10 Minutes With … Banijay Kids & Family on ‘Totally Spies!’

License Global: With the recent resurgence of “Totally Spies!” and its expanding fanbase, what are your strategic priorities for brand licensing and consumer products to maximize fan engagement and leverage the renewed interest?

Roubina Tchoboian: We have an ambitious licensing strategy for “Totally Spies!.” It’s such a huge property that resonates with a broad spectrum of fans and the demand for consumer products and experiences is at an all-time high. We are diligently working to capitalize on this great moment for the brand and bring to market exciting, must-have products that deepen brand engagement.

Given the continued success of the brand since the 2000s, and now the new animated series rolling out globally, we have a two-tier approach to brand licensing. We have our core 6-9 audience, who the new animated is targeted to, many of whom will be discovering the spies for the first time. Here our priorities lean into the kids’ market, across sectors such as publishing, gaming and toys. Plus, we have millennial and Gen Z fans, who have loved the series since it first aired and have eagerly been anticipating its return. This is a young adult audience where we can leverage the nostalgia and legacy of the brand, with categories of focus, including apparel, fashion accessories, tech products, health and beauty and stationery.

Roubina Tchoboian, Banijay Kids and Family

How do you see the new developments, such as the live-action series with Gloria Sanchez and the launch of Season 8, driving the brand’s appeal to new and existing audiences? What role will consumer products play in this strategy?

Benoît Di Sabatino: We began work on Season 7 back in 2020 and knew from the offset we wanted a complementary consumer products range to reflect the audience’s excitement for the new series. The Season 7 launch in France with Gulli performed incredibly well, and it’s a significant indication of demand to confirm a follow-up Season 8 at this stage. This pipeline of content helps our fanbase grow, and it ensures brand longevity, with a guaranteed long-term brand presence which is significant for licensees.

The live-action version of “Totally Spies!” reflects the size and influence of our vibrant and active young adult fanbase and will take the brand to an even wider audience. The development of this series is completely aligned with the brand’s DNA, and having world-class partners, Amazon MGM Studios and Gloria Sanchez Productions, attached demonstrates the ambitions for this project.

Together, these new productions and the exploitation of our existing “Totally Spies!” catalog will ensure we have a first-tier presence with a wide range of audiences around the world for at least the next six years.

We’ve always known what a special brand “Totally Spies!” is, and the current momentum is the culmination of years of work across the business to reinvigorate the show and deliver fans a wealth of touchpoints to engage with the brand. As each series and version airs, we want to tap into the fan engagement beyond the screen and give them access to exciting, innovative and creative products that will enhance their passion for the brand.

Benoît Di Sabatino, Banijay Kids & Family

What specific licensing initiatives are you planning to support the global growth of “Totally Spies!,” and how do you plan to address regional market preferences through these initiatives?

Tchoboian: We have created a strong network of local licensing agents for the Totally Spies! brand, whose role is to identify and secure partners based on local demand. A reflection of the broadcast strategy, these will grow alongside the series’ prominence in each market.

To date, our French licensing team has been most active in the market, given that is where the series has already launched. It has secured lots of brilliant deals spanning gaming, publishing and even a fantastic webtoon series.

Beyond France, we have confirmed the appointment of CWA (U.S.), VLM (Italy), Bulldog (U.K.), License Connection (Benelux), Lotus Global Marketing (Brazil) and LIT Licensing Agency (Nordics), who all bring excellent knowledge of their respective markets and the expertise we need, to cater to regional preferences.

With the upcoming live-action series with our partner, Amazon MGM Studios, we have no doubt we can expand the footprint of opportunity globally, both in terms of demographics and geography.

Given the significant momentum around “Totally Spies!” following the successful launch of Season 7 in France, how do you envision integrating fan feedback into future product lines and licensing deals to enhance fan service?

Tchoboian: We have a very active community, in no small part thanks to the brilliant work of our digital team, which has cultivated a significant online fanbase. We have a very good understanding of what fans want and certainly build this into our overall plans for the brand. We are so lucky to have such a passionate following, which has been incredibly supportive of the series, and we want to give back to them with the best content, top-quality products and premium experiences. Looking ahead, we will be celebrating the “Totally Spies!” 25th anniversary next year, and it’s moments like this that we can celebrate with our fans through our licensing program.

How do you plan to collaborate to ensure that the expansion into consumer products and licensing aligns with the creative direction of both the new live-action series and the ongoing development of the animated seasons? 

Di Sabatino: On the animated series, we’ve worked hard to integrate the teams across the business to amplify our IP through creative and impactful 360 brand strategies. Production, distribution, licensing, marketing and digital, all work in collaboration to ensure we are aligned and working towards the best possible outcomes for our brands. For the live-action adaptation, we will be bringing this expertise to our partners, Amazon MGM Studios and Gloria Sanchez Production, and of course, we’ll be learning from them too.

Tchoboian: You cannot overstate the importance of authenticity in the licensing and consumer products space. All our brand extensions must be accurate representations of the show, and inhabit the same DNA, values and, more importantly, quality. To achieve this, we will continue to work hand-in-hand with the producers of the series, our partners and agents to further expand our consumer product ranges with exciting experiences and products that reflect the same high quality, innovation and originality our fans expect and deserve. At this stage, everything is possible, from classic merchandising to an immersive experience or a musical. It’s all “Totally Spies!.”

Brand Licensing Europe takes place Sept. 24-26 at ExCeL London. Visit Banijay Group at stand C232.

Brand Licensing Europe takes place Sept. 24-26 at ExCeL London. Register for your free ticket now.