On board as L&M agent in French-speaking markets for modern Japanese-inspired brand
Madrid, December 03, 2012. Imira Entertainment, Spain’s leading production and distribution company specialising in youth programming, has appointed Planeta Junior as licensing and merchandising agent in France and French-speaking Europe for Kumis®, a distinctive colourful Japanese-inspired, property created by Spain’s La Habitación de Nekane.
Planeta Junior is a leading European production company specialized in children’s and youth entertainment. It focuses its activity on the production of animated series as well as the exploitation of content rights for television, film, DVD, VOD, books, licensing, promotions and publications. The company boasts one of Europe’s largest audiovisual content catalogs, in addition to representing a wide range of some of the most major children’s and youth brands of the market. Planeta Junior is present in many countries through its subsidiaries in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Central and Eastern Europe. Its extensive catalog features classic animated productions (Maya the Bee, Heidi, Vicky the Viking to name just a few), as well as Redakai, Sesame Street, Hello Kitty and Noddy, which the company represents in some of the markets in which it is present.
Julian Barbier, Head of Licensing at Imira Entertainment said: “This is a fresh and modern brand with an established track record and huge potential for a wide range of consumer products. We are pleased to welcome Planeta Junior on board as we look to push the brand into new categories in key European markets.”
Kumis features four small geishas, a buddha and a ninja, each with distinct personalities and colourful looks mixing traditional and modern Japanese style with an emphasis on 60s style.
More than 300,000 teens own a Kumi article. The characters are popular on Facebook and online and Kumis products have featured in TV and films.
The Kumis brand is seven years old and has been adapted for products including figurines, plush, bags, pencil cases and homeware and is especially popular with females aged 8 to 35 years with a special line of products for kids aged 8-12. Kumis products are currently distributed in over 30 countries worldwide and new designs are released every season. Imira represents the brand in Europe where it is looking to take the property into further product categories and new markets.
With an emphasis on design and decoration La Habitación de Nekane creates amusing, original, unique properties for all ages. Its products are found in more than 700 points of sale and in all major fashionable stores and concepts across Spanish cities and the rest of Europe. Earlier this year, Imira appointed The Licensing Factory as licensing agent for Italy.
About Imira Entertainment
Barcelona, Madrid and Vitoria based Imira Entertainment www.imiraentertainment.com is a producer and distributor of top quality youth programs. It creates innovative content for kids with strong editorial lines, and a universal appeal. Its productions incorporate the latest technologies as properties are developed for cross media exploitation (TV, video, licensing, merchandising, mobile phones and publishing). Imira Entertainment distributes a catalogue of over 4,000 half hours of premium kids programs, including animated feature films.
For further information please contact:
Aimee Norman at DDA Blueprint
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8985 4708 or email aimee@ddablueprint.com
IMIRA ENTERTAINMENT (Barcelona)
Ribes, 9
08013 Barcelona SPAIN
Tel.: 34 932 650 757
Fax: 34 932 457 150
IMIRA ENTERTAINMENT (Madrid)
C. San Juan de la Cruz, 2 – 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón – Madrid SPAIN
IMIRA ENTERTAINMENT (Vitoria)
Portal de Castilla 46, 1-dcha
01007 Vitoria SPAIN
PLANETA JUNIOR France
Hélène Lancelin – Licensing Manager
30 place d’Italie – 75013 Paris – FRANCE
Tel. : +33 1 44 16 06 34