Nick Consumer Products Canada To Represent Viacom In The Region

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgPress Release from Nickelodeon Consumer Products

TORONTO/LONDON/NYC, 24 August 2011 - Nickelodeon Consumer Products (NCP), a division of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) today announced plans to take its Canadian licensing and merchandising business in-house as of 1 October 2011.  NCP Canada's Toronto based office, led by Tanya Visano, Senior Director, NCP Canada, will exclusively represent VIMN's portfolio of properties and brands which include Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central and manage all operations and retail and licensee relationships for NCP. The news was announced by Michael Connolly, Senior Vice President of Consumer Products for VIMN.

"VIMN's business and brand portfolio in Canada has grown exponentially since we launched our first licensing program a little more than a decade ago and now encompasses two 24-hour dedicated channel services with our Canadian broadcast partners, multiple digital platforms and mass awareness of our brands and properties," commented Connolly.  "Moving from an agent to in-house representation model is optimal for our continued growth in the region and, combined with our global scale, we are able to offer even deeper value to our Canadian partners."

NCP Canada will focus on driving NCP's strategic priorities around their Something for Everyone portfolio, including innovative and enhanced retail partnerships, holistic franchise and category management with first in class operational support and product development.   Visano and her expanding team of marketing and licensing professionals, who include Jeremy Potvin (Director, Softlines), Jean Brozny (Senior Manager, Marketing and Brand Management), Daniel Christamtsis (Senior Manager, Hardlines), and Matthew Spataro (Coordinator, Retail Marketing), are based in Toronto at the offices of VIMN’s Canadian subsidiary, MTV Networks Canada, ULC.

Visano added, "We are very excited about NCP's expanding efforts in Canada and the great potential around our Something for Everyone portfolio.  Our team will focus on deepening partner relationships through value added solutions and product innovation that will deliver increased sales and impactful retail merchandising."

NCP Something for Everyone portfolio spans every demo across pre-school, kids, tweens, teens and adult.  Nickelodeon's evergreens' Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants feature newly integrated marketing campaigns and high quality product designs.  Nick's robust content pipeline keeps delivering the hits such as Victorious (currently broadcasting on YTV) which debuts at Walmart in Canada this summer for Back-to-School. Adult offerings around Comedy Central's South Park, now entering its 15th season and MTV's The Jersey Shore reflect NCP's scope as a true one-stop-shop for partners.

Visano will coordinate operational transition from agent to in-house and is responsible for all day to day NCP business.

NCP’s move to direct representation in Canada will be managed out of VIMN’s Canadian subsidiary, MTV Networks Canada, ULC.

About Nickelodeon Consumer Products: Owned by global multimedia entertainment company Viacom, Nickelodeon Consumer Products manages the world's leading TV-led licensing business and handles the merchandising for powerhouse brands Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central.  With major strengths in animation, pre-school, student and youth oriented licenses, Nickelodeon Consumer Products is dedicated to exploiting the licensing and merchandising rights to some of the world's most powerful TV and entertainment properties including Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants.

About Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN):
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN): Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is  comprised of many of the world's most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, non-premium Paramount branded channels, VH1, VIVA, MTVNHD, Tr3s: MTV, Musicá y Mas, TMF (The Music Factory), COLORS and Game One. Viacom brands are seen globally in more than 600 million households in 160 territories and 34 languages via 166 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital media properties. VIMN's diverse holdings also include interests in television syndication, publishing, home video and licensing & merchandising.