensing footprint for Baileys and Guinness in the Italian market,” said Maurizio Distefano, president of Maurizio Distefano Licensing.

Strategic brand extension through licensed products is among the most authentic and credible forms of communication, opening up further opportunities for consumers to experience the brand in fresh and attractive ways.

“In particular, Baileys and Guinness offer multiple possibilities to create products suitable for the Italian market in categories such as food & beverage, apparel, and gift & novelties.”