Chorion has signed on new partners to build a comprehensive licensing and merchandising program to support the new daily animated television series THE MR. MEN SHOW, which debuts on Cartoon Network, Feb. 4th at 9:00 am. The new television series for kids 2-11 is based on the longtime favorite and best-selling MR. MEN and LITTLE MISS books, created in the 1970s by British author Roger Hargreaves. Since they were first introduced 35 years ago, the MR. MEN and LITTLE MISS series have sold in excess of 100 million books worldwide.
THE MR. MEN SHOW builds on the momentum already generated in the teen and young adult market by the classic MR. MEN and LITTLE MISS apparel and accessories lines. With the MR. MEN brand identity already established with consumers, the strong roster of licensees for the television show comes even before the show's Cartoon Network debut.
Collections of TV tie-in merchandise will be introduced to U.S. retailers beginning in early 2009 with offerings from Freeze, Armitron, ES Originals, Skechers, Briefly Stated, American Greetings and others. Toy rollout commences in Fall/Holiday 2009 with the first product introductions from master toy licensee Fisher Price.
Combining a classic mixture of physical humor and verbal wit, each episode of THE MR. MEN SHOW features two 11-minute episodes filled with comic elements ranging from long sketches to "Chaplin-style" interstitials, to music videos and dance interludes incorporated into retro-style animation. Each of the 25 characters in THE MR. MEN SHOW has an individual personality that comes into conflict with others in the quirky town of Dillydale. On the surface, Dillydale looks fully functional, but upon closer inspection it is a place ruled by wackiness.
The new TV show is created by Chorion's Executive Producers Diana Manson and Kurt Mueller and writers Eryk Casemiro and Kate Boutilier (RUGRATS, WILD THORNBERRIES, RUGRATS IN PARIS). The series is animated by Renegade Animation (HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI).
Chorion is a leading provider of family entertainment for the global marketplace. Chorion's portfolio includes classic children's brands such as NODDY, OLIVIA and THE WORLD OF ERIC CARLE, as well as the literary works of Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler and Georges Simenon, among others. Chorion has offices in London, New York, Tokyo and Sydney. For more information, visit www.chorion.co.uk.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
