Winx Club Plans Fashion Doll Debut, Season 4 Rolls Out

Winx Club fashion dolls continue to storm the market, according to licensor Rainbow, based on figures from NPD, as season 4 premieres across Europe.

The property, with 600 licensees worldwide and $2 billion in revenues to date, is currently airing on more than 150 networks in 130 countries.

The fourth season of the animation, comprising 26x30, launched in Italy in April and will launch October 2009 in the rest of Europe.

Rainbow's strategy to back the launch includes heavy promotion, plus coordinated launches of product—a new doll collection, with wardrobes created by Italian designers, will be followed by 10 fashion collections launched over a year. Television campaigns, as well as trade and consumer press advertising, will support each broadcast launch. There will be a strong focus on the Christmas line of deluxe dolls.

The Winx Club Fashion Doll has been the best-selling toy in Italy for three consecutive years—2006 to 2008—and is also leading the charts in other European countries including France and Germany. In addition to the key apparel business, Winx Club is also strong in toy, back to school, publishing and home categories.

In Italy, the stylish fashion dolls are No. 1 both in terms of units and gross sales, according to Rainbow, while across Europe, they have held top five positions—Winx Club closed 2008 as Best License for Fashion Themed Dolls in Italy, France, Germany and Portugal (NPD, March 2009). In March 2009, Winx Dolls held five of the top 10 best-selling doll positions in Italy.