Philadelphia, PA - June 11, 2012 - With demand by consumers for
product based on its original shows, 24-hour preschool television
channel Sprout is launching its licensing and merchandising
business. Starting this summer, new products will be
available based on the network's popular hit shows The Sunny Side
Up Show and Noodle and Doodle. In addition, Sprout is
preparing for the highly-anticipated debut of The Chica Show in
November with a collection of merchandise featuring the series'
eponymous chicken who rose to fame as the co-host of Sprout's The
Sunny Side Up Show, the only live program on television for
preschoolers.
After a very successful test of a limited-edition Chica plush on
Amazon.com last holiday season, Sprout saw demand for a larger
presence in the marketplace. The deals were announced today
by Jim Multari, vice president of marketing at Sprout, to coincide
with the International Licensing Expo June 12-14 in Las Vegas and
include: Fiesta - Chica plush, and NCircle - Noodle and Doodle
episodic DVDs.
"Based on feedback from our viewers seeking Sprout merchandise, the
network is excited to help fans find ways to enjoy our characters
beyond our television programs," said Multari. "The launch of our
licensing program is evidence of how consumers, manufacturers and
retailers are embracing the brand."
All of the products will be available at specialty retailers, as
well as ShopSprout.com, a destination launching this fall, where
fans can purchase products featuring their favorite Sprout
characters. Chica merchandise will be available beginning
this month with a 13-inch plush, soon followed by a 6-inch
plush. Additional Chica products, including plush backpacks,
will be available in early 2013. The Noodle and Doodle DVD is
available now with an additional release launching in
October. Sprout is also exploring other categories such as
e-books and apparel.
Sprout is among the fastest-growing linear networks in recent
history, now available in over 55 million U.S. homes.
Consumer acceptance of Sprout is evidenced by the strong
double-digit ratings increases (54% year-over-year among households
in May) its sixth consecutive month of year-over-year double-digit
growth. Over 20 million people watch Sprout each month on
average. With 821,000 registered users at Sprout Online and
over one billion VOD orders, consumer demand for Sprout on multiple
platforms is increasing.
About Sprout®
Available in over 50 million homes, Sprout is the first 24-hour
preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for
children ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers. The
24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along
with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that
follows the day of a preschooler from breakfast to bedtime with its
distinctive, interactive programming and original hosted
blocks. Sprout's VOD offering is the #1 on demand service for
younger children with over one billion views.
Sprout is a partnership among NBCUniversal, PBS, Sesame Workshop
and Apax Funds. Its program lineup of gold-standard,
curriculum-based preschool shows includes: Sesame Street®,
Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Caillou®,
Pajanimals™, Thomas & Friends™, LazyTown™, and more.
www.SproutOnline.com
www.facebook.com/Sprout
www.twitter.com/SproutTV
Source: Nielsen Media Research, Live+SD, 4/30/2012-5/27/2012;
average monthly reach for 2012 YTD. June UE based on Nielsen Media
Research, National MIT.
###
CONTACT
Jenni Glenn
Sprout
215-286-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com