Television distributor DRG is expanding into licensing with plans to develop programs in the U.K. for three of its top shows-"Don't Tell the Bride," "Antiques Road Trip" and the upcoming remake of "Catch Phrase."

April 6, 2018

2 Min Read

Television distributor DRG is expanding into licensing with plans to develop programs in the U.K. for three of its top shows–“Don’t Tell the Bride,” “Antiques Road Trip” and the upcoming remake of the ’80s game show “Catch Phrase.”

DRG has appointed Rocket Licensing to represent “Don’t Tell the Bride” and “Antiques Road Trip” in the U.K. and will handle licensing for “Catch Phrase” in-house.

Charlotte Hargreaves, senior vice president of marketing and business development, joined DRG a year ago to lead the company’s new consumer products and digital initiatives. She will now use her extensive licensing experience, which includes time spent at Disney Consumer Products, BBC Worldwide, Cookie Jar, and most recently, Atari, to launch DRG’s licensing program.

“We feel that these brands have really reached a critical mass, and the timing is right to start to expand them,” she says.

For the reality series “Don’t Tell the Bride” and “Antiques Road Trip,” Hargreaves says that DRG and Rocket will focus on products targeted to the existing audience base with items that play off the shows’ core themes.

In August of last year, DRG launched an iPad app for “Don’t Tell the Bride” that taps into the series’ light-hearted sensibility with a love test and a hen/stag party planner. The product program for the series will follow a similar motif, with an initial focus on novelty wedding items. An enhanced version of the app for other iOS devices will also launch early this year.

For “Antiques Road Trip,” DRG and Rocket plan to play up the show’s nostalgic vibe with stationary, home, kitchen and gifting products inspired by the themes of travel, exploration and bygone eras.

The remake of the popular U.K. game show “Catch Phrase” presents an entirely different set of opportunities with DRG focusing initially on both digital and physical gaming products.

The updated version of the game show began filming this week and is set to air in the spring with a new play pattern and younger-skewing host Stephen Mulhern, former “Britain’s Got More Talent” presenter.

“It’s really important when you bring back a classic show to make it relevant. The new play pattern of ‘Catch Phrase’ is really going to work well for digital gaming products,” says Hargreaves.

DRG plans to launch product lines for all three series in the U.K. by the end of this year and hopes to expand internationally as its burgeoning licensing program grows.

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry Article
Join 62,000+ members. Yes, it's completely free.

You May Also Like