Endemol - Press Release "Lillebi"
London: June 2011
ENDEMOL STRIKES INTERNATIONAL LICENSING DEAL FOR BELOVED GERMAN BRAND ‘LILLEBI’
· Lillebi was created by renowned German Artist Steinbeck and launched in 2004
· Today the IP has more than 40 partners covering an extensive portfolio of products in
Germany
· Endemol Worldwide Brands aims to build on this success and grow Lillebi into a global
kids brand with mass market appeal
Endemol, a world leader in entertainment programming, today announced it has secured a international licensing deal for the leading German kids brand Lillebi.
Created by renowned German artist Steinbeck and his team from Creativ Entwicklungs GmbH, Lillebi is a print-led property based on drawings and stories of a loveable young mouse and his friends.
The brand, which is targeted at girls up to eight years old, launched in 2004 in Germany and today has more than 40 partners covering an impressive and varied portfolio of products from clothing to gifting and publishing.
Global division Endemol Worldwide Brands (“EWB”) aims to build on this success by securing strategic deals to grow Lillebi into a multi faceted kid’s licensing property with mass market appeal.
EWB will pursue a multi-platform licensing program with brand extensions targeting numerous core categories including toys & games, gifting & merchandising, stationery, publishing, mobile & smartphones and promotions.
In the UK, EWB is looking to further promote Lillebi by securing a major high-street retailer for a direct to retail license. Similar strategies will be adopted in the CEE markets.
Olivier Gers, CEO of EWB comments: “Lillebi offers a variety of delightful characters and engaging narratives, whilst also promoting positive values for children and adults. It is an extremely strong property that can easily replicate its success in Germany across the major markets around the world. We believe it has the potential to become a major worldwide kids brand. This is a good example of Endemol’s global network that allows us to spot a major property in one market and help roll it out internationally”
Peter Steinbeck, Managing Director of license owner CREATIV-Entwicklungs GmbH adds; "We are very happy to have found an international partner like Endemol, who are able to roll out our brand pan-European and across many categories and media platforms."
For more information:
Rae Langford
tel: +44 (0) 208 222 4176
rae.langford(at)endemoluk.com
ABOUT ENDEMOL
Endemol is a global leader in entertainment programming and the largest independent television production company in the world.
Endemol was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It comprises a global network of over 80 companies in 31 countries.
Each year the company produces more than 10,000 hours of programming and partners with over 300 broadcasters and licensees worldwide. Endemol is also one of the largest independent distributors of formats and finished programming in the world, with a growing library of over 2,300 formats and more than 24,000 hours of content across genres, including entertainment, reality TV, game shows, comedy, drama, docu-dramas, animation, features and feature films.
Endemol’s credits include international blockbusters such as Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, 1 vs. 100, StarAcademy, Wipeout and The Money Drop. Its growing drama portfolio includes Hot in Cleveland, Hell on Wheels, Home and Away, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Rush and Nini.
Endemol has a growing Sports business, including live coverage, channel management; entertainment programming, documentaries, films and live events.
Endemol is owned by Goldman Sachs, Mediacinco and Cyrte, which acquired the company in May 2007.
