Category: News

The brand stemming from NFT’s most famous collection lands in the Italian licensing market

Maurizio Distefano Licensing, the number 1 independent agency in Italy, confirms its famous pay-off “the evolution of licensing” thanks to the partnership with Global Merchandising Services which resulted in becoming agent for a brand that is nothing short of innovative: Army of Apes is the brand consisting of the collection of the famous NFTs that are part of Bored Ape Yacht Club, now made available for the licensing market.

The Bored Ape Yacht Club is a collection of 10,000 NFTs launched in April 2021 to which belong illustrations featuring anthropomorphic monkeys that are distinguished from each other by a number of distinctive features, making each illustration unique.

Each Bored Ape is generated by a program that mixes 170 different possible distinguishing features including facial expressions, clothing, headgear, and other accessories, and some combinations are rarer than others.

These NFTs have been worth more than $1 billion so far resulting in belonging to one of the most valuable NFT collections in the world, which boasts famous and prominent personalities from the world of sports, entertainment and music such as Eminem, Jimmy Fallon, Justin Bieber, Post Malone and others among its buyers.

Army of Apes brand, now available for licensing, consists of a selection of the most significant and famous ape illustrations made available to offer a unique opportunity, namely the chance to collaborate with the NFT world and reach out to the web’s most famous ape fans.

Maurizio Distefano, President of the agency, says, “This brand is the perfect addition to our portfolio to make it even more diverse and multi-target. The digital world, and within it the NFT world, is constantly expanding and becoming more and more a part of our lives, intercepting each of us through new communication languages and new trends. Army of Apes is a step beyond anything that can be considered “new” and represents an opportunity to ride on the coattails of change and new art forms. The right licensee for Army of Apes is a trailblazer, it is the company that wants to be disruptive and wants to amaze.”

Army of Apes license is inspirational and available for several product categories, such as apparel, homeware, and accessories.

The busiest and most diverse time of year in the kids’ products sector is again boosted by many fine products based on the agency’s properties and delivered by exceptional partners.

The last quarter of the year, and in particular the period leading up to Christmas, is a time when many companies launch new products, especially in the toy and seasonal categories. Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency has forged many partnerships between IPs in its extensive portfolio and leading Italian companies in various categories and is bringing to the shelves a rich offering of new products for Christmas 2022.

Giochi Preziosi, a licensee for Bing, one of the best-loved TV series among Italian preschoolers, already offers a popular Master Toy line. It has now introduced new products that are perfect as Christmas gifts, such as the Bing Canta Tu.

Giochi Preziosi‘s Canta Tu is also available under Charlotte M.’s license. Charlotte M. is the content creator who, at just 14 years, old boasts record numbers on social media, with 1.15 million followers on YouTube and 1.2 million on TikTok.

The Canta Tu is part of a larger line of electronic products inspired by this popular property, such as Charlotte M. e-watches, speakers, microphones and headphones.

And that’s not all. Giochi Preziosi has a number of other standout seasonal products to offer, including, once again, the famous Calzettone, developed this year for both Bing and Charlotte M.

Ciao, meanwhile, has used the lively cartoon series ALVINNN!!! And the Chipmunks, as the theme for its Epiphany sock featuring games and surprises inspired by the famous singing chipmunks. The TV series continues to enjoy record-breaking ratings on K2 and to delight young rock fans.

In the food category, Christmas is going to be even sweeter this year, thanks to Tedesco’s Masha and the Bear panettoncino and pandorino under the Ore Liete brand.

Dolfin’s Epiphany assortment, meanwhile, features three of the agency’s properties in stockings filled with surprises and sweets from Bing, Bluey and ALVINNN!!! And the Chipmunks.

The wide range of different products developed by leading companies in the industry for this Christmas season underlines once again the winning selection of IPs represented by Maurizio Distefano Licensing and promises a rewarding Christmas season – for licensees, brand owners, retailers and consumers.

The new episodes of BBC Studios’ hit animated series are the perfect Christmas gift of Italian fans!

The Second Season of the hit animated series Bluey, produced by Ludo Studio and co-commissioned by BBC Studios Kids & Family and ABC Children, will launch on Rai Yoyo, Italy’s number one broadcaster of children’s programs, from December 26, 2022.

The first season of the series is already airing on the channel with four episodes a day in two different time slots. On December 26, episodes of season two will be added in the 11:20 a.m. time slot.

Season 2 episodes are also available on Disney+.

In addition, BBC Studios Kids & Family launched Bluey’s Italian-language YouTube channel earlier this year, which now boasts more than 60,000 subscribers!

Bluey’s toy line was successfully launched by Giochi Preziosi in spring 2022, and new additions to the line have been distributed to all the best toy stores and large retailers for this Christmas. There are also numerous other Bluey partners in Consumer Product thanks to the Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency, Bluey’s agent in Italy. “We are extremely happy to be Bluey’s agent. It is a promising and successful IP, as confirmed by Rai who included in its programming schedule the second season and counts it among the channel’s most beloved.”

Licensees currently on board are Adriatic, Ciao, Clementoni, Diramix, Dolfin, Dulcop, Grabo, Halantex, Lisciani, Multiprint, Pon Pon Edizioni, Ravensburger, and Soluna Experience.

The series centers on Bluey, a Blue Heeler puppy who loves to play and turn everyday life into a new adventure that always proves unpredictable and hilarious, bringing her family, friends and community into her world of fun. Bluey has won the hearts of children and since its debut in Australia in October 2018, it immediately became a hit.

Acamar Films is pleased to announce that the film Bing’s Animal Stories will be broadcast on Rai Yoyo at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 11, 2022.

Bing, currently the most popular preschool series on the Rai Play digital platform, has been a huge success in Italy since its launch in 2018, thanks in part to the management of its licensing program by the Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency.

Now, for the first time anywhere, a collection of Bing episodes made for movie audiences and with content never before broadcast on TV, will be available for free on TV for all Bingsters.

Bing’s Animal Stories contains seven episodes from all four Bing series and other content that was only available in the film version, which will be presented in September 2021.

But that’s not all. Viewers will also have the chance to help Pico put together Bing’s favorite animal album!

Annalisa Liberi, Head of Purchase Products at Rai Ragazzi, said, “We are very pleased to have Bing’s Animal Stories on Rai Yoyo, Italy’s leading television channel dedicated to children. Our young viewers love Bing and will enjoy looking for the answers to Pico’s riddles in Bing’s daily adventures”.

Eroulla Constantine, Director of Sales & Distribution at Acamar Films, said, “Allowing the enjoyment of a new Bing experience on Italian television is fantastic. We are sure Bing fans will love Bing’s Animal Stories and we are delighted that Rai Yoyo is our first partner for this special edition.”

Also on Rai Yoyo, airing for the third consecutive year at 9:40 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, is Bing’s Christmas, where Bingsters and grown-ups can watch Bing and his friends make collages and play with snow.

Bing’s Animal Stories and Bing’s Christmas are currently available on Rai Play. Bing episodes will continue to be available on Rai Yoyo, Rai Play, TIMVision and DeA Junior, as well as Amazon Prime Video and, most recently, Disney +.

Leo&Tig is also airing daily with two episodes slots on Rai YoYo, also available online on Rai Play’s website

The second season of the animated series Leo&Tig, represented in Italy by the Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency, has been launched on the series’ official Italian YouTube channel on October 21, 2022. At last, little adventurous fans of the series created by Parovoz Studio and commissioned by Digital Television Russia Group, will be able to enjoy the new stories, new settings and new characters at any time on the official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jetLThIhNkBtoDBoXK7-Q). Series 1 and 2 also air daily on Rai Yoyo during two different slots, but children can also continue to watch the episodes on Rai Play at any time (https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/leoetig/episodi/stagione-2).

The animated series Leo&Tig chronicles the adventures of little leopard Leo and tiger cub Tig. The lives of the two cubs are full of adventures, from which they emerge victorious, facing their fears and helping each other.

In the first season, the characters learn about the natural environment of the Far East, unlocking the secrets of the forest and coming to the aid of those in need. In the second season, Leo and Tig meet a Chinese monkey LiLi, who is lost and in trouble. To help their friend return home, Leo, Tig, Mila, Jara, Martik and Cuba embark on a long journey to different countries.

CIAO Ltd. for carnival costumes, Grabo for balloons, Sbabam for 3D figurines, Balocco for the 2023 Easter egg, De.Car for the characters plush toys, Clementoni for puzzles and educational games, and Mondadori for books are just some of the licensees that have chosen Leo&Tig for their products.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing, worldwide licensing agent for Charlotte M., has announced that the voice of the hugely popular YouTuber and TikTokker has helped to propel the new animated film The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute to third place at the Italian box office!

Charlotte M. voices Marie, the heroine of the new animated film produced by Notorious Pictures and released in theatres on 3 November which, in its first weekend, has been a big hit in Italy (source: www.cinetel.it , 07/11/2022).

Charlotte M.’s acting and singing talents are perfectly suited to the character of Marie, the young heroine, a girl who loves to dance and adores her toys. When her father dies, Marie makes a wish – and her toys come to life, while Marie becomes toy-sized and joins them in an incredible adventure full of fun, love and lots of magic.

Charlotte M. is thrilled with the success of the animated film (which grossed more than €500,000 in its first weekend) and is keen to produce more magic for the silver screen. In fact she already has – but this time as the lead actress in a movie dedicated entirely to her.

Charlotte M. the Movie: Flamingo Party will launch on the big screen on 1 January 2023. It’s all about Charlotte and her friends in their first year at high school and how, in between school dances, love and music, they dedicate themselves to saving an oasis of flamingos. A novel adaptation of the film will also be released at the end of November; it will be published by Fabbri Editori.

Web star Charlotte M. boasts more than one million followers on YouTube and TikTok and is adored by her Generation Z fans. Her success is down to her authentic reflection of teenage life and its passions such as music, poetry, singing, acting and writing.

Her role in this animated film – and in the upcoming production dedicated her – confirms Charlotte M.’s still-growing popularity. It’s an amazing way to round off 2022, a year that has already boasted some major successes, like the release of Charlotte M.’s latest song Best Friend and the publication of her third book, My Secret Life, by Fabbri Editori.

Charlotte M. also a licensing star, with the help of Maurizio Distefano Licensing, which has brought her name to books, accessories, snacks, Easter eggs, back-to-school items and more.

Lucca Comics & Games returns again this year to offer the audience an immersive experience together with the publishers and exhibitors of the most beloved sagas, all while discovering the different historical areas of the city.

Rai Kids is once again attending the event and will entertain the audience (more than 70,000 people are expected this year!), in its headquarters, the Real Collegio, with marathons, previews, shows and Meet&Greet events with the audience’s most beloved characters from the Rai Yoyo and Rai Gulp channels.

Among these, Bluey, Bing and Masha and The Bear, the most-watched animated series currently on Rai Yoyo, will participate in a day totally dedicated to the little ones and organized with the support of the Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency, Acamar Films, Animaccord and BBC Studios.

Sunday October 30th will be entirely dedicated to the animated series airing on Rai Yoyo and Rai Gulp, starting in the morning with the presence of character mascots for fantastic Meet&Greet events involving all the children in Rai Gulp’s space in the Real Collegio cloister.

Surprises never end, Bluey, Bing and Masha and The Bear will be protagonists, together with other characters, of the most attended show of the day by children, the Live Kids Parade which will take place at the Auditorium Suffragio, a theatre that especially for this occasion will host the fantastic show with many interactive activities for the audience, Baby Dance’s and gift gadgets!

A fantastic live broadcast of the event on Rai Gulp is planned, while other Lucca Comics & Games events will be available on RaiPlay and will be followed live on all active social media.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing (MDL), which manages licensing for a number of the biggest children’s brands in the Italian market, has announced some very exciting Easter plans aimed at young fans of chocolate, toys and cartoons.

This year, the charming pre-school animated hit Bing and high-quality chocolate maker Dolfin have come together for a selection of Easter eggs made of the finest milk chocolate. The eggs will be in four different sizes: 50 grams 220 grams and 320 grams, plus a special version which comes with a free-time bag.

And for a delightful alternative look no further than toy company Giochi Preziosi and Bing’s Pasqualone an egg-shaped package full of fun games and surprises for all Bing fans.

Chocolate, pastry and sweets specialist Motta is again returning to a winning formula after the sold-out success of last year’s 190-gram Masha and the Bear fine milk chocolate Easter Eggs. This year Motta is promising many surprises that will delight fans of the much-loved animated duo, whose continuing enormous popularity is a major attraction for Motta.

Italy’s number one easter eggs producer Walcor this year brings back ALVINNN!!! And the Chipmunks as one of the stars of its Easter 2022 offering: fans of the wild band of singing chipmunks will be able to choose between a mini egg (45 gram) and a maxi version (200 gram).

Another sweet star of the chocolate scene, Witor’s, has a partnership with Gigantosaurus in a 200-gram format containing some great surprises for fans of the little dinosaurs!

Biscuit, cake and sweet maker Balocco offers something new for the little ones: a starring role for Leo and Tig, the leopard cub and tiger cub, whose exciting adventures in the Taiga have inspired a 150-gram egg made with the finest milk chocolate.

Cereal and chocolate producer Cerealitalia’s Dolci Preziosi brand celebrates Easter with two ambitious new projects. The first partnership is with the successful Moonbug Entertainment production CoComelon, which arrives on the shelves with a 150-gram surprise egg, a great treat for fans who love the nursery rhymes and catchy educational songs from the world’s biggest family YouTube channel.

The second Dolci Preziosi licence involves the young creator Charlotte M who can boast a vast number of followers on YouTube and TikTok. Fans can sweeten up their Easter table with a super surprise hidden in a 280-gram fine milk chocolate egg.

Maurizio Distefano says: “The confectionery and toy categories have once again enthusiastically supported our popular children’s and young people’s brands with some amazing products. This is yet another great 2022 Easter season full of news, sweets, fun and winning projects for us, for our very successful property portfolio and for our licensees.”

Maurizio Distefano Licensing, agents for Bluey since September 2021, has welcomed the series’ recent excellent ratings in Italy.

The loveable Australian dog has gained many Italian fans since her first appearance on Rai Yoyo, the public broadcast service’s preschool channel, in December 2021 and has established itself as #1 TV show among kids channels according to the latest (30 January 2022) Auditel ratings for reach – with more than 19,000 watching hours in just one week!

Now Bluey is ready to make the YouTube community fall in love, expanding its global presence with an Italian language channel (joining existing French, Spanish, Danish and English channels who share more than 1.2 million subscribers).

Bluey has a winning combination of simplicity, charme and humor. The series follows the adventures of Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler dog, defined by her inexhaustible vitality, imagination and constant curiosity about the world which are the driving force behind each episode.

Bluey lives in Brisbane, in the Australian region of Queensland, along with her father Bandit, mother Chilli and younger sister Bingo. The Heeler family are joined by family, friends and community (each belonging to different dog breeds) who are drawn in to their games and adventures.

Bluey’s world is playful and full of joy: could this be the secret ingredient for the success of this award-winning Australian TV series that thrills both young people and grownups?

Certainly, one of the many, together with the faithful and evocative setting of the Australian landscape and the lightness with which its creator, Joe Brumm, is able to brilliantly describe the daily life of the modern family, sharing Bluey and Bingo’s learning and growth (as well as their parents’) through dynamics of play and discovery.

Bluey recently hit headlines around the world for an innovative collaboration with Airbnb which saw the Heeler home faithfully constructed ‘for real life’ in a suburb of Brisbane. The home is available for one lucky family for a weekend stay and will also host online experiences for fans from around the globe.

The show both reflects everyday life and offers escapism and has collected several awards as proof of its success, such as a prestigious International Emmy® Kids Award, the AACTA Award for best children’s program in 2020, four Kidscreen Awards in February 2021 and has recently been named as number one New Toy Property in 2021 in the UK by NPD.

Season 2 of Gigantosaurus’ Cyber Group Studios blockbuster TV series is now available anytime on Rai Play and is airing daily on Rai YoYo in italy. This brand new season featuring 52×11’ hilarious and heartwarming episodes takes the team to exciting never-before-seen cretaceous-period locations and brings “dino-mite” all-new adventures to life featuring the young dinosaur best friends Rocky, Bill, Tiny, and Mazu.  This 2^nd season also introduces new dino characters, including extra-adorable baby dinos and a fierce T-rex named « T ».

Maurizio Distefano, Gigantosaurus’ Licensing, agent in Italy, says: “As agent who supports the brand with numerous licensing agreements, we are thrilled about the launch of brand-new episodes of our favorite dinos series on RAI (Italy). We continue to support Gigantosaurus with a rich licensing program that brings fantastic products to life inspired by the adventure-comedy TV series. Stay tuned, ROAR-SOME new licensing partnerships and products are soon to be announced.”

The larger-than-life hit series incorporates a wide array of real dinosaurs species, more than 40 as well as realistically rendered flora and fauna that’s true to the time period. The fil rouge theme that will accompany the new series will be music.

Based on a worldwide best-selling book written by Jonny Duddle and sold to over 600 000 units worldwide Gigantosaurus, follows the adventures of four young dinos as they go on quests to explore their world, face their fears, work together to solve problems, learn more about the mysterious Gigantosaurus himself – and have lots of fun all along the way.

Charlotte M., the young webstar with 1 million followers on her YouTube and Tik Tok channels, is loved by the Generation Z, which will adore all her branded products that are ready to be released soon.

Thanks to Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency, who represents Charlotte M. in Italy and all over the world, many agreements with some of the most important companies have been signed, which are going to develop collections in collaboration with Charlotte M. to be launched in 2022.

Giochi Preziosi designed a fantastic back-to-school collection including backpacks, pencil cases, diary and stationery in the unmistakable style of Charlotte which is going to be introduced in back-to-school occasion this year. These products are characterized by the very high quality, foundation of all Giochi Preziosi school product, and by their strong appeal.

With Easy Shoes, thanks to its shoes and accessories agreement, perfect spring/summer sneakers are coming up in 4 different colour variations for all Charlotte M. fans: a fabulous TV spot starring Charlotte M. will launch the collection. This collaboration with Easy Shoes will continue also for its next collections.

Mitama proposes a gift and accessories collection branded with Charlotte M., in the name of shining glitters, including a lot of sets and must-have products, such as the slime and glitter glues.

Grani & Partners will hit the shelves through Edizioni Seven with the Surprise Bags collection, which consists of mini backpacks, perfect to enhance girls’ look or to add a touch of style to their backpacks, perfect to collect, and full of mini-size accessories for school life, all branded Charlotte M.

Preziosi Food will make all Charlotte M.’s fans happy with a special edition of its chips, completely devoted to our YouTube star. The chips will be distributed and available in different supermarkets: every pack will have some surprise stickers, portraying some Charlotte M.’s poses.

Cerealitalia, in collaboration with Dolci Preziosi, will offer to all Charlotte M.’s fans a special Easter Egg in 2022 and Epiphany stockings in January 2023.

As an additional service, Charlotte M. supplies her support to licensing products through her social networks, by creating posts, IG stories and videos to introduce and promote the available products.

Charlotte M. is also a very appreciated singer by her audience. Her latest releases are “I Loove You”, “Buum Buum” and “Best Friend”.

Her passion for music will drive her to new songs projects also in 2022, in different languages like Spanish and English.

In addition to music, Charlotte M. loves writing and has already published two books with Fabbri Editori: “Summer in the Haunted College” and “An Oversea Love Story”. Now the third book “My Secret Life” is ready to be released, also published by Fabbri Editori.

Charlotte M.’s plans for this year continue, in fact, she will be engaged with the dubbing of an animation series, the filming of her first book and a tv series for her fans.

Acamar Films and Maurizio Distefano Licensing are proud to announce that Bing Italian YouTube channel has just surpassed the milestone of having ONE MILLION total subscribers!

Bing official channel on YouTube in Italian has been live since August 2018, and in its lifetime has gained 903 million views and just shy of 100 million hours of watch time.

This is the proof of how Bing is beloved by the Italian audience that follow his adventures passionately and assiduously.

Thanks to this achievement, YouTube will reward Acamar Films with the first gold Creator Award to celebrate the new subscriber goal.

Bing is already a star of the screen, of the stage and he has arrived onto the radio too with his debut on Italy’s Rai Radio on 18 November on children’s show Big Bang on Rai Radio Kids.

Since its launch on Rai Yoyo in 2018, Bing has become a top show. It consistently ranks in the top 10 on linear and was the most-viewed title on RaiPlay for kids 4-7 in the first six months of 2021. New episodes from Series 4 premiered on Rai Yoyo in February 2021 and are currently airing and available to watch on RaiPlay.

As well as its massive popularity on TV, Bing also has a freemium interactive app plus a robust, extensive and expanding Italian licensing portfolio managed locally by the Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency.

New entry for Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency is Corto Maltese, the famous comic book character created by Hugo Pratt in 1967, protagonist of exciting stories and adventures around the world and subject of watercolours, black and white sketches and graphic novels created by the skilled hand of the author, which, applied to the Consumer Product, can characterize apparel and accessories giving them the unique style of the sailor.

Corto Maltese is a cult character of the best European graphic novel, but also a real literary myth of the twentieth century. He is a traveller, an ironic sailor who combines Mediterranean appearance and character with an Anglo-Saxon culture. Corto is an anti-hero who prefers freedom and imagination to wealth, he is a modern Ulysses able to make us travel to the most fascinating places in the world.

The stories of Corto Maltese are 29 of various lengths and are characterized by the presence of precise historical references, consistent geographical notations and in-depth characterization of the characters, elements that make it suitable for an adult target.

Collaborations with highly prestigious brands, such as Lanvin, Monnalisa, Angel & Devil, Iceberg, Adolfo Dominguez, include it among the brands that manage to create a perfect combination of auteur comics and fashion, which arises from the possibility of implementing a stylistic research based on Pratt’s numerous works.

Maurizio Distefano, President of the homonymous agency, says: “Corto Maltese enters the Agency’s portfolio to enrich the offer of well-known and highly positioned brands. It identifies above all as an iconic and intriguing brand for adults, which due to these qualities is also suitable for high-end products “.

Masha and Bear, the successful animated series produced by Animaccord Studio and represented in Italy by Maurizio Distefano Licensing has given fans a new special episode to express their appreciation to viewers around the world and celebrate 100 billion views on YouTube. It was, in fact, released a short episode entitled “We love you to 100 BILLION and back” available on the official YouTube channel of Masha and Bear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=341fxxd5aW0 .

 

Moreover, Masha and the Bear English YouTube channel repeated its success of 2020: in less than a year, it has gained another 10 000 000 subscribers and now reached the milestone of 30 000 000 subscribers.

In addition to a licensing program coming soon thanks to Maurizio Distefano Licensing agent, Bluey gets even closer to Italian fans airing on their favorite TV channel!

The hit animated series Bluey, produced by Ludo Studio and co-commissioned by BBC Studios and ABC Children, will air on Rai in Italy. In fact, it will make its free-to-air debut on December 27^th in Italy on Rai Yoyo, the public broadcast service’s preschool channel. BBC Studios will also launch a new Italian language YouTube channel in January 2022 featuring clips and bonus content from the series.

Master toy partner Moose Toys will lead the product launch this coming Easter 2022 with their highly successful toy range via their distributor Giochi Preziosi. Other products from partners including global publishing partner Penguin Random House will follow. Maurizio Distefano Licensing was recently announced as BBC Studios’ licensing agent for Italy. Maurizio Distefano, President of the agency, states: “We are honored to have been appointed agents for Italy of an IP that we believe is extremely promising and successful, as confirmed by Rai, which chose it for its programming.”

This marks further expansion in EMEA for the award-winning animation which has recently launched on free-to-air TV in Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and France. Bluey is also available on YouTube in French, Spanish and Danish and English with more than 950,000 subscribers.

The series follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler dog who loves to play and turn everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family, friends and community into her world of fun.

Bluey has won the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018, and has quickly become a global hit. In Australia, Bluey is the number one kids show on broadcast television in 2020 and is the most-watched series ever on ABC iview. In June 2019, BBC Studios struck a global broadcast deal with Disney to premiere Bluey in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand and Greater China; it now screens in over 60 countries.

In the UK, it was the most viewed show on CBeebies in August* and is also available on Disney+. In the US, across Disney Junior and Disney Channel in Q2 2021, the show was the #1 most watched TV series with kids ages 2-5.**

Bluey has also won multiple awards, such as the International Emmy ® Kids Award in the prestigious Preschool Category in 2020, and its second AACTA Awards for Best Children’s Program that same year. The accolades continue in 2021, with Bluey winning four Kidscreen Awards in February.

Bing, already a star of both small and big screens and of the stage, arrived onto the radio too with his debut on Italy’s Rai Radio on 18 November. The hero of Acamar Films’ hit pre-school show, which is one of the most popular programmes among Italian children, was a special guest of Armando Traverso on his children’s show Big Bang on Rai Radio Kids.

Armando, along with his regular contributors, puppets Lallo and Lella, chatted with Bing about his day and talked about their favourite games. The episode aired at 1pm, 4pm and 6pm on 18 November on Rai Radio Kids, and will be available on Rai Play.

Isabella Carbone, Programme Director, Rai Radio, said: “As a lovable, authentic pre-schooler, Bing is the perfect guest for Rai Radio Kids. We are all big fans of his so we are hugely excited that he made his first-ever radio appearance on Big Bang. It’s a great coup for our young listeners and we know they were thrilled to hear their favourite TV star on their favourite radio show!”

Since its launch on Rai Yoyo in 2018, Bing has become a top show. It consistently ranks in the top 10 on linear and was the most-viewed title on RaiPlay for kids 4-7 in the first six months of 2021. New episodes from Series 4 premiered on Rai Yoyo in February 2021 and are currently airing and available to watch on RaiPlay.

As well as its massive popularity on TV, Bing also has a hugely successful dedicated Italian YouTube channel and freemium interactive app plus a robust, extensive and expanding Italian licensing portfolio managed locally by the Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency.

Leo & Tig animated series, created by Parovoz Studio and commissioned by Digital Television Russia Group, has launched its own YouTube channel, with episodes of the popular show being released in Italian.

In the summer of 2019, on the children’s TV channel Rai YoYo, millions of Italian children became acquainted with the adventures of the inseparable friends as they explore their amazing neighborhood of the Far East. The animated series won over not only little viewers, but also their parents. Two years after its premiere, Leo & Tig remains one of the most popular Russian cartoons in Italy.

At the end of last year, Leo & Tig became available on the Dea Junior channel in Italy and Italian-speaking countries – Switzerland, Malta, Monte Carlo, San Marino and the Vatican. In addition, this year “Leo & Tig” has appeared on several major digital platforms – TIMvision and CHILI. The launch of its own YouTube channel, with episodes from the series in Italian, became another step towards the young fans of Leo, Tig and their friends in Italy and Italian-speaking countries. The channel is being developed with the support of the company Animaccord.

On November 4, Italian viewers had a real surprise – the premiere of a video featuring the world-famous Masha, from the animated series “Masha and the Bear”, took place on the ”Leo e Tig Italia” YouTube channel. Masha introduced her new friends – the little leopard Leo and tiger cub Tig.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvADX8-Arj4)

Masha and the Bear is available on a range of traditional and new media platforms in Italy, including the channels and platforms of the Rai television company, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary of broadcasting the animated series, as well as DEA Junior, TIMvision, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. According to the independent global analytical agency Parrot Analytics, the animated series “Masha and the Bear” tops the list of the most in-demand children’s shows in Italy (October 2021). It is recognized as an evergreen brand, having demonstrated widespread popularity and demand amongst family audiences for the past several years.

The popularity and love for Russian animation among Italian viewers grows every year. This market is key to the development of brands both on television and streaming platforms, and in the field of licensing – Masha and the Bear and Leo&Tig are both represented by Maurizio Distefano Licensing in Italy.

“Hola flamingo,” the new song by Charlotte M., the young web star who boasts sky-high numbers on the social media beloved by Generation Z, was released on October 24 and in just 3 days has reached 250,000 views on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-XT-OdxIuc).

The song is also available to stream on Spotify, where the performer’s previous tracks, “I love you” and “Buum Buum,” are also featured.

Her passion for music will lead her to release more songs in 2022 as well, including in other languages, such as English and Spanish.

The title of this new song is inspired by her fan base: in fact, at the beginning of each of her videos, Charlotte greets her fans by calling them “flamingo”, on the wave of the symbol that now distinguishes her, the flamingo.

To date, her YouTube channel boasts 960,000 subscribers, while on TikTok followers are 980,000 and 133,000 on Instagram.

In addition to music, Charlotte M. also loves to write: she has already published two books with Fabbri Editori, “Un’estate al college infestato” in 2020 and “Un amore oltreoceano”, released this year. A third book, also published by Fabbri Editori, is already scheduled for February 2022.

The plans for 2022 do not end, with Charlotte dubbing two animated films, filming the movie adaptation of her first book and a serialized TV series for her fans.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing is the World Wide licensing agent for Charlotte M. and has closed several contracts with important Italian companies to bring Charlotte M. products to the market.

Moonbug Entertaiment’s CoComelon, the #1 children’s show on YouTube, has secured several licensing deals with Italian companies thanks to Maurizio Distefano Licensing, Moonbug’s agent in the territory, and Moonbug’s EMEA Master Agent The Point.1888.

This fall, on the shelves, little fans of the series will be able to find: educational games from Headu, puzzles from Lisciani, stamp sets from Multiprint, coloring and activity books from PlayPress and many lines of fall accessories from Coriex, such as umbrellas, hats, scarves and backpacks, the book series from Mondadori, and soap bubbles from Dulcop.

The Master Toy line is distributed in Italy by Bandai and consists of fun toys for the preschool target audience: CoComelon Musical Baby, the Musical Bus, the 3D figurines, the Baby Bath Playset, the Musical Doctor Set, the Musical Tractor, the Musical Plush Book and vehicles.

“We believed from the beginning with great enthusiasm in the potential of Cocomelon, an innovative brand with disruptive features in the panorama of pre-school toys. The expectations are high and the first feedback from the market is absolutely positive. Cocomelons’ Toy Collection is getting ready to be the protagonist of the Christmas season, supported by a robust integrated communication plan. The projects for 2022 are numerous and ambitious, we are just the beginning.” Gianluca Ferrara – Business Manager Bandai Italy

There are numerous marketing activities already planned for the Christmas season 2021 which will involve the major Italian retailers, with the support of dedicated social media. In 2022, with the wider offer of licensed products in the different product categories, transversal digital and physical activities will be carried out to push the sellout of Cocomelon products.

CoComelon boasts today 120 million subscribers on its YouTube channel in English, which is continuously and rapidly growing and reaches from Italy more than 295 million views in 2021 so far. Since June, the channel is also available in Italian. In Italy, the episodes of the series are also available on Netflix, Vodafone TV and Mediaset Infinity.

The key elements of its unstoppable success among subscribers are its educational content, its simplicity and the accessibility of its stories. This animated series, in fact, teaches children how to approach daily activities with enthusiasm. The little viewers are accompanied in every moment of the day in the family: from mealtime to gametime, up to bedtime. The song and music featured in each episode entice children ages one to four to enjoy singing and dancing with JJ and his siblings as they learn letters, numbers, animal noises, colors and more.

Lucca Comics & Games has returned to offer emotions in the heart of the city, offering the public the chance to find the most beloved publishers and exhibitors in historical areas and in places to be discovered.

The event was attended for the first time by Rai Ragazzi, which prepared a very rich program for the three days, featuring previews, Meet & Greet and the participation of the audience’s most beloved characters.

Among them the most popular animated series on Rai Yoyo: Bing with Flop and Masha and Bear, whose participation was organized with the support of Maurizio Distefano Licensing agency, Acamar Films and Animaccord.

On Monday 1 November in the amazing setting of Villa Bottini the characters were the protagonists of the event hosted by Carolina Benvenga, presenter of “La posta di Yoyo”.

Bing and Flop greeted all children with a Meet & Greet and then gave away cardboard ears for the entire audience to wear.

Masha and Bear were also available to all the children for photo opportunities and baby dance and were received with great enthusiasm.

Some of the events that characterized Lucca Comics & Games are available to watch on RaiPlay and all the events were followed live on all active social networks, with a special red carpet in front of the Church of San Francesco.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing is World Wide licensing agent for Charlotte M., the young web star who can be defined Creator, Influencer and above all Youtuber with her 958.000 subscribers on her ever-growing channel.

The thirteen-year-old from Serravalle Pistoiese has a huge fan base on the “kids” social networks as well, with 980,000 followers on TikTok and 133,000 on Instagram. What’s impressive is the increase of these numbers that rise with a constancy worthy of the “Ferragni phenomenon”, with more than 1000 new contacts every day. Maurizio Distefano Licensing takes care of her licensing program, which already sees the first players in the home stretch for the launch of the new Charlotte M. branded products.

To learn more about Charlotte, there’s no better way than to directly ask her questions about her history and character, which are key to her success.

Web phenomena often arise without planning. How did your story begin and did you imagine it would resonate this way?

“It all started when, at the age of eight, I started making videos in my bedroom for fun and posting them on YouTube. I did it because I enjoyed telling mini-stories about my life: friends, boyfriend and everyday situations. Since it all started as a joke, I never thought I would reach so many people…”

Perhaps it is this spontaneity in choosing the content of each of your videos that brings you so close to your fans, who are mainly school-age girls. What projects have come out of this popularity of yours?

I talk about myself and my friends in my videos and what’s important is that we all have fun together, especially in creating funny or absurd stories and situations. More than being popular, I am so happy to have so many people following me and showing me their affection in the comments. I still can’t believe that real products can come from my contents and when I will get to see them in stores I’m sure it will be an incredible thrill!

Maurizio Distefano Licensing has already entered into licensing agreements with leading Italian companies that plan to launch Charlotte M. branded products at the beginning of the first 2022 quarter.

We know two of your books have already come out, will there be more?

Yes, my first book, published by Fabbri Editori, “Un’estate al college infestato” (A Summer at a Haunted College), came out in 2020, while the second one came out this year and is entitled “Un amore oltreoceano” (An Oversea Love), an adventure set in Los Angeles for kids aged 9 and up. A third book is already scheduled for release, again published by Fabbri Editori, in February 2022, but I won’t reveal anything about it yet!

In addition to products, what are your plans for the future in terms of new content and channels?

I’ve already released two songs, I love to sing and I’m glad my fans really liked them. I just finished recording my third song and will definitely make more songs in the coming months, including in English and Spanish!

Then, I’m honored to be able to participate as a voice actor in two movies that will be in theaters in early 2022. We are also working on turning my first book “A Summer at Haunted College” into a movie that I will be starring in! This is perhaps the project I’m most excited about, along with working on a serialized TV series for all my fans, also planned for 2022. 

Maurizio Distefano, President of the agency, says: “Charlotte M.’s success is clearly noticeable by the numbers on the web, but also by the planning behind the launch of new content and her participation in different productions. The product categories to be involved in the licensing program are numerous and the development of a style guide inspired by the elements we find in her videos, offers products with the true essence of Charlotte to all her many fans.”

New episodes of the “Leo & Tig” animated series, created by Parovoz Studio and commissioned by Digital Television Russia Group, will be broadcast on two children’s TV channels in Italy and premiered in Switzerland.

The second season of the animated series “Leo & Tig”, which premiered successfully on the Rai YoYo TV channel in the summer of 2019, started on October 11. The channel is a part of the Italian state broadcasting corporation Rai.

The animated series “Leo & Tig” tells about the adventures of the little leopard Leo and tiger cub Tig. The animals’ lives are full of adventures, from which they emerge victorious, coping with their own fears and helping each other.

In the first season, the characters learn about the unusual natural environment of the Far East, unravel the secrets of the forest, and come to the aid of those in need. In the second season, Leo and Tig meet a Chinese monkey, LiLi, who has got lost and is in trouble. To help their friend return home, Leo, Tig, Mila, Jara, Martik, and Cuba go on a long journey to different countries.

Besides the release of the new season on Rai YoYo, “Leo & Tig” became available in digital space in Italy on TimVision, Telecom Italia’s streaming platform and one of the main aggregators of high-quality digital content. This would help to expand the brand presence in the region. The first season was launched on October 11.

The love and popularity of the Russian animated series among Italian viewers is also ensured by the cooperation of the 0+ Media company, a part of Digital Television Russia Group, who works with the licensing agency Maurizio Distefano Licensing, with several large Italian companies such as Play Press, Diramix, Mondadori, Grabo Balloons responsible for the production and sale of children’s products with the image of the cartoon characters.

Furthermore, young viewers from Italy and Italian speaking countries, including Switzerland, Malta, Monte Carlo, San Marino and the Vatican, will get a wonderful gift this Christmas: the DeA Junior pay TV channel, owned by one of the largest publishing houses De Agostini, will show the second season of the well-loved animated series, as well as New Year’s songs performed by the cartoon heroes in a new “Leo & Tig. Magic Songs!” show. The first episode of the “Leo & Tig” project premiered on the DeA Junior TV channel on December 13, 2020.

Moreover, on 25 August, the animation project “Leo & Tig” was made available to children in Switzerland in French on Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) on 25 August. This became possible thanks to a deal brokered by APC Kids on behalf of Digital Television Russia Group and Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), which includes the RTS TV channel. SRG SSR produces and broadcasts radio and television programs in Switzerland in French.

The “Leo & Tig” animated series gained popularity among young Russian viewers immediately after its premiere on the big screen in 2016 as part of the release of the film magazine MOOLT in cinemas. Over time, the story of two inseparable friends became known abroad. This year, the cartoon was shown in several new countries at once: in Israel on the Junior TV channel, in the YouKid app and South Korea’s JEI TV. In addition, another partner of DTR Beijing Joy Culture Media is distributing the project on digital platforms in China.

In 2020, the broadcast rights were purchased by Piwi + (France), Star Channel (Greece), Spacetoon International (Middle East), Gubbare (India). Earlier in 2018, ‘Leo and Tig’ was released on Netflix. Also, Hungary’s national media holding MTVA, RTL Kockica channel in Croatia and a number of digital platforms in China have acquired the rights for Russian animated series.

BBC Studios expands global licensing footprint for Bluey by appointing Maurizio Distefano Licensing as agent for Italy.

Gaby Dior, EMEA Licensing Manager, BBC Studios, said: “Maurizio Distefano Licensing brings a valuable wealth of expertise and experience in the preschool sector in Italian market which will be instrumental in launching Bluey and its success.

“I am very much looking forward to working closely with the team to deliver a local program which will reflect Bluey’s brand values and bring them to life across multiple categories.

“Bluey is in good hands and ready to delight an increasing fanbase of kids and parents across Italy.”

Maurizio Distefano, President of MDL, said: “We are really excited to have the opportunity to work with BBC Studios and we can’t wait to kickstart Bluey’s licensing program in the Italian market by applying all our expertise.

“The familiar setting mixed with fun and adventure for the characters, are the perfect ingredients to make all Italian children and their families passionate about Bluey.”

Building on a successful launch in Australia, the US and UK, a distribution deal is in place for global master toy provider Moose Toys with Giochi Preziosi in Italy.

This latest agreement marks the launch of Bluey’s EMEA expansion following the earlier appointment of France tv distribution. Global licensing partners Penguin Random House and VTech have since both announced product roll outs in France.

Bluey has won the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018 and has become a global hit. In Italy the show is available on SVOD platform Disney+.

In Australia, Bluey was the #1 children’s programme on metro broadcast television in 2020 and is the #1 series ever on ABC iview with over 480 million views across series one and two since its launch*. In the UK, it was the most viewed show on CBeebies in June** and is also available on Disney+. In the US, across Disney Junior and Disney Channel in Q2 2021, the show was the #1 most watched TV series with kids ages 2-5.***

Bluey has also won multiple awards, such as the International Emmy® Kids Award in the prestigious Preschool Category in 2020, and its second AACTA Awards for Best Children’s Program that same year. The accolades continue in 2021, with Bluey winning four Kidscreen Awards in February.

The series follows Bluey, a six year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures.

Bluey is produced by multi-Emmy® award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC Kids Australia, co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios, and distributed internationally by BBC Studios outside of Australia.

THE 16th OF SEPTEMBER

Come and visit us at our privé in the Panama room.

Discover all our agencies news in the Pitch Madrid room at 2:50 p.m where Maurizio Distefano Licensing will present: New Properties For Future Licensing!

Also, don’t miss the appointment for Bing’s Cake Party!

We look forward to seeing you.