THE JIM HENSON COMPANY’S DINOSAUR TRAIN ROARS ACROSS EUROPE AND RUSSIA!
Los Angeles, CA (September 29, 2014) The Jim Henson Company’s critically acclaimed and Emmy® nominated animated children’s series Dinosaur Train continues to gain momentum across Europe, with the company signing new licensees in key European territories ahead of this year’s Brand Licensing Europe.
“We have an incredibly strong licensing program across Europe, where Dinosaur Train airs on major TV networks such as Nickelodeon UK, Disney Channel Germany, France TV, and RTVE Clan in Spain,†commented Richard Goldsmith, Executive VP, Global Distribution and International Consumer Products. “We work with exceptional licensing agents in these countries who have done an great job delivering top quality products, and with over 35 licensees in Western Europe alone, and new toy products from TOMY and educational learning titles from VTech debuting in key markets for the holiday season, we anticipate a strong holiday season at retail for the brand.â€
Newly signed agreements and new products to market for Dinosaur Train include:
In Russia, two Dinosaur Train licensees—C-Trade Ltd. (publishing and toys) and Gruppa Tovarischey LLC (back to school)—are set to debut over 200 new products in the market, including outdoor seasonal toys and plush, back-to-school items including backpacks and stationary, and a wide array of published goods. To cater to local interests, Dinosaur Train is to be featured on a YouTube branded channel, due to launch this year, with Russia being the first country that it will be available.
In Germany, the company has signed a new agreement with Kosmos for travel games, and new products launching this fall include magazines from Panini, partyware from Papstar, housewares from Herding and plush from Huenec. Other key partners in the territory include Universal Music (audio books) and Nelson Verlag (sticker books).
In the UK, new agreements have been signed with Gemma International for greetings cards and party ware and with Play by Play for plush, joining other partners that include Aykroyds (nightwear), Character World (bedding), Smith & Brooks (outerwear) and Redan (publishing).
In Spain, new products are under development with Educa (puzzles), Montichelvo (back to school), Hot Shots (candy and cookies) and United Labels (apparel and accessories), joining other partners that include Panini (publishing), Saica Toys (outdoor), Musicales Reig (musical toys) and Play by Play (plush).
Representing The Jim Henson Company’s Dinosaur Train across the region are Nickelodeon UK for the UK market; Studio Canal for France; LizenzWerft for Germany; SelectaVision for Spain; Alicom for the Nordic Region; and Megalicense for Russia.
About Dinosaur Train
Dinosaur Train is produced by the Jim Henson Company and co-produced with Singapore animation company Sparky Animation with the participation and assistance of the Singapore Development Authority. PBS handles distribution in all media in the domestic territory. The Jim Henson Company handles international distribution, licensing and merchandising other than in Asia and select other foreign territories, which are handled by Sparky Animation.
About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy® nominated Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, and Pajanimals as well as the new series Doozers, a CG animated preschool series. Features include The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, MirrorMask, and the upcoming Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day, and television productions include Fraggle Rock the sci-fi cult series Farscape, and the reality competition Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge.
With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities, the Company is also home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shopâ„¢, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand is currently touring “Puppet-Up! – Uncensored,†a live puppet improvisational show. http://www.henson.com   www.facebook.com/hensoncompany  www.twitter.com/hensonparents
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Michelle Orsi / Carol Holdsworth
Three.Sixty Marketing & Communications
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