4Kids Entertainment International Ltd. appoints CTM to Market Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s in Germany

4Kids Entertainment International Ltd. has appointed Munich-based CTM Concept-TV & Merchandising GmbH as licensing agent in Germany for 4Kids’ hit property Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s is the latest series in the hugely successful Yu-Gi-Oh! kids’ franchise. Over 18.1 billion Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards have been sold. The cards have been translated into seven languages and sold in 51 countries worldwide. Approximately six million 6-8 year olds collect and play the trading card game across the globe.

The latest series features new duelists, vehicles (called Duel Runners), competition and challenges. Domino City has been transformed into a futuristic metropolis where duelists battle it out in high-octane contests called Turbo Duels. In this environment, the winners and losers are no longer etermined only by skill and strength, but also by speed.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s launched on RTL2 in Germany in March 2009 and initial ratings for the show have been strong. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds has averaged an 19.5% market share for kids ages 6-13, and an impressive 33% market share for boys ages 6-13. The 5D’s trading card game launched in Germany in August 2008. 5D’s toys, which will be distributed by Upper Deck, are scheduled to be available in September 2009 at outlets including Kaufhof, Karstadt, Toys“R“Us, Vedes, Müller, Duo Schreib & Spiel, Idee und Spiel, Metro Real and Spiele Max,, and on the web at amazon.de.

CTM Concept-TV & Merchandising GmbH will work with 4Kids to further develop the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s licensing programme throughout Germany.

CTM Concept-TV & Merchandising GmbH, a subsidiary of the media group TMG, has handled licensing campaigns for global characters and brands since 1995. CTM specialises in launching custom-designed 360° cross-media and cross-marketing campaigns and promotions. CTM currently represents the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX property in Germany.

“CTM spearheaded and continues to run a successful licensing campaign for Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, in Germany” said Sandra Vauthier-Cellier, Managing Director of 4Kids Entertainment International Ltd. “We are confident that CTM will create and implement a strong licensing program for what is already proving to be an incredibly popular brand in Germany.”