Taffy Ent. has signed another new deal with Italy's Atlantyca Ent. regarding the latter's successful worldwide GERONIMO STILTON brand. The agreement calls for Taffy to now oversee most of the worldwide consumer products licensing and promotional rights on the classic GERONIMO STILTON kids' chapter book series. Atlantyca, the original rights holder on the award-winning international kids' brand, will continue to manage all licensing in Italy, as well as worldwide publishing. The new pact follows a similar licensing deal signed earlier this summer for the new animated television series based on the STILTON character.
The GERONIMO STILTON books are published worldwide and are available in more than 28 languages, including Italian, where they are published by Edizioni Piemme [Mondadori Group], and in English, published in the U.S. by Scholastic. The book series centers on the life and adventures of a best-selling author, discovered by Elisabetta Dami while traveling around the world, Geronimo Stilton who happens to be a mouse living in New Mouse City on Mouse Island. Geronimo is an intellectual mild-mannered mouse who despite wanting nothing better than to live a quiet life, works as the editor-in-chief of the most famous Mouse Island's newspaper: THE RODENT'S GAZETTE and keeps managing to get involved in far-away, marvelously humorous capers with his younger sister Thea Stilton, cousin Trap Stilton, and favorite nephew, nine-year-old Benjamin Stilton.
"We believe the timing is right for GERONIMO STILTON to grow along with his worldwide audience," explains Pietro Marietti, Chairman of Atlantyca Ent. "Taffy Ent. has a creative and resourceful Consumer Products Group that brings a wealth of experience in the kids business, along with a global reach. From our initial meetings regarding the new TV series, we realized we also found a consumer products partner that shares our passion for GERONIMO."
The GERONIMO STILTON books were first published in Italy in May 2000 and to date have sold more than 16 million so far in Italy alone with 23 million books being sold worldwide in 2006. The book series has garnered numerous awards, including The Cenacolo Award (2000) for Publishing and Multimedia Innovation and The Andersen Prize (2001) as the Personality of The Year. GERONIMO'S MY FIRST INTERNET MANUAL won the International Children's e-book Award in 2002 and this year was honored at the Italian Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards in the best book category.
Atlantyca Ent. was established in September 2006, a result of the worldwide publishing success of celebrated kids book series GERONIMO STILTON
Taffy Ent. (www.TaffyEntertainment.com) is a leading worldwide distribution, brand management and entertainment company representing brands from some of the largest animation producers across the globe. This includes Mike Young Prods.; MoonScoop Prods. and select properties from third parties.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
