TOMY puts new Ricky Zoom toys into gear as kids’ series makes second season debut in the UK

TOMY is preparing to launch its follow up master range of Ricky Zoom toys this year, as the popular preschool series revs itself up for its second season debut here in the UK.

First launched in July 2020 during what has been a challenging period for retail, Ricky Zoom toys have made a solid start and are set to launch more new lines throughout 2021. These include TOMY’s unique Wind & Launch assortment, a wheel launcher that will send Ricky’s red bike racing.

The launch will follow on from the top selling success of last year’s Speed & Stunt Ricky Zoom play-set, the third best-selling Ricky Zoom item overall at retail, and is already tipped to ‘be equally as popular.’

Fresh hype around the TOMY master toy line is expected to coincide with the second season debut in the UK of the CGI animation, as Hasbro and its global entertainment studio, Entertainment One, rev up for its launch on Nick Jr and Channel 5’s multi-platform preschool brand, Milkshake!

The CGI animated series follows Ricky, a speed loving little red rescue bike who enjoys to zoom around Wheelford. The show has already enjoyed a ‘strong success in the UK’ among its preschool audiences, while the brand has picked up a number of licensing partners lead by TOMY master toy range.

“We are thrilled to bring Ricky Zoom back to the number one channel for preschoolers in the UK with Milkshake! and Nick Jr.” said eOne’s Monica Candiani, EVP, content sales, family and brands.

“The show has had such strong success in the UK among young viewers, allowing us to secure a number of licensing partners across a variety of categories. We can’t wait for audiences to watch season two, which I am sure will deliver even more exciting all-bike adventures in the colourful world of Wheelford.”

Louise Bucknole, VP programming kids, ViacomCBS Network UK and Ireland, added: “We’re delighted to be welcoming back Ricky Zoom and his two-wheeled friends on Nick Jr. in June and and Milkshake! later in the year in the UK.

“It’s a fun and playful show which is a favourite among preschoolers, and we look forward to sharing their new adventures with our young viewers.”

Joining master toy partner TOMY on the growing licensee list is the likes of Penguin (story, activity, novelty books); Redan (magazines); Character World (bedding); MV Sports (wheeled toys); Ravensburger (puzzles and games); Cooneen (nightwear & socks); Blues (daywear); and Drew Pearson (accessories).

The supermarket giants have added Ricky Zoom into their preschool aisle following strong performance of the FSDU programme last Autumn/Winter. Other forthcoming toy highlights include the new interactive Maxwell’s Transforming Trailer Playset, which can be renovated into a mobile repair station and comes complete with both Maxwell and Ricky bikes.

Further product ranges from other licensees will roll out gradually throughout the year, bringing broader distribution.

Marketing activity has also been buoyant, with Ricky proving popular among parent influencers. A Dadsnet campaign to support Smyth’s Toys launch of the Speed & Stunt Play-set reached almost 408,000 via influencers and 558,000 via paid media, while a Ricky takeover on UKMums.TV hit almost 622,000 impressions, with a blogger reach of almost 296,000 and the site’s associated Twitter Frenzy reaching almost 392,000 unique accounts.

Hasbro extends WildBrain CPLG partnership for eOne brands across Nordics and CEE

Hasbro Consumer Products has extended its partnership with WildBrain CPLG in a deal that will see the licensing agency represent eOne brands Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and Ricky Zoom in the Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe.

The popular pre-school brands will join WildBrain CPLG’s existing representation in these territories for Hasbro Consumer Products’ brands My Little Pony, Play-Doh, Monopoly, and Nerf.

The licensing firm’s remit in the Nordics and CEE include merchandising, publishing, promotions, and short-term location based entertainment.

“We’re very excited about expanding our partnership with WildBrain CPLG Nordic and CEE to represent the full combined Hasbro and eOne portfolio locally,” said Delphine de Kool, licensing director for EMEA Agents at Hasbro.

“With a complete portfolio representation and WildBrain CPLG’s local licensee and retail relationships, we see these regions as strong growth markets to continue to deepen our consumer connections and drive meaningful 360-degree retail programs.”

Slawomir Ekiert, managing director CEE and Nordics for WildBrain CPLG, added: “We’ve established a very successful relationship with Hasbro across many of the company’s most popular and iconic family brands in key markets, and the addition of these beloved properties to our rights adds further breadth and depth to our partnership.

“Together with Hasbro, we look forward to building new opportunities to grow these brands in the Nordics and CEE and to creating greater synergy across our European activity.”

WildBrain CPLG already handles Hasbro and eOne brands in Benelux and has scored a raft of new local deals across both portfolios in the territory. For My Little Pony, Canenco is on board for plush, children’s jewelry and make-up to support the brand’s upcoming movie this October.

For Nerf, Durabo is creating headphones and speakers, and Kubbinga is creating bicycles with matching gear.

For Peppa Pig, Sambro is launching large-size plush, and Durabo is developing a range spanning arts and crafts, outdoor toys, headphones and speakers. Further new local partners secured by WildBrain CPLG’s Benelux team include: W&O Products, The Cookie Company, Airquee, Karsten, RMS Europe, TM Essentials, Vondels, Leomil, Stationery Team Europe and Aymax.

In addition to its representation of Hasbro properties in CEE, the Nordics and Benelux markets, WildBrain CPLG also handles Hasbro’s Merchandise, Publishing, Promotions and short-term Location-based Entertainment business in Turkey.

Hasbro Consumer Products adds eOne brands to WildBrain CPLG’s Benelux remit

Hasbro has detailed an expansion to its licensing representation partnership with WildBrain CPLG Benelux to include the globally renowned portfolio of Entertainment One brands, including the likes of Peppa Pig and PJ Masks, following the recent integration of the business.

Under the partnership, WildBrain CPLG will now represent the licensing and merchandising rights for pre-school hits including Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and Ricky Zoom across the Benelux region.

“We are maximizing our local partnership with WildBrain CPLG Benelux and adding Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and Ricky Zoom,” said Marianne James, vice president of Hasbro Consumer Products in EMEA.

“With WildBrain CPLG’s local retail relationships, we see this region as a strong growth market to deepen our consumer connections across Merchandising, Publishing, Promotions and short-term Location Based Entertainment.”

Brenda Draaisma, managing director at WildBrain CPLG Benelux, added: “The expansion of Hasbro’s brand portfolio with the addition of eOne’s beloved global preschool brands including Peppa Pig, PJ Masks and Ricky Zoom, has added significant firepower to Hasbro’s already impressive offering.

“We look forward to working across these new brands and we’re confident with their focus on family-oriented storytelling, the properties will drive new growth for licensees and retailers in the Benelux market.”

Hasbro joins Festival of Licensing with new Peppa Pig content, PJ Masks toy plans and more

Hasbro will be joining the Festival of Licensing virtual event – the four-week digital event that will run throughout October and replace Brand Licensing Europe this year – to present the latest opportunities across its portfolio of brands including Nerf, My Little Pony, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Transformers, and Power Rangers.

Also being showcased under Hasbro this year will be the 2020 acquisition of Entertainment One and its popular pre-school numbers Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and Ricky Zoom.

The licensor will look to highlight its continued efforts to innovate and expand the ways it brings brands to life through music, publishing, promotions, digital and location-based entertainment alongside an array of consumer products spanning key categories, including toys and games, fashion and lifestyle, homewares, health and beauty, FMCG and gifts, and increasingly, personalised products.

Milestone anniversaries, including the 35th anniversary of Transformers in 2021 and the 85th anniversary of Monopoly commencing Q4 2020, give cause for timely celebration and will be leveraged with exciting collaborations, consumer promotions and retail activations.

Meanwhile, it’s game on for Nerf  as the property is on target for rapid expansion across multiple categories. Hasbro continues to cement its position as an active lifestyle and sports brand with cross-generational appeal and huge consumer relevance as health and wellbeing trends prevail.

Next up, the world of Equestria is expanding to introduce a new generation of ponies to a new generation of fans. With more humor, heart, and music than ever before, Hasbro hopes that audiences will be swept away by the new cast of ponies and the incredible adventure that awaits them. Fall in love with My Little Pony all over again when the all-new, computer-animated theatrical feature hits theaters everywhere in September 2021.

It’s still ‘Go Go Power Rangers’ in 2021 as Season 28 of the enduring hit show debuts. Power Rangers: Dino Fury journeys back to the core roots of the brand with the action being led by the original five rangers. The popularity of the show, beloved by so many kids for so many years, is driven by Hasbro’s commitment to new content but also the vast back catalogue which is streamed on Netflix and therefore continually accessed by a huge worldwide audience.

A new global brand theme for Peppa Pig entitled Peppa’s Adventures is kicking off in 2021, as a celebration of all the places that Peppa, her family and friends have visited since the show began. With trips to the USA lined up in the future, combined with a library of existing content, Peppa’s Adventures is a way for fans to explore and discover the world around them.

New series premieres will be rolling out for Ricky Zoom throughout the year and excitement for the expansion of the brand’s consumer products programme – driven by the strength and reach of best-in-class broadcast partners across the region – will follow the phased roll-out of toys in all key markets in 2020, as secondary categories will be available from SS21.

Finally, a robust plan is in place for PJ Masks which will be boosted by Series 4, set to launch this Q4, the Disney+ roll out in multiple territories, and Series 5 global launch coming in 2021. In a first for the company, Hasbro will be launching its first toy range for the brand with a core range of exciting new products hitting retail for AW21.

Hasbro extends Disguise Inc dress-up partnership to European and global market

The North American fancy dress specialist, Disguise Inc, has renewed its licensing agreement with Hasbro to design and market Halloween costumes for the US and an expanded deal into Europe, for an additional three years. Commencing in 2021, the deal will span the likes of Transformers, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, and Hasbro Gaming.

On top of this, the newly acquired Entertainment One has granted Disguise Inc the rights to Peppa Pig and Ricky Zoom costumes, which will be brought into the company’s 2021 range. It marks the first time Ricky Zoom has entered the dress-up and costumes market.

“We are thrilled to secure such a meaningful partnership with Hasbro with rights to their entire portfolio of brands, and also with our first-ever global expansion with Hasbro,” said Tara Hefter, EVP and GM of Disguise Inc.

“Building on the success of our line of PJ Masks costumes, we will bring fun and innovation to Peppa Pig and the first Ricky Zoom costumes to hit the market. Disguise is proud of our long standing collaboration with Hasbro.

“This also marks us as being the only Power Rangers Halloween Costume licensee since inception. We look forward to our growing relationship with Hasbro and to bring these incredible characters to life year after year.”

Joan Grasso, VP, Hasbro Consumer Products, North America, added: “Disguise excels at bringing our brands to life with their high quality costumes and innovation. We’re excited to expand our partnership to include more regions and more characters from our growing portfolio of brands.”

Disguise’s Hasbro line of Halloween costumes and accessories hits stores in autumn 2021.

Ricky Zoom is racing onto Australian TV screens for the first time

Entertainment One has secured new broadcast deals for its latest CGI animated pre-school series, Ricky Zoom, that will see the already popular property race onto TV screens across Australia for the first time.

The 52×11 min episodes from series one of Ricky Zoom are set to launch on Nickelodeon’s pre-school channel, Nick Jr., in Australia from today (Monday, 20 July, 2020), with new episodes airing weekdays at 10am. From November this year the series will also begin airing on Australia’s Channel 9.

Entertainment One’s Monica Candiani, EVP content sales, family brands, said: “We’re proud to be bringing Ricky Zoom to audiences in Australia by extending our partnership with Nickelodeon and welcoming Channel 9 as our terrestrial partner in the region.

“Ricky Zoom is an action comedy adventure series with real heart and these latest deals are testament to the strong appeal of the show.”

Since it debuted on screens in late 2019, Ricky Zoom has achieved strong ratings in multiple markets. Nick Jr. is already home to the show in both the US and UK, while Australia’s Channel 9 joins a growing list of broadcast partners bringing the show to a global audience.

The show currently airs on CCTV (China), Channel 5 Milkshake! (UK), Clan TV (Spain), Discovery Kids (Latin America), Thai PBS (Thailand), Gulli (France), Karusel (Russia), Minika Cocuk (Turkey), NRK  (Norway), RAI (Italy), Spacetoon (MENA), Super RTL (Germany), SVT (Sweden), Treehouse (Canada) and Youku (China).

eOne’s Ricky Zoom speeds onto Channel 5’s Milkshake this April

Ricky Zoom, the newest animated pre-school IP from Entertainment One, is preparing to speed onto Channel 5’s multi-platform pre-school block, Milkshake, where is will air daily from April 20th this year.

To crank up excitement around the show’s terrestrial launch in the UK, Milkshake! is supporting with pre-promotional on-air exposure and social media support nearer the time of TX.

Entertainment One is backing its latest pre-school property with an investment in PR and digital marketing activity to drive tune-in. Building on the company’s previous success with music releases for Peppa Pig and PJ Masks, eOne is readying the digital release of three Ricky Zoom songs that will include an extended version of the theme tune and two all-new original songs.

The new songs will be available on streaming platforms from mid-April. A nationwide influencer outreach campaign spanning parenting influencers, with a combined platform of 1.2 million across the UK, will promote the positive brand values of fun and family to encourage co-viewing.

“Adding to our existing strong roster of international broadcasters we’re thrilled to be bringing Ricky Zoom to the number one weekday pre-school destination in the UK,” said eOne’s Monica Candiani, EVP, content sales, family and brands.

“The show is full of enjoyable all-bike adventures that will ignite young imaginations and we look forward to introducing the colourful world of Wheelford to future fans in the UK ahead of the consumer products rollout later this year.”

The launch of Ricky Zoom on Channel 5 follows a strong debut for the show last autumn on Nick Jr. in the UK where it has been viewed by nearly 1.5 million to date. The show will join Nick Jr.’s promotional slate in Easter with a seasonal episode special set to air for audiences during the school holidays.

The growing broadcast exposure will drive awareness for Ricky Zoom as eOne builds up to the consumer products rollout in autumn which will see additional toys released by master toy partner, TOMY.

Entertainment One’s Ricky Zoom to launch on CCTV-14 in China

Entertainment One’s hit pre-school animation, Ricky Zoom is gearing up to launch on CCTV-14 starting from March 23rd this year, following a successful kickstart to its broadcast campaign across China.

The series made its debut in mainland China in June last year where it got off to a strong start with audiences.

Hot in pursuit, a second season of Ricky Zoom has already gone into production, with a first batch of episodes due for delivery from November, 2020.

The series has reportedly achieved outstanding ratings in multiple markets at home and abroad. In China, the arrival of Ricky Zoom on Youku garnered more than 100 million views in the first 12 days. According to the Children’s Animation Series 2019 Webcast Data Report provided by Children’s Content Observation, Ricky Zoom is listed in second place in the high heat index that ranks new foreign animations in 2019 on Youku, exceeded only by Peppa Pig Season 7.

In international markets, the animation is listed as number one on Nick Jr. – a commercial kids’ channel in the UK and is also top on the Clan channel in Spain. From their weekend line up, Ricky Zoom is a top three show on Treehouse in Canada, and consistently outperforms channel averages on RAI in Italy, as well as across the LATAM region.

“We are so proud of Ricky Zoom and its success to date. It is premium original content produced by the very best talent and our strong roster of international broadcasters has super-charged the series to a high level of awareness around the world,” said eOne’s Olivier Dumont, president, Family and Brands.

“We are very excited for the potential to explore even more ground in the second season. There are so many more stories to tell that will deepen the connection between the characters and our audience, and we look forward to bringing them all-new adventures.”

Entertainment One is currently working with global master toy partner TOMY to present the launch of Ricky Zoom toys, including a series of six key products based on Ricky and his Bike Buddies. The collection will roll out in multiple territories and markets.

To meet consumer demand on the heels of the new toy releases, eOne will present a wealth of additional licensed merchandise in 2020 and 2021, including books, puzzles and games, arts and crafts, apparel and accessories.

Entertainment One to drive growth across LatAm with new toy distribution partnerships

Entertainment One has secured new distribution deals with toy partners across Latin America as part of a move to drive growth for its portfolio of pre-school properties as the licensor heads to Abrin Toy Fair in Sao Paulo this month.

The company has named Sunny as its master toy distributor for both Peppa Pig and Ricky Zoom in Brazil. Under the deal, Sunny will bring Peppa’s best selling toy lines to retail from the second quarter of the year, including Peppa Pig’s house, vehicles, figurines, and new play-sets.

Sunny is also on board to distribute TOMY’s core collection of Ricky Zoom toys and play-sets focused on core characters, Ricky and his Bike Buddies. The range will debut at Abrin Toy Fair in March 2020 before heading to retail in Brazil from May 2020 followed by a launch in Mexico in the second half of 2020.

Meanwhile, Candide will be adding a new line of vehicles to the latest PJ Masks toy range that debuts at retail for second quarter of the year and other new launches from current licensees include Elka, which will be launching a new 20cm vinyl Catboy figurine, and Grow which will be producing new PJ Masks puzzles for Brazil.

Peppa Pig is a top rated show on Discovery Kids Lat Am where it airs throughout the region alongside FTA platforms TV Cultura in Brazil and Televisa in Mexico. New episodes from series eight have been rolling out across the region with a pipeline of new content scheduled throughout 2020.

Series three of PJ Masks continues to bring fresh episodes to its many fans with series four poised to launch from November 20th 2020 on Disney Junior. Entertainment One’s newest TV property, Ricky Zoomlaunched on Discovery Kids Lat Am September 2019 to strong ratings with new episodes dropping throughout 2020 including an Easter special in April 2020 and news of a second series in production.

“Our properties are going from strength to strength in South America and we’re delighted to welcome Sunny as new toy distributor, to further expand our presence in the region,” said eOne’s Murilo Hinojosa, VP Licensing – LatAm, Family & Brands.

“A year-long schedule of new episodes, events and digital engagement will bolster our licensing strategy and we look forward to giving visitors to Abrin Toy Fair an insight into our plans for 2020 and beyond.”

Ricky Zoom lands second series for November 2020 as first products ready for launch

Following a successful debut at the end of 2019, Entertainment One’s international animated hit, Ricky Zoom has landed a second series, slated to air as soon as November this year.

Ricky Zoom raced to success and achieved ‘outstanding ratings’ in multiple markets and across several platforms. It is currently a top five pre-school show with boys on Nickelodeon in the US, number one on Nick Jr. commercial kids’ channel in the UK, and the number one show on Clan in Spain.

Ricky Zoom’s appeal also resonates in China where the series has garnered more than 425 million views on streaming platform, YouKu.

The property’s first app, Welcome to Wheelford has been downloaded more than 4 million times globally since its release in August 2019.

“We are so proud of Ricky Zoom and its success to date. It is premium original content produced by the very best talent and our strong roster of international broadcasters has super-charged the series to a high level of awareness around the world,” said eOne’s Olivier Dumont, President, Family & Brands.

“We are very excited for the potential to explore even more ground in the second season. There are so many more stories to tell that will deepen the connection between the characters and our audience and we look forward to bringing them all-new adventures.”

Entertainment One is now readying the launch of the first wave of consumer products in key territories which will be led by the launch of Ricky Zoom toys from global master toy partner TOMY, including six key products across a variety of price points.

The collection will roll out in multiple territories this spring. The toy launch will be followed by a limited range of secondary category product launches to meet consumer demand in 2020, including publishing, puzzles and games, arts and crafts, apparel and accessories with additional secondary launches planned throughout 2021.