Ink reveals details of a major Europe-wide toy deal for award-winning Russian animation ‘Masha and the Bear’ – with Simba Dickie coming on board as master toy licensee.
Ink has revealed details of a major Europe-wide toy deal for award-winning Russian animation Masha and the Bear – with Simba Dickie coming on board as master toy licensee.
Masha and the Bear chronicles the adventures of a little girl called Masha and the bear who becomes her reluctant playmate. Having established itself as the biggest brand and one of the most popular shows in Russia, Masha and the Bear is now going global and agreements are in place with major broadcasters across Europe and the rest of the world to screen this hilarious cartoon.
Simba Dickie is set to develop a huge range that includes plush, construction, wooden toys, summer toys, wheeled toys and arts and crafts. The new deal covers Eastern Europe, GAS, Iberia, the Nordics, Benelux, France, Italy, and the UK, with product set to launch from Q1 2015.
The agreement is one of the first steps in the global licensing program for Masha and the Bear. Ink is looking to replicate the success of the brand in the Russian market, where more than one hundred partners are in place, generating over 1000 individual SKUs across categories including publishing, puzzles, confectionery, home decorations, digital, and toys and fashion. Licensees include Russian companies and big international players such as Kinder, Egmont, Orkla and Ferrero.
“We are very excited having signed the licensing agreement for Masha and the Bear. It will make a fine addition to our portfolio,” says Werner Lenzner, Licensing & Strategic Development Manager at Simba Dickie Group.
Vladimir Gorbulya, Head of Licensing at Animaccord states “Due to Masha’s huge potential and Simba’s supreme abilities and resources, I have no doubt that this partnership will bring an interesting and promising synergy to the toy market.”
“We are delighted to have Simba Dickie on board and they will do a fantastic job. We have known Masha and the Bear is special from day one and are thrilled to work with a partner who shares our passion and vision,” says Ink Director Claus Tømming. “This and the other initial deals we are signing for Masha are indicative of the enormous potential of the brand globally -- it really is something magical and you just have to look at the success Masha has enjoyed in Russia to see how far it can go. The sky’s the limit with this property!”
Source: Ink
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
