Popular internet music character Gummybear has become a hot property for licensing due to a TV commercial

Gummybear is a very popular internet character with music singles and albums, who has enjoyed tens of millions of views on YouTube and is now the most popular character in Greece, following a TV advertising campaign by salami product company Ifantis. Ifantis adapted the internet animation for the song ‘I Am A Gummybear’, to promote its processed meat product and the colourful video and catchy tune have captured the imaginations of Greeks.

Universal Music is responsible for distribution of music and DVDs in Greece and has enjoyed a massive sales success, with over 300,000 units to date and still going strong – a huge number in the Greek market, where a record qualifies for platinum status at just 6,000 sales.

Gummybear character costumes manufactured by UK-based Rainbow Productions have been appearing on Greek television shows and at live events in shopping malls.

AT New Media is the exclusive licensing agent for Gummybear in the European Union. The company’s AT Merchandise division is well-known for managing the worldwide licensing programme for Crazy Frog. Similar to Gummybear, Crazy Frog was a popular internet animation made popular through television advertising by mobile phone content company Jamster, which led to great licensing success.

Exceptionally high levels of interest in Gummybear from licensees and retailers in Greece will lead to multiple agreements being concluded and products launched throughout 2010.

Gummybear is trade marked as Gummibär, due to the unrelated confectionery brand of the same name.

“The huge success in Greece proves to companies there and in other countries that Gummybear deserves serious consideration for licensing,” says Paul Comben, Director of AT New Media, “We will be inviting advertisers of family food products to borrow the same formula and we will be urging merchandise licensees and retailers to capitalize upon the character’s online and offline popularity.”

The Ifantis advertisement can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRVHPLupGCE