ITV

Tag: BBC Worldwide

  • BBC Worldwide beefs up cookware and Lifestyle licensing offer

    BBC Worldwide beefs up cookware and Lifestyle licensing offer

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide is upping its cookware and lifestyle offer with plans to launch licensing programmes for in-house properties and through agency deals.

    Kirstie Allsopp, BBC GoodFood and Gardener’s World join MasterChef as key brands in BBC Worldwide’s licensing portfolio.

    BBC Worldwide senior licensing manager Cassie Allen said, “The cookware and lifestyle markets are substantial areas of growth for us. We have premium brands which have already performed strongly on launch and we’re looking forward now to taking these properties trade-wide and in to more categories.”

    Kirstie Allsop launched her debut range of homewares and gifts in Marks & Spencer last year. The M&S range continues into 2012 and BBC Worldwide will be taking the brand trade-wide with new lines including stationery, home fragrance, outdoor products, ceramics and craft sets from September.

    The BBC’s commercial arm also launched Gardener’s World product for the first time in Boots in Autumn/Winter 2011. The range includes pruning sets, a barometer, nesting boxes, clocks and gardens tools. Additional products to launch this year include watering cans, a thermos flask and a garden kneeler. Gardener’s World is looking for other opportunities to go trade-wide from Spring/Summer 2013.

    BBC GoodFood already has mass awareness across the UK with over three million viewers on the channel; the magazine has a monthly circulation of 300,000 monthly and 3.7 million website users. The GoodFood Show further attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.

    BBC Worldwide’s licensing team has been developing the style guide and a phasing plan for GoodFood with ambitions to launch the first range of cookware in early 2013. The team has their sights on signing up new partners on a range of products which include cookware, bakeware, ceramic oven tableware and textiles including aprons, tea towels and oven gloves.

    MasterChef and Junior MasterChef product across 40 SKUs launched in John Lewis in 2011 and fast became one of their top 10 cookware licenses. The range will be extending out to a number of independent stores and cookware specialists this year.

  • BBC Worldwide Australia names Amanda McGregor director of brands, consumers, new ventures

    BBC Worldwide Australia names Amanda McGregor director of brands, consumers, new ventures

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide Australia GM Tony Iffland has announced that Amanda McGregor will be the new director of brands, consumers and new ventures, overseeing all commercial and marketing activity for BBC Worldwide in Australia and New Zealand.

    She is currently BBC Worldwide Australia director of marketing and her new role will continue to oversee marketing, brand and consumer strategy for BBC Worldwide‘s Australian group of businesses, but will take on additional responsibility for the commercial activity of its six global brands in territory (Top Gear, Dancing With The Stars, Doctor Who, Torchwood, BBC Earth and Lonely Planet) as well as developing other new areas of business.

    This new role has been created to reflect the growing emphasis on brands in the business and it will include overseeing live events and gaming, two new and rapidly evolving areas of growth for BBC Worldwide‘s global brands in territory. The two Heads of Commercial Services (Heather McIlfatrick and one to be recruited) will report to McGregor alongside her current team of 16.

    In her new role McGregor will continue to report to BBC Worldwide global CMO Helen Kellie and Iffland but will come under BBC Worldwide‘s Brands, Consumers & New Ventures business division led by MD Marcus Arthur.

    Iffland said, “Amanda is the ideal person to drive forward greater consumer, brand and marketing focus across BBC Worldwide Australia, and to support our rapidly growing new business areas. She has demonstrated an excellent track record in developing and exploiting our brands across a range of platforms and I am sure will provide great leadership for the live events and gaming areas of our business going forward.”

    Arthur said, “Spearheading the extension of well-known properties such as ‘Doctor Who‘, ‘Top Gear‘ or ‘Dancing With The Stars‘ into areas of complete consumer immersion like Live Events and Gaming is exciting but not without its challenges. It‘s for this very reason that I know Amanda is the perfect person to ensure we can build even closer relationships with the Australian and New Zealand fans of these shows in the next few years and give them exactly what they‘re looking for.”

    McGregor said, “I‘m delighted to take on this new role, leading our world class and much-loved brand portfolio at such an important time for the business. Australian consumers have a great affinity with our brands which is reflected in the fact that a greater proportion of our revenues come from these brands than anywhere else in the world.”

    One of her first priorities will be to recruit a new head of commercial services.

  • BBC Worldwide prepares for Brand Licensing Europe

    BBC Worldwide prepares for Brand Licensing Europe

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide is heading to Brand Licensing Europe next month with a portfolio of brands launching to the licensing community for the first time and returning shows.

    BBC Worldwide will also showcase products hitting the high street this Christmas.

    BBC Worldwide head of UK Licensing Richard Hollis says, “We’ve been a key part of BLE since its inception and this year we’re raring to go with a raft of new properties set for success. Some of the licensing programmes we’re looking to kick-start are well-established brands calling out for licensing treatment, others are fresh on the scene and we think have huge potential. And no BBC Worldwide stand would be complete without the return of the jewels in our portfolio – from Doctor Who through to In the Night Garden and Top Gear.”

    64 Zoo Lane is about a seven year-old girl named Lucy who lives at 64 Zoo Lane, next door to a Zoo. Each night she is told a story by the animals present there. Characters include Georgina the Giraffe, Nelson the Elephant, Tickles and Giggles the Monkeys, Boris the Bear and Molly the Hippopotamus.

    The Adventures of Abney & Teal is an animation show with a literary feel made entirely from hand-drawn and painted elements, with a contemporary yet handcrafted feel.

    Abney and Teal are two friends who live on an island in the middle of a lake, in the middle of a park, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the big city. They share their island home with a group of friendly and hilarious characters. And together they are always ready for adventure.

    The Adventures of Abney & Teal debuts on the children’s channel CBeebies on 26 September. BBC Worldwide will shortly be making announcements about the licensing plans for this new property.

    Baby Jake, meanwhile, is a cuddly and curious baby boy of 11 months who loves nothing more than being the centre of attention with his siblings. That’s when he’s not travelling to incredible lands, playing with amazing creatures and gurgling and goo-ing with his big brother Isaac. Heroic Jake has a life full of adventure and surprise in this pre-school series for two to five-year-olds.

    Baby Jake debuted on CBeebies earlier this year. Vivid is confirmed as the master toy licence for the property, Egmont will publish books and 2|entertain will release DVDs.

    Deadly 60 is a factual programme featuring wildlife presenter Steve Backshall’s quest to track down the world’s deadliest animals. In each series, he discovers 60 of the world’s deadliest species out in the wild.

    Deadly 60 brings the audience into the heart of the action, and brings a real sense of adventure and discovery to each sequence as Steve brings us close encounters with killers including tarantulas, sharks and vipers. Some use their weapons for defence, and some for attack, but whatever their size, these animals are truly deadly.

    BBC Worldwide has a full licensing programme under way for Deadly 60 and will make further announcements at the show.

    Doctor Who returns with the Doctor alongside newlyweds Amy and Rory, in a new season. Over 80 licensees have been appointed with new ranges for this year including construction toys, science toys, a powered ride-in Dalek, collector sculptures and wide ranges of new clothing designs for both adult fans and children. Over 3 million DVDs and 8 million action figures have sold to date and in November 2013 Doctor Who will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

  • BBC Worldwide appointed licensing agent for FA brands

    BBC Worldwide appointed licensing agent for FA brands

    MUMBAI: The Football Association (The FA) has appointed BBC Worldwide as its licensing agent for the England and The FA Cup brands.

    The brand joins BBC Worldwide‘s licensing portfolio which also includes Doctor Who and Top Gear.

    BBC Worldwide has been appointed to secure and manage licensees across a range of categories and to work with The FA’s other partners to help develop The FA‘s brands and support The FA‘s mission.

    The FA is the governing body for football in England with one of the highest global TV audiences in the world of sport. It is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting English football at all levels from grass roots to the national team.
     
    BBC Worldwide plans to roll out a programme across Europe over the course of the four- year deal. With one of the most recognised sports brands in the world and the iconic Three Lions crest, BBC Worldwide will work alongside The FA to give contemporary style direction. New product development will also include player imagery involving some of the biggest names in sport.

    BBC Worldwide‘s Neil Ross Russell said, “We‘re thrilled to be working on one of the most recognisable and iconic brands in sport today. The FA‘s profile sits perfectly alongside the licensing programmes we‘ve developed with partners from some of the biggest British TV brands plus our sports expertise on the likes of Match of the Day and Question of Sport.”

  • BBC Worldwide to represent Lonelyplanet.com ad sales

    BBC Worldwide to represent Lonelyplanet.com ad sales

    MUMBAI: BBC Advertising, the global ad sales department of BBC Worldwide, will now represent lonelyplanet.com in all global territories, following Australasian and US deals to sell its online advertising inventory.

    The move comes as Lonely Planet achieved good traffic to lonelyplanet.com in June attracting 87 million unique users, a year on year rise of 62 per cent.

    Lonely Planet was previously represented by Travel Ad Network in the US and AD2One for Australia and New Zealand.

    Lonely Planet is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BBC Worldwide, which has managed the travel brand’s UK online sales since August 2009.

    Lonely Planet MD digital Dominic Rowell said, “Bringing Lonely Planet together with BBC Advertising‘s team maximises the synergies between our two organisations and comes at an ideal time when Lonely Planet is poised for its next digital growth phase.”

    BBC Worldwide Australia‘s regional director of ad sales Scott Hamilton said, “It has always been our intention to represent Lonely Planet in the critical territories of Australia and New Zealand. The brand is in great shape and I look forward to building on its success. The integration of these two fantastic properties considerably strengthens our advertising brand proposition in this region.”

    The BBC Advertising team is responsible for international sales across its multi-screen portfolio including television, online, mobile and apps.

  • BBC Worldwide ups Sunita Rajan to BBC Advertising senior VP

    BBC Worldwide ups Sunita Rajan to BBC Advertising senior VP

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has promoted Sunita Rajan to BBC Advertising SVP Asia.

    Formerly BBC Worldwide VP of ad sales Asia for channels, Rajan reports to BBC Advertising executive VP, GM Chris Dobson. She will continue to be based in Singapore.

    Dobson said, “Sunita has been instrumental in the growth of BBC Advertising’s business and has led strong growth of our advertising revenues in Asia. As our business further expands to include Lonely Planet and branded content, Sunita‘s leadership in this key region is even more important”.

    Part of the BBC Worldwide’s senior management team, her new Asia-wide remit includes overseeing all advertising activity across BBC Worldwide‘s commercial businesses on multiple platforms. This includes television, online, mobile products such as World News, BBC.com, Worldwide Channels, Lonely Planet and BBC Mobile – under BBC Advertising, the newly launched the bespoke internal sales house for all wholly owned and operated BBC assets.

    “BBC Advertising enables us to position our broad and exciting ad sales opportunities in a way that allows brands to connect with a quality audience across multiple platforms. With Sunita’s expertise and knowledge, we are well-placed to offer our clients even more complete solutions to their advertising and brand communication needs across Asia,” adds Dobson.

  • John Taite is BBC Worldwide America VP, branded integrated ad sales solutions

    John Taite is BBC Worldwide America VP, branded integrated ad sales solutions

    MUMBAI: BBC America‘s VP programming strategy, John Taite, is to take up a new position within the BBC Worldwide America family as VP, branded entertainment and integrated ad sales solutions.

    The announcement comes at a time when BBC America is experiencing unprecedented growth, up 30 per cent year-on-year and delivering its best ever ratings.

    Reporting in to BBC Worldwide America‘s executive VP, ad sales, Mark Gall, Taite will work with the ad sales, programming and marketing teams of BBC America to look at creative advertising solutions for clients, developing ad category sponsorships and assessing and implementing branded entertainment opportunities for the channel and its digital extensions.

    Gall said, “This is a critical role within our business and one we‘ve been looking to fill for some time. John brings enthusiasm, creative talents and close working relationships to the role, and we look forward to having him on board.”

    Taite was formerly VP programming strategy, BBC America. He joined the New York office in April 2010 from BBC Worldwide in London, where he was VP of Programming for Europe, Middle East and Africa, overseeing the rollout and programming strategy of 14 localised channels.

  • BBC Worldwide Channels signs new distribution agreement for BBC World news with KT Corp

    BBC Worldwide Channels signs new distribution agreement for BBC World news with KT Corp

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide Channels has announced a new agreement to distribute BBC World News on Qook TV, KT Corp’s brand. The feed will go live from tomorrow for its residential services, such as landline telephony, internet and IPTV, in South Korea.

    With the addition of World News, Qook TV’s viewers will be able to get the latest world news including current affairs programmes specifically targetted at the Asian market like Asia Business Report. Available on channel 353 on Qook TV, World News will be reaching an additional 350,000 subscribers in South Korea.

    BBC Worldwide Channels Asia GM, senior VP Mark Whitehead says, “BBC World News is carried on all major cable and satellite platforms in South Korea. The addition of Qook TV is our first foray into the IPTV platform in Korea, and a reflection of our commitment to maintaining and expanding the availability of BBC World News on new technology platforms such as IPTV in the country.

    KT Corp senior VP for the Media Group Jong-Ryul Suh says, “KT Corp is proud to be representing such a popular and respected international news channel as BBC World News. Qook TV will continue to provide the variety of channels that our audience really want.”

  • BBC Worldwide opens production outfit in France

    BBC Worldwide opens production outfit in France

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced the opening of a production office in Paris, France.

    The local production base will build up BBC Worldwide formats in this key territory and is part of the company’s wider strategy to establish a network of production offices throughout the world.

    BBC Worldwide Productions France will be headed by Jean-Louis Blot, who will be working with all of the local terrestrial networks to grow the company’s French production business.

    As director of the new production office, Jean-Louis will report to BBC Worldwide Content and Production director of international formats Colin Jarvis and will be supported by Cécile Lamarque, who joins as development executive and will oversee production.

    Jarvis said, “France is a key market for us. Establishing a thriving production base in this major European territory fits into our strategy to position BBC Worldwide as a leading global content network.

    “Through the success of our Sales & Distribution office, BBC Worldwide enjoys a strong relationship with all of the major broadcasters in France and we look forward to extending this to local production.

    “I’m pleased to welcome Jean-Louis onboard, he has the background and experience to develop our production office into a prominent player in the French market.

    BBC Worldwide Productions France director Jean-Louis Blot says, “I’m very excited to be part of BBC Worldwide’s production plans in France as they have one of the richest catalogues in the world. My first priority will be to establish a production team.”

    BBC Worldwide Productions France will work alongside BBC Worldwide’s sales and distribution team in France, managed by Tim Muff, which continues to oversee all of the company’s programme distribution, publishing and licensing activity in France.

    BBC Worldwide has a history of licensing British formats in France, including The Weakest Link, Top of the Pops, Great French and The Office.

    The Paris production office is BBC Worldwide’s latest in a growing network of production bases, the others being in Los Angeles, New York, Mumbai, Toronto and Sydney.

    Blot joins BBC Worldwide Productions France from Air Productions, where he was Head of Development as well as a producer.

    At Air Productions, he produced two of France’s most popular game shows: Don’t Forget the Lyrics and Tout le Monde veut prendre sa Place. Lamarque joins BBC Worldwide France Productions from Fremantlemedia where she worked on the launch and development of series such as Jamie’s Kitchen, Supernanny, How Clean is Your House? and The Farmer Wants A Wife.

  • BBC Worldwide channels are now available in Poland

    BBC Worldwide channels are now available in Poland

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced that its channel portfolio, including BBC Entertainment, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Knowledge and CBeebies, are available in Poland through Telekomunikacja Polska.

    Customers will be able to access the channels via their telephone line as part of TP’s triple play offer. The channels are available through the IPTV service. The channels debuted last December on the Cyfrowy Polsat platform and currently have over 1.7 million subscribers.

    BBC Worldwide Channels GM, senior VP EMEA Dean Possenniskie said, “I am delighted that we are able to build on the distribution of our BBC-branded channels to audiences in Poland through this partnership with TP. The channels have already proven a success since their launch last year and we will be announcing further distribution deals in the future.”