Nick Details Aussie Business

The studio also announced the continuation of its 20-year relationship with Haven Licensing, which will continue to represent NVCP brands in Australia and New Zealand through 2019. The partnership covers Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, Comedy Central and other Viacom International Media Networks brands. 

Ron Johnson, executive vice president of international consumer products at VIMN, showcased how the company was leveraging its slate of powerhouse brands to interact with consumers on every platform in the upfront presentation.

“Today we’re in 700 million households in 170 territories and 37 languages, via more than 200 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital and mobile TV properties," he says. "And we’re more committed than ever to grow our reach around the world. As we develop

The company already has a large presence in that space in the region, with more than 40 million kids and families visiting Nickelodeon recreation locations each year. Among these are the new Nickelodeon Beach at Sydney’s Wet’n’Wild and recently introduced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appearances at Sea World on the Gold Coast.

Johnson said that the underlying driver of its success is Nickelodeon’s iconic property portfolio, which includes "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Dora the Explorer" and "Paw Patrol."

“The ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ are a bigger consumer products success story than we ever imagined, exceeding $1 billion in global retail sales last year. ‘Turtles’ are positioned for evergreen status and continued growth with the second sequel movie in 2016, expansion into new demos and segments–including the preschool toy line Half Shell Heroes and their TV return to Dimension X for season four in 2016."

Johnson also highlighted the evergreen status of the "SpongeBob SquarePants" brand, which continues to spur new content and products including a regional feature film launch April 2 and an accompanying immersive marketing campaign.

Finally, the executive focused on the company's growing preschool portfolio, which is being led by "Paw Patrol" and the new "Dora and Friends" series. He also highlighted two upcoming shows–"Blaze and the Monster Machines" and "Shimmer and Shine"–that will continue to drive growth in that demographic.

NVCP and Haven Licensing also recognized key retailers and licensees at the annual Nickelodeon Consumer Products Choice Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the upfront presentation. Winners included:

"It’s an exciting time for our business in Australia," says Ben Richardson, general manager and senior vice president, Viacom Australia and New Zealand. "Now, more than ever, we are leveraging all the touchpoints consumers interact with our brand and properties across TV, SVOD, online and live events. Our focus is to continue delivering unforgettable experiences for audiences everywhere, and we could not do this without aligning ourselves with the right partners.”