NEWS
TOTAL LICENSING
SESAME STREET IN TANZANIA AND ZANZIBAR
Through a new initiative that spans television, radio and community outreach, 5 million children in Tanza-
nia are meeting Kami, Moshe, Zikwe, Lulu and Neno, the Muppets of Kilimani Sesame. Sesame Workshop
signed an agreement with the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and Television Zanzibar (TVZ)
to begin airing 13 television and 13 radio episodes of the pilot preschool series in Kiswahili recently. Kili-
mani Sesame addresses the education and health needs of Tanzanian children ages 3-7 and has been
made possible through support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Tanzanian educational experts identified a broad range of early childhood domains including literacy, math-
ematics and life skills as the educational framework for Kilimani Sesame. Within this framework, malaria was
identified as a significant educational objective for the project, as the disease is a major public health concern in
Tanzania, especially among young children. Kilimani Sesame will present families with basic information about
the disease and ways it can be prevented, recognized and treated.
“Our research shows that preschool-age children in Tanzania have limited access to educational materials
such as books and toys, and that there is very little television programming or educational media suited for
this audience” said Dr. Seeta Pai, Sesame Workshop’s Director of International Research. “Both governmental
and non-governmental sectors in Tanzania are committed to promoting early childhood education, and we are excited to
collaborate with a local team of experts and creative minds to launch an initiative that will make a positive difference in
the lives of children in this country.”
EXPANSION FOR SKELANIMALS PROGRAM
UK licensing agent Rocket Licensing has announced three new deals for Skelanimals, and has highlighted the growth
and continuing success of the dedicated online Skelanimals store.
Skelanimals are a range of cute, cuddly and very dead animals. Created by artist and designer Mitchell Bernal,
the characters are attracting attention from customers, retailers and potential licensees worldwide, notably
in the US, where the brand has made a major impact across fashion, plush, accessories and even skateboards.
Skelanimals products are also sold through specialist retail and independent boutiques in numerous coun-
tries in Europe and in markets including Israel, Japan, South Africa, Latin America and Russia.
The Skelanimals merchandise collection launched with a focus on its core customer, teen girls, but has recently
branched out to include a very successful men’s apparel line. The men’s collection at youth-oriented US retail chain
Hot Topic debuted in February to successful sell-through rates and will be expanded later this year.
For the UK market Bravado have signed to produce Skelanimal fashion apparel and accessories, including purses,
bags and jewellery. Pyramid Posters is planning a range of Skelanimals posters and a badge pack. The first poster
will be introduced to the market, alongside the badge pack, through music chains before entering mainstream retail.
Underground Toys is distributing a range of keychains and vinyl figures.
GOOCHICOO: A BRAND WITH ‘NAPPITUDE’
Goochicoo was ‘born’ in the UK in 2000 when Ged Backland became the parent of twins. Parenthood not only gave Ged
and his wife Kaely a boy and a girl. It also alerted them to a gap in the marketplace, or, as Backland puts it, “Babies are the
stars of the family, full of fun and attitude, fascinating and so very funny and yet there was nothing out there to reflect
that.”
As a result, he developed Goochicoo, a brand that combines Ged’s slogans with cartoon baby images developed by art
director Kaely Backland - simple, strong images that emphasise character and cheekiness.
In business terms, however, the idea had to wait. “In 2005 we looked at the marketplace and realised that there had
seemed to be a market that was more accepting to our idea. We had this list of slogans and so we began to develop visu-
ally. It really seemed to take off.”
Today licensees include Mothercare, Tommy Tippee, Izziwottnot and UK Greetings. There’s an online shop and a presence
in Europe.
2008 has seen an expansion of the licensing program as well as forth-
coming events like the Goochicoo Chuckle Championships (“to find
the baby with Britain’s cutest chuckle”) but the company’s main aim for
2008 is to break into the US. “We have developed a whole set of Ameri-
can characters that we know the US market will love,” said Backland.
And there’s still nothing like it in the market. That perhaps is because, like
many successful concepts that come from a new angle, it took time and
effort to build the brand. Or, as Ged puts it, “It’s taken a couple of years
for people to get used to the idea that babies have got attitude – or, as we
www.nickelodeon.tv
call it, nappitude.”
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