Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP) has named Fisher-Price Inc., the number one infant and preschool toy company in the world, as master toy licensee for the new PBS KIDS preschool series ITS A BIG BIG WORLD. The series engages children with a diverse group of animal characters, world music rhythms and a multi-level, age-appropriate science and geography curriculum. The licensing agreement between SPCP and Fisher-Price will bring the lessons taught in ITS A BIG BIG WORLD to life with a full line of toys and plush.
We are delighted about our partnership with Fisher Price as they are the premiere toy company in the preschool market, said Juli Boylan, svp, Sony Pictures Consumer Products. ITS A BIG BIG WORLD is a big initiative for us and having A-players on board is key to the success of our merchandising program.
Fisher-Price plans on producing a full line of ITS A BIG BIG WORLD toys including feature plush, figures, playsets, tub toys, puzzles, games and more. Product will hit retail the fall 2007.
Fisher-Price is pleased to be working with Sony Pictures Consumer Products as the master toy licensee for ITS A BIG BIG WORLD, says David Allmark, gm, Fisher-Price Friends. The show is so unique and visually stimulating with loveable characters like Snook, Smooch and Winslow, it provides us with a wonderful platform to develop an exceptional line of toys for preschoolers.
ITS A BIG BIG WORLD, created and produced by Mitchell Kriegman (BEAR IN THE BIG BLUE HOUSE, CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL) debuted January 2006 and is airing mornings, Monday Friday on PBS KIDS. In its premiere month on PBS KIDS, the series ranked in the top 10 among kids 2-5 and moms.
The series is produced in Shadowmation, a technique that combines puppetry, animatronics and computer generated animation to create a uniquely rich world of characters and environments.
Set in a lush rainforest, the World Tree is home to the animals and is the shows metaphor for the world as a whole. From a distance, this tree looks just like any enormous tree, full of branches and leaves, but when viewed closer, the real complexity of life in the World Tree begins to reveal itself. Teeming with tree houses and habitats perfect for all of the different animals that live there, it has seemingly endless levels, and lots of nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered.
Snook, an energetic giant sloth, is the host and guide through this new world. His friends in the World Tree are a whimsical group of animals as diverse and distinctive as the global community they represent. Each character has a unique perspective and scientific approach to situations, giving children great models for their own investigations.
Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. The company has a 75-year legacy of toys that enhance early childhood development. For more information, visit www.fisher-price.com.
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a Division of Columbia Tristar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
