We ask svp global licensing, Marie-Laure Marchand about the company’s BLE plans.
The Source highlights a selection of the first time exhibitors and newcomers who will be on the show floor at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe.
Today: Xilam Animation (stand E105)
Can you sum up your company and what you do in one handy paragraph?
Xilam is one of Europe’s leading animation companies, producing and distributing original children’s and family entertainment content in both 2D and CGI formats across TV, film and digital media platforms. The company was created in 1995 by Marc du Pontavice and we now have a catalogue of more than 2,000 animated episodes and three feature films including strong brands such as Oggy & the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko, Rolling with the Ronks and our first preschool property, Paprika which we will be bringing to BLE next week.
Our properties broadcast in over 160 countries on all the major global children’s TV networks and are also breaking records on all the major digital platforms, including YouTube with over 250 million views per month. We have four studios located in Paris, Lyon, Angoulême and Hô-Chi-Minh Ville in Vietnam. The time is now right for the business to expand its consumer products business and expand its brand identity direct with consumers and its many fans worldwide.
Why did you decide to exhibit at BLE this year?
BLE is the perfect industry trade show for us to showcase the great content within our portfolio and demonstrate that we are a growing business with properties that have global appeal. Expanding our consumer products ranges across key high-performing series is a natural next step in enhancing direct engagement with the children.
For our flagship property Oggy & the Cockroaches we are producing three new seasons in 4K which will take the total number of series to seven. Oggy is a much loved brand with slapstick humour that has global appeal and the next season will launch in Fall ’17, making BLE the perfect debut market. In addition to this we are also launching our first preschool comedy, Paprika, next year and bringing this property to BLE for the same reasons. We have much more than these two properties to shout about but it’s important we build our licensing proposition successfully and secure the right partners to demonstrate our knowledge and expertise in brand extensions.
What will you be showcasing on your stand (properties, actual product, etc) and what kind of visitors will you be looking to attract (retailers, licensees)?
The prime focus for us at BLE will be on Oggy & the Cockroaches and we already have successful licensing activities in South East Asia and Italy. Oggy is a fun, non-dialogued slapstick comedy and is seeing tremendous success on a number of digital platforms such as Netflix, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube where we will have reached four billion cumulative viewers by the end of this year, plus we also have more than 160 broadcasters airing the show regularly.
Along with our new productions in 2017, our goal is to establish the Oggy licensing programme across EMEA and build on the current lines in Italy. Historically, Oggy has been very successful in France and we trust that with the support of Gulli and Canal J, our broadcasters, 2017 will boost the re-launch of the iconic brand and we can welcome new French licensees. We head to BLE looking for a master toy partner as well as publishers, a new media licensee to create mobile games, back-to-school, apparel and promotional licensees – these are our key priorities for Oggy in EMEA. We are also hoping to find licensing agents for Benelux, Germany, CEE and Middle-East – and would welcome any potential partners to visit our stand.
Secondly, we will be introducing Paprika to our rep agents and licensees and hope to engage interest from a European master toy partner, as well as publishers. We will also be pitching this brand to European licensing agents.
What are you most looking forward to about BLE?
I’m looking forward to meeting potential licensees and agents for both Season 5 of Oggy and our new brand, Paprika. I can’t wait to unveil trailers of both properties, which will be delivered straight from our edit suites in Paris, especially for the show.
What would you most like to achieve by exhibiting at BLE this year?
I would be absolutely delighted if I could leave BLE with some major deals secured by the end of the show, which I can then take to MIPCOM and share with our broadcast partners to demonstrate the growth of the brands.
Brand Licensing Europe runs from October 11-13 at London’s Olympia. Head to the official website – www.brandlicensing.eu – to find out more and to register to attend.
