YooHoo & Friends Licensing Summit showcases “extraordinary potential”

Animation & Characters

Mondo TV and Aurora highlight licensing opportunities for new kids’ series at Vegas event

Mondo TV and Aurora have hailed the success of the YooHoo & Friends Licensing Summit, held at the recent Las Vegas Licensing Expo. The Summit showcased the forthcoming Mondo TV children’s programme based on the multi-million-selling Aurora plush line.

Mondo TV, one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content, along with Aurora, one of the leading companies for high-end, soft and huggable toy designs in the global gift industry, recently held the event at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

The event, attended by a large number of figures from licensing and broadcasting as well as the media, gave an update on the current status of the new series, shared the launch strategy for the property, and discussed plans for an international consumer licensing programme that is expected to have a strong appeal across global markets — especially given the enormous popularity of the brand on which the TV series is based.

As attendees heard, the YooHoo & Friends line of plush toys has sold more than 80 million pieces since Aurora launched it in 2007. The 52×11’-episode animated children’s series, made in 3D CGI and HD is therefore expected to enjoy strong awareness and audience appeal straight from launch. Many key broadcasters — both free-to-air and pay TV — have already confirmed their interest in this series, whose first episodes will reach screens in spring 2017.

As well as YooHoo, Pammee, Lemmee, Roodee and Chewoo, the show includes 70 additional characters representing endangered, extinct and extraordinary animals, a strong environmental message, and, of course, the charm, humour and enormous appeal of the big-eyed, bushy-tailed characters the Aurora line made famous. The potential of YooHoo & Friends in both broadcast and licensing is clearly enormous. In fact some key product licenses are nearly finalized in the master toy, publishing, collectibles, food and personal care categories. Plush, of course, remains directly managed by Aurora.

The Summit also offered attendees a sneak preview of another Mondo/Aurora project: Cuby Zoo. This delightful 52×11’-episode animated comedy-adventure series for children stars cube-shaped animal characters who look like toys but come to life when humans are away, and play a vital — but anonymous — role in keeping the world in balance. It’s exciting, different, a lot of fun and on its way soon! The first episodes are already on air on the EBS national channel in South Korea, and enjoying strong ratings — and the show has clear potential in many other territories throughout the world.

Matteo Corradi, Mondo TV CEO, says: “The YooHoo & Friends Licensing Summit was designed to showcase a brand that already enjoys a strong presence at retail and is now moving on to the next level. The delightful and entrancing YooHoo & Friends TV series will bring its message and appeal to a new medium — and an even bigger audience. The extraordinary potential of the property is definitely something worth promoting on a major stage to major players in the licensing industry, and we’re delighted that so many Summit attendees agreed.”

ABOUT MONDO TV
Mondo TV is a group of companies headquartered in Rome in Italy. It is among the primary European operators in the production and distribution of animated TV series and full-length feature films.  Mondo TV owns one of the largest animation libraries in the world, consisting of more than 1,600 episodes of television series shown all over the world together with more than 75 animated movies for video and theatrical release. www.Mondo TV.it/index.html

ABOUT AURORAWORLD
Aurora World Corp. ranks 2nd in brand awareness in American plush toy Market which accounts for 40% of World’s character toy market share. Aurora is top character-design specialized Company in Korea, UK and Russia.
Through 34 years of character toy business experience, Aurora turns over to global character content company, and presents not only toys but also happiness to customers.
For further information please contact:

Jane Garner & Suzy Wyld
jgarner@kilog.co.uk  /  swyld@kilog.co.uk