Author: Bighnesh Mahapatra

Hit boys’ action-adventure series, Matt Hatter Chronicles is set to take India by storm this Summer with its cutting-edge CGI animation and high-energy merchandise launch. Some of the most innovative companies in the licensing and broadcast industry have joined forces to bring the breakthrough boy’s property to the Indian market; leading UK production company and licensor, Platinum Films; India’s No1 kids television channel, Cartoon Network; global toy experts The Simba Dickie Group and premier licensing agency Dream Theatre. Together they plan to win the hearts of young Hatter Fans in India and drive the Matt Hatter brand to new heights.

The popular TV series charts the adventures of Matt Hatter, an ordinary boy who discovers that his family defends a gateway to a secret dimension called the Multiverse. In a quest to protect the Multiverse, Matt must become the next Hatter Hero and with the help of best friends Roxie and Gomez, battle and capture fearsome Super Villains from movie, myth and legend. Matt Hatter Chronicles’ mini-movie format pays homage to the very best family adventure films and promises kids a visual treat with every episode with its distinct 3D animation technique known as ‘Multivision’. Multivision delivers an unforgettable, immersive 3D viewing experience for kids without the need to wear 3D glasses.

Platinum Films’, Founder and Chief Executive, Nigel Stone is understandably excited about the Indian launch and is working closely with the teams to ensure its success. He said, “India has emerged as a key market for Platinum Film‟s international TV profile and flourishing consumer products programme and the region has also become an integral part of Platinum‟s production business with Xentrix Studios in Bangalore animating the brand new third season. We are delighted to be working with such stellar partners in India and we look forward to establishing „Matt Hatter‟ as the „must-have‟ boy‟s brand in India.”

In a three season deal, Cartoon Network premiered Matt Hatter Chronicles on the 19th of May airing at 5.00pm Monday-Friday. The show will also be telecast in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Cartoon Network is upbeat about the show joining its successful repertoire. Krishna Desai, Executive Director & Network Head – Kids, South Asia, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. says – “We at Turner are committed to bring the best and most popular content for our Indian viewers from across the globe. Matt Hatter is a very popular TV series and we are very excited to showcase it in the Indian sub-continent. This series has been the part of our special summer programming line-up for the kids and we are getting an encouraging response for the show.”

The Licensing and Merchandising charge is led by Dream Theatre, India’s leading licensing agency. Dream Theatre will manage and execute a multi-category licensing programme with retail tie-ups, cross category promotions and a 360 degree consumer marketing for the franchise. Founder and CEO, Jiggy George says, “Matt Hatter is a unique proposition for us, a programme that combines an innovative TV viewing experience with products that are reflective of new age technology – it‟s a new way of connecting with the tech- friendly kids of today and delighting them. We are really excited about the show and its products and strongly believe it will be one of the biggest success stories for India.”

Simba Dickie Group, Master Toy Licensee (EMEA, Russia and India) will be launching the toy range in August 2014, followed by new additions in October 2014, in line with the Autumn Winter festive season and the debut of the new Season 3. The toy range is reflective of the show’s DNA with Hero Hatter

Tech, 3D Multivision features and inter locking SKUs. The range will comprise action figures, vehicles, role play sets and have interactivity, play-power and collectability at its core. The toys will be available across all key retail chains, toy stores and online. Shree Narayan Sabharwal, Business Head of Simba India comments about the Matt Hatter Chronicles range and its India launch, “Simba India recognizes that the Indian customer is constantly evolving and hence partnerships like these help us meet the needs of this customer. Simba has a strong retail presence across the country and we look forward to making this unique range of Matt Hatter toys available to our young audience.”

About Matt Hatter Chronicles

The series charts the adventures of Matt Hatter, a 13 year old schoolboy whose life is changed forever when he discovers his family defends a gateway to a different dimension called the Multiverse. In a quest to protect the Multiverse and save his grandpa, Matt and his two best friends Roxie and Gomez, have to defeat and capture a powerful mix of infamous villains from movies, myth and legend.

Produced by Platinum Films and Toronto-based Dream Mill Inc Matt Hatter Chronicles combines cutting-edge animation, explosive story-telling inspired by movie classics, buddy humour and smart digital content, to create a contemporary brand with enduring appeal.

www.matthatter.com

About Platinum Films Limited

Platinum Films is an independent film and children’s television production company based at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire. The company develops, produces and distributes children’s programming throughout the world and is recognised for its innovative, popular and commercial entertainment brands.

In addition to MATT HATTER CHRONICLES, Platinum Films’ catalogue includes BAFTA nominated preschool series DREAM STREET (65 x 10’) and the popular kid’s cooking adventure format, PLANET COOK (104 x 20’).

About Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd

Dream Theatre is a brand management and licensing agency that creates and manages iconic brands in the kids and youth space in South Asia. Dream Theatre represents Warner Bros. Consumer Products for core portfolios of Promotional Licensing, Food and Beverages and Personal Care. In addition, for all licensing categories and portfolios, Dream Theatre represents Rovio for Angry Birds, DreamWorks Animation, World Wrestling Entertainment, Sanrio for Mr. Men Little Miss and Hello Kitty, FIFA 2014, Real Madrid and Arsenal Football Clubs among others. For further information, please visit the website:

www.dreamtheatre.co

For further information, please contact Dream Theatre: Susmita Singh Deo | susmitasinghdeo@dream-theatre.co.in | +91 98206 12415

About Cartoon Network India

ABOUT CARTOON NETWORK INDIA

Launched in India in 1995, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s (TBS) Cartoon Network is the leading kids’ entertainment channel in India. Drawing from the world’s largest cartoon library of Warner Bros., MGM and Hanna-Barbera titles, the Network also showcases original series including the Ben 10 franchise, Adventure Time and The Amazing World of Gumball. Cartoon Network is currently available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages. Recognized as the resident kids’ expert with a 360-degree presence through successful on-air and online presence, ground-events, promotional licensing, product licensing, publishing and DVDs.

www.cartoonnetworkindia.com is India’s leading destination for kids’ online entertainment attracting close to 5.6 million page views. Kids can find the largest selection of cartoon character based games, video on demand, and a community site featuring personalized avatars and message boards. (*Source: Omniture Site Catalyst, October 2013).

ABOUT TURNER INTERNATIONAL INDIA PVT. LTD.

A division of Time Warner, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. is the arm of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. that creates and manages the sales, distribution, marketing of Turner’s news and entertainment brands in India and South Asia region including CNN International, Cartoon Network, POGO and WB. The company also manages advertising sales and distribution for HBO and distribution for HBO Defined and HBO Hits in India.

About Simba Toys

In 1982 Fritz Sieber founded the firm Simba Toys with his son Michael and 5 members of staff. Their core values responsibility, reliability, innovation, quality and service ensured that the small family business became what is today the SIMBA DICKIE GROUP, which employs some 3,700 staff in 30 countries around the globe. In addition to these, there are several thousand employees in joint venture companies. SimbaToys brings together a whole host of brands and thus covers a broad spectrum of playing fields including 6000+ SKU’s. One of the key advantages that Simba Toys offers to both trade partners and consumers is the consistent division of its extensive product range into clearly positioned product lines: for example, the littlest ones can discover the world with Simba Baby, Simba dolls make little girls’ dreams come true and Simba Art & Fun brings creative development into play. Product managers and international designers are constantly working on the product ranges to make sure that all of the toys are always tailored precisely to children’s needs. Simba uses the latest manufacturing techniques in their factories both in and beyond Germany. This, along with innovative design, guarantees that their toy range is second to none for durability and safety.

Now, India’s love of Candy Crush Saga will be just as sweet and a little more chic! Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd., one of the pioneering brand management and licensing agencies in India, has secured licensing and merchandising rights for Candy Crush Saga in India, the cross-platform game created by King Digital Entertainment, a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world.

Candy Crush Saga is a match three-puzzle game that was launched in 2012 for Facebook, and later as a mobile app for smart phones. While it has remained one of the top grossing games in the chart, it’s recently launched sister title Candy Crush Soda Saga is also hugely popular. Together, they draw around 91 million players every day*. In order to leverage it’s unmatched following, Dream Theatre will help King to build its licensing programme for the emerging market of South Asia. It will build a varied portfolio of designer apparel, accessories, handbags, shoes and home furnishings.

Talking about the partnership, Jiggy George, Founder & CEO, Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd., said, “The Candy Crush phenomenon has captured the imagination of people worldwide, and has a significant audience in India. As licensing content from the digital world is an expanding trend, we are very excited to work with King to help it to build its licensing business for Candy Crush in India. Our rollout will aim to leverage the infectious energy of this brand as we take it out of the gaming arena into homes of fans.”

ClaesKalborg, Licensing Guru, King Digital Entertainment, added, “We continue to grow our licensing network across the globe and are pleased to announce we’ll be working alongside top licensing agents like Dream Theatre. We’re confident that their strong relationships within India, combined with the fun and colourful design elements of the Candy Crush brand, will translate into an offering of consumer products that our players will love.”

Dream Theatre is collaborating with and seeking licensees across categories likeyoung adult apparel, gadget accessories, fashion accessories, candy, gifts & novelties. The products will be rolled out in 2015.

About Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd.

Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd is a Brand management company that builds, represents and distributes iconic Entertainment, Sports and Fashion brands in South Asia. Dream Theatre owns brands like Beebop and Joshua Tree. On the Entertainment space, they represent: Rovio for Angry Birds, DreamWorks Animation, Discovery, Krrish 3, Pokemon and , and World Wrestling Entertainment.

On the Sports space they represent: AC Milan, Arsenal, FIFA World Cup Brasil and Real Madrid FC On the Fashion and Lifestyle space they represent: Sanrio (Hello Kitty and Mr.Men and Little Miss), Times of India and Von Dutch.

About King Digital Entertainment PLC

King Digital Entertainment PLC (NYSE: KING) is a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world. It has a network of 356 million monthly unique users as of fourth quarter 2014, and offers more than 195 exclusive games in over 200 countries and regions through its king.com and royalgames.com websites, Facebook, and mobile distribution platforms such as the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and Amazon Appstore. King has game studios in Stockholm, Bucharest, Malmo, London, Barcelona, Berlin and Singapore along with offices in San Francisco, Malta, Seoul, Tokyo and Shanghai.

Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, who launched the official merchandise of ‘Krrish 3’ here today, said he wants to take the franchise across the age groups.

Rakesh and his son actor Hrithik Roshan launched the official ‘Krrish’ 3 merchandise.

The ‘Krrish 3’ collection includes action figures of Krrish, Kaal and Kaya, kids apparel, school supplies, impulse toys such as frisbees and Yo-Yos, skates and etc.

“With the launch of such a huge collection, we want to take ‘Krrish 3’ beyond screens... Into the lives of fans across the globe,” Rakesh Roshan said.

More than 150 products will be available in over 5,000 stores. Their prices begin from Rs 99 and go up to Rs 3,499.

“When I was a kid I used to play with pen and pencil and gave them the superhero status. I think with this merchandise we are doing a service to the children of the world,” Hrithik said.

‘Krrish 3’ is the superhero franchise that stars Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut besides Hrithik. The film will release next month.

Thinking what to gift your child on Christmas? Think no more as an exciting range of T-shirts, bags and more is coming to the stores near to you. The deal for the products have been put together by Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd., a premier Indian licensing firm with rights to represent some of the most iconic brands in the world like Angry Birds, FIFA, WWE, DreamWorks among others.

This Christmas bring your favorite Angry Bird home with new collection of t-shirts, bags and toys. The t-shirts are for both girls and boys and will come in an eye pleasing color range. The game that became immensely popular with its comical wingless colorful birds is one of the most successful licensing programs to hit India. It is bound to be a definite success with adults and children alike.

Who can forget the sweet but lethal Kung Fu panda? In honor of bears and momo’s bring the oriental panda printed on a t-shirt for your child. Or you can bring Alex, the lion and Marty the Zebra from Madagascar home and let your young ones play with their jungle friends, who are plush toys of course.

A Power Ranger coloring set is also an option that you can explore as a perfect gift for your child. The American power heroes can now be a part of your child’s dailyplay.An excitingrange,with crayons, water colors which will be much appreciated by your creative loving kid.

These exclusive ranges of products are available at more than 175 large format stores across India. Those who prefer shopping on the web also have a reason to cheer.

Parle Products, India’s largest biscuit, confectionery and snack manufacturer has recently partnered with the international entertainment company, Rovio Entertainment Ltd. With this Parle’s Wafers alliance Parle Products becomes the first fast-moving consumer goods company in India to tie up with Rovio.

As part of the tie-up the company will launch a marketing campaign to promote the offer on multiple platforms. The campaign will kick start with the release of a co-branded TV commercial. The activity will have attractive Angry Birds trading cards with every pack of Parle Wafers. The cards will be available in three kinds – Regular, Silver Foil and Golden Foil; and will be given away with packs of Parle Wafers at Rs. 5, Rs. 10 and Rs. 20 respectively. To delight more Angry Birds fans, Parle has come up with an exciting redemption offer, wherein on exchanging a certain number of redemption coupons, consumer gets assured gifts.

Along with this, Parle Wafers will add two new flavors, Piri Piri and Khatta Meetha to its current portfolio. Piri Piri is a spicy South African seasoning, while Khatta Meetha as the name suggests is sour and sweet and is being used in India for the first time in the wafers category. The portfolio currently includes Tangy Tomato, Cream and Onion, Classic Salted, Masala Masti, Red Chilli Achaar and Aloo Chaat.

Commenting on this association, Krishna Rao, Group Product Manager, Parle Products said, “Angry Birds is very popular worldwide, having a lot fans amongst the kids and youth in India. Angry Birds is famous across all platforms and has a mass appeal widely. Within this popularity we have associated with Rovio wherein we have come up with a consumer offer of providing Angry Birds trading cards to the prospects.”

He further added, “To tap on the growing potential of the snack market, we have added two new flavors, Piri Piri and Khatta Meetha. The snack market in India is growing fast and we look forward to be in part of the business year with the new Angry Birds products.”

The association is in collaboration with Dream Theatre, Rovio’s licensing agency in India. Jiggy George, Founder and CEO, Dream Theatre says: “We are excited by this association as we can bring more delightful Angry Birds products to the market in India to drive excitement and connect with consumers at multiple levels.”

Parle Products entered into the snacks market in the year 2008 and currently have Parle Wafers, Parle Full Toss and Parle Namkeen in the category. Parle Namkeen was launched in the year 2011 and is now available across India.

The Angry Birds bug just bit a range of funky and colourful bicycles, meant for junior riders.

The exclusive range of bicycles and assorted accessories, brought in by LA Sovereign Bicycles Pvt. Ltd. and put together by Indian firm Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd., are trendy with bold graphics.

“It is a pleasure to bring in this exciting range of Angry Birds bicycles to scores of young fans. With outdoor activities gaining importance, these branded bicycles featuring the much-loved birds will surely encourage kids to hit the road,” Jiggy George, founder and CEO of Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd., said in a statement.

Available in 40 cities across India, the zippy two-wheelers are available in three distinctive models — Angry Birds Kids 16-inch, Angry Birds Kids 20-inch and Angry Birds Kids 20-inch Suspension. These are priced at Rs.5,100, Rs.5,600 and Rs.6,150, respectively.

Also available are a fun range of branded Angry Birds bicycle accessories like saddles, backrest pads, stylish bells and horns and training wheels.

Angry Birds started in 2009 as an original mobile game. It has expanded rapidly into entertainment, publishing, and licensing to become an international brand.

The simple and casual gameplay involves the use of a slingshot by the players to launch birds at green pigs in an attempt to get their eggs back.

Experience the joy of speed this monsoon season, with a unique range of merchandise featuring the adorable stars of DreamWorks Animations new animated 3D film, Turbo. Facilitated by Mumbai-based licensing firm, Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd, the official range of merchandise consists of refreshingly distinctive umbrellas featuring the charming snails at Rs 425, 475 and 595 along with addictively collectible figurines at Rs 399.

Released on Friday 19th July 2013 in India, the high-velocity film Turbo tells the tale of an underdog snail with an impossible dream of winning the coveted Indy 500. After he miraculously attains the power of super speed through a freak accident, Turbo begins his journey, during which he meets new friends, a crew of streetwise, tricked out snails. Through them, he learns an important lesson that no one succeeds on their own, putting everything on the line to help achieve his friends’ dreams before achieving his own.

Jiggy George, Founder & CEO of Dream Theatre comments, “DreamWorks Animation is synonymous with original storytelling, memorable characters, stunning visuals and entertainment for all. The latest release ‘Turbo’ reflects all of these attributes while lending a unique ‘collectability’ factor to the merchandise, which includes umbrellas and figurines. I am sure kids will fall in love with Turbo and his motley crew of snails.”

Turbo merchandise will be available across India in stores such as Crosswords, Hamleys, Landmark, Hypercity, Mom & Me, among others. Upcoming merchandise includes Turbo sling bags, pencil pouches and stationery which will hit retail stores by August end.

Both entities have come together to launch a series of educational initiatives aimed at de-mystifying science in everyday life. It has been facilitated by licensing firm Dream Theatre

ScienceAdda Learning Innovations, a Bangalore-based venture, has signed a licensing agreement with Discovery Kids, operated by Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, to build an experiential learning platform through educational pavilions and travelling road shows for children. This is a first-ever tie-up of its kind, with both entities coming together to launch a series of educational initiatives aimed at de-mystifying science in everyday life.

Facilitated by Mumbai-based licensing firm Dream Theatre, this association seeks to create a new avenue for children to experience science through a hands-on- minds-on approach.

The Discovery Kids-ScienceAdda modules will use simple experiments to explain how science comes into play in everyday life. With a primary target audience of 7- to 15-year-olds, Discovery Kids-ScienceAdda Pavilions are built as suitcase model that take learning science right up to the customer’s doorstep. The objective is to experience science in a story telling format whereby children will be able to relate to real life scenarios. The initiative will allow kids to explore scientific themes like Sound, Light, Water, etc., in a fun way through audiovisuals and experiences. In simple terms, the mantra is ‘Hands On = Minds On’. Branded merchandise will also be sold at the pavilions.

The Discovery Kids–ScienceAdda collaboration will also launch Hobby Kits, which engage children through Do-It-Yourself Kits (available with a one-year subscription), group assignments and participation in science competitions. Another extension to the venture are the Science Conclaves which are aimed at bringing science teachers, researchers and students onto a common platform for interactions to aid a better understanding of science.

Rahul Johri, Senior VP and General Manager, South Asia, and Head of Revenue, Pan Regional Ad Sales & Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, said, “We are pleased to be in partnership with ScienceAdda to bring scientific exploration to kids in a hands-on and playful way. Discovery Kids and ScienceAdda will offer child-intuitive learning experiences across the country. The venture fits in very well with the Discovery Kids’ Ignite Your Imagination positioning.”

Kumar Nagaraja, Founder Promoter & CEO, ScienceAdda Learning Innovations, stated, “ScienceAdda has been passionate about bringing in Science Experiential Learning to children. We believe Discovery Kids shares the same passion and this partnership will allow us to touch children’s lives across the country.”

This tie-up is yet another unique association helmed by Dream Theatre, and Jiggy George, Founder and CEO, commented, “We are proud to be the connecting link between Discovery Kids &ScienceAdda. I believe that if children are given a fun-based platform to education, the joy of learning and the depth of comprehension scales unbelievable heights.  Who knows, we could be nurturing India’s next big scientists!”

~ Dream Theatre brings the magic of Angry Birds, Kung Fu Panda, and more ~

Bringing joy while battling the weather gods this monsoon season are spunky umbrellas that bear images of global cultural phenomenons such as Angry Birds, Madagascar, Shrek and more. 

Dream Theatre Pvt Ltd, a premier Indian licensing firm with rights to represent some of the most iconic brands in the world like Angry Birds, FIFA, Power Rangers Samurai, WWE among others, in association with their licensee Swadesh Essfil Pvt Ltd, now brings you branded umbrellas. Featuring the much loved Angry Birds, in their Classic and Space versions, the range finds a unique place at retail.

Adding variety to this season’s must-have accessory are the iconic characters from the Dreamworks stable which include Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek and more. While some of the visuals take over the entire umbrella dome, some others are interjected with bright & sunny colours, giving sheen to the collection

Available at over 2,500 key retail and standalone stores besides leading e-commerce portals, the umbrellas cost upwards of Rs 425.

Mr. Jiggy George, Founder & CEO of Dream Theatre comments, “We are thrilled to present this range of unique, vibrant umbrellas featuring Angry Birds & the Dreamworks stars which also include Turbo, the latest animated movie releasing this July. The umbrellas are sure shot mood lifters, which one would love to show off, this monsoon season.”

With heavy showers lashing out across the country, the Angry Birds and Dreamworks umbrellas are surely going to make you walk down the lane with a happy refrain, singing in the rain.

About Dream Theatre:

Dream Theatre is a brand management and licensing agency that creates and manages iconic brands in the kids & youth space in South Asia. Dream Theatre represents Warner Bros. Consumer Products for core portfolios of Promotional Licensing, Food and Beverages and Personal Care. In addition, for all licensing categories and portfolios, Dream Theatre represents Rovio for Angry Birds, DreamWorks Animation, Noddy, Skelanimals, World Wrestling Entertainment, Saban Brands for Power Rangers Samurai, Sanrio for Mr. Men Little Miss and the Discovery Enterprises portfolio for Animal Planet, Discovery Kids, Discovery Channel, Discovery Expedition, LA Ink, Miami Ink and American Chopper. Dream Theatre’s latest forays are with fashion brands like Von Dutch, sports brands like FIFA & Indian superhero Krrish.