Entertainment One will open a new Peppa Pig theme park in China as part of a plan to increase the popularity of the brand in the market.
Entertainment One (eOne) owns the copyright for Peppa Pig and will work with local animation and toy company Alpha Group to further develop the brand in the Chinese market.
Andrew Carley, eOne’s executive vice-president, told the Beijing Morning Post that the company wants to increase the popularity of Peppa. The plan includes the opening of the new theme park as well as the launch of a three-year touring Peppa Pig show. Both of these strategies will be supported by the launch of new themed toys and products.
The push of the Peppa brand is set to coincide with the Year of the Pig in the Chinese Zodiac calendar in 2019.
Peppa Pig is broadcast in 180 territories in 40 languages. There are already 1,000 licensees across 60 countries. China Central Television started broadcasting Peppa in 2015 and the programme has quickly become of the most popular cartoons in China.
In October last year, eOne announced a global partnership with Merlin Entertainments to develop new Peppa Pig attractions. However, in China, the rights were licensed to Merlin on a non-exclusive basis.
A new area based on the Peppa brand recently opened at Gardaland in Italy. It is one of two Peppa Pig Lands launched this season by Merlin, the other at Heide Park in Germany. Paultons Park in the UK also recently announced a major expansion of Peppa Pig World.
Alpha Group is based in Guangdong Province and owns the popular cartoons Super Wings and Pleasant Goat. The company is preparing to launch further Peppa-themed toys and figurines this year.
https://english.sina.com/ent/o/2018-04-13/detail-ifzcyxmt9739027.shtml
