New series for CBeebies and huge consumer anticipation

Octonauts, the latest pre-school brand from leading family entertainment producer, distributor and licensor, Chorion, is proving to be a major hit with audiences in the UK. Since launching on CBeebies in October 2010 in the premier 08:00 and 16.50 slots, the animated show has become a smash hit, attracting huge audiences and has quickly become a top-rated show for children aged 4-6 on the channel.* The show has been such a success for CBeebies that a second series has been ordered and is currently in development.

The show has also taken UK pre-schoolers and their parents by storm, triggering unprecedented consumer demand. Within only a few months on air, there is a huge hunger among children and their parents for Octonauts merchandise, and with Fisher Price’s new toy range scheduled for August 2011 in the UK, parents have taken to creating their own products. Forums across the country including the CBeebies website, You Tube and Facebook are filled with stories, blogs and pictures of parents creating their own Octonauts toys, games and cakes and other merchandise as well as uploads of kids enjoying the show.

Here are a few examples of quotes from parents awaiting the highly anticipated official product launch next year and pictures of their products:

• Congratulations on these wonderful characters and this wonderful show! Oliver is 4 and loves the Octonauts. I made him a Gup-A out of a plastic 2l bottle and a small desk fan and it's been surprisingly resilient. We also screened a shirt with a nod to British Sea Power's album and shirt designs.”
  UK Dad, source Facebook.
• “Shiver me whiskers, breakfast will never be the same again now I've made this Kwaziii egg cosy! Cpt Barnacles is next! Explore, rescue, protect.”
  UK Mum, source Facebook
• “I must say, this programme is a real winner. When it comes on my son jumps up and shouts the characters names along with the voiceover. He gets hugely excited about it and it’s one of those shows which I can find no fault with – educational, fun and cute all together.”
  UK Mum, source Twitter

Octonauts is now rolling out on broadcasters across the globe and Fisher Price, Chorion’s master toy partner, is launching its exciting new toy range in 2011. With an initial roll out in the UK in August, the line includes a range of figures, vehicles and playsets. Features include posable characters and colour change creatures, plus interactive GUP vehicles which propel in water or land, squirt water and chomp. The toy launch will be supported by a full season of heavyweight TV advertising, press and PR activity.

Publishers are already on board for complementary books including first to launch Simon and Schuster in Spring and Summer for the UK and Hachette Jeunesse for France

Bettina Koeckler, SVP Sales, EMEA at Chorion says: “We are thrilled by the response from children and parents to Octonauts. It has only been on air for a few months and already kids appear to have taken the show and its characters to heart. We are delighted that parents are already so supportive of the brand and anticipating the launch of the toys this year.”

Based on the richly imaginative books by award-winning design team, Meomi, the TV series combines elements of classic team adventure with dazzling CGI animation to transport preschoolers into a world they can’t ordinarily visit…the ocean. The show will arouse the curiosity and feed the imagination of preschoolers, answering questions in a journey of discovery through the world’s oceans.

Executively produced by Emmy® Award-winning writer Stephanie Simpson and Chorion’s SVP Creative Kurt Mueller, the brand new animated series includes 50 x 11’ plus 1 x 22’ special. The HD CGI animation was produced by Academy Award®-nominated Brown Bag Films who are also the producing studio on Chorion’s OLIVIA and Noddy in Toyland.

*Source: Eurodata TV / BARB / Kantar Media October 2010