Expansion in China also boosted with new hires in eOne’s Hong Kong office.
eOne has welcomed Alpha Group on board as master toy partner for Peppa Pig in China, further fueling the preschool brand’s growth in the territory.
Plans are underway for the launch of a new core toy range including play-sets, figurines and role-play which will debut in the fourth quarter of 2018.
As part of its strategy, Alpha plans to offer multiple price points across the range to give consumers more choice and value for money.
Andrew Carley, evp global licensing, Family & Brands at eOne, commented: “Alpha’s leading position in the Chinese market, in addition to its industrial chain platform and diverse operational IP experience, will contribute greatly to the reach of Peppa Pig across a wider consumer spectrum and we’re delighted to have them on board.”
Kenny Cao, svp at Alpha Group, added: “More and more families in China have fallen in love with Peppa Pig. Such collaboration will enable both parties to make the most of resources for a mutually beneficial partnership.
“Alpha also aspires to enhance its competitiveness in the family entertainment field.”
The licensing programme in China for Peppa Pig now boasts over 45 partners.
Apparel, publishing, digital and confectionery categories are all reporting strong sales with over 40 million books sold since April 2016 and over seven million plush products sold to date.
In addition, three sets of Peppa Pig branded and animated emojis have been downloaded over 20 million times and shared more than 210 million times.
September will see the opening of Merlin Entertainments’ first Peppa Pig attraction in Shanghai. Alongside this, a new deal has been signed with Happy Kids Cultural Development for a Peppa Pig stage show that will tour the country over the next three years. A number of branded pop-up and mall events are also in the pipeline.
To manage this rapid growth, eOne has expanded its local team in the company’s Hong Kong office and has recently appointed Jennifer Pang as licensing director, Leo Tsoi as hardgoods manager, Joyce Lauw, as director of product development and Debra Ng as vp of marketing.
Peppa Pig debuted in China in June 2015 on national broadcaster CCTV. It is now also available on multiple leading VOD platforms including Youku, IQIYi and Tencent, where the series has now accumulated a staggering 45 billion cumulative views.
