'The Mr. Men Show' Merchandising

Still seasons and seasons away from domestic broadcast, The Mr. Men Show television animation remains newsworthy, and for a good reason. Chorion Ltd. has been actively seeking, and actively inking, licensing deals for the property as it enters into a new stage of interest from a variety of demographics. The classic literary property, which through distinct character personalities involves its youth audience in a variety of mishaps, misadventures and much more--Mr. Men and Little Miss--is gauged for return, and in a big way. In the past week, Chorion, the copyright-holder of the Mr. Men property, has announced a slew of new apparel and lifestyle item licenses relevant to The Mr. Men Show: the new animated television series to feature animation production from Renegade Animation.

At the head of this licensing blitz is Berkshire Fashion, Inc.; whose service as a leading accessory and intimate apparel company has reportedly satisfied many a customer. The company will develop a wide selection of materials for mid-tier, high fashion retailers that range from headwear, raingear and cold weather accessories. Soliciting feedback from department and specialty stores, Berkshire Fashion is one of many companies looking to capitalize on the classic property of Mr. Men. With the television animation scheduled for release in January 2008, now is the time for product developers and manufacturers to buckle down, with "additional licensees on board, we are ready to embark on a fully integrated effort to pave the way for the launch of The Mr. Men Show," Cheryl Gotthelf, svp, Global Brand Management for Mr. Men and Little Miss at Chorion, stated.

Additional licenses include:

C-Life, a New York-based manufacturer and leading resource for girls' character and branded apparel, whose "No Kidding" division will launch a full line of boys' sets and swimwear, and girls' dresses and sets for Spring 2008; H.E.R. Accessories, specializing in novelty junior accessories; You and Me Legwear, for hosiery and socks; and stickers and temporary tattoos for tweens and teens via Vending Supply Inc. There will even be pet accessories available in due time, courtesy of Pamper Me Pets.

Lastly, Franco Manufacturing is currently developing a line of bedding, bath towels, beach towels and slumber bags to be marketed at select mid-tier and specialty stores nationwide. Seven licensing deals inked, in addition to the previous reported release of Fisher-Price as having acquired the master toy license for The Mr. Men Show [related A.I. news: "Toy License: 'The Mr. Men Show'"].

About Chorion: Chorion Ltd is a media content company that owns and manages an extensive portfolio of classic and contemporary premium copyrights with worldwide appeal. The company comprises three divisions: Children's, Literary Estates, and TV and Film. The Children's division directs global entertainment and merchandising for Chorion-owned brands including Noddy and the Mr. Men, as well as managing the non-publishing rights for properties such as Olivia; Literary Estates manage such Chorion-owned properties as the works of Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler.