June 5, 2012: More than 200 kids and their families flocked to Hoyts cinemas in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday, June 3, for a special event to experience the action-packed, high-octane boys’ adventure series, Monsuno.
In partnership with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), GO! and Nickelodeon, Hoyts presented a premiere advance screening of two episodes of the smash hit international show. For the first time ever in Australia, prior to the screening, boys in the audience were able to play with the innovative new Monsuno toy line from JAKKS Pacific, Inc., a leading designer and marketer of toys and consumer products.
The comprehensive Monsuno toy line, which is expected to hit store shelves in August, features innovative, kid-controlled action figures, accessories, combat sets, collectibles, electronics and integrated role play and brings the larger-than-life adventures of the Monsuno animated series into kids’ hands. The response to the toys, which won the “Boys Toy of the Year” Award from the Australian Toy Association in March, was overwhelmingly enthusiastic.
FME Vice President Consumer Products Hannah Laird said: "The Sydney and Melbourne Hoyts events were a sensation. It was fantastic to see such an incredible response from all the kids both to the series and to Monsuno toys and cards.”
Monsuno was officially launched in Australia & New Zealand earlier this year by FME, the master licensing agent, which is handling all brand licensing, distribution and home entertainment rights for the Monsuno franchise in those countries.
Monsuno the TV series premiered on Australian television in April on Nickelodeon, and debuts on free-to-air TV on GO! on Monday, June 11.
Hunter Products will distribute the JAKKS Pacific toy line featuring over 100 collectable monsters and their innovative, feature-rich 'core' game play. FME is also working with Banter Toys to distribute the Topps range of integrated collectible battle-inspired game cards.
Monsuno joins FME’s growing portfolio of kids’ properties, which includes Bindi's Bootcamp, a wildlife TV game show; My Babysitter’s a Vampire, a genre-busting adventure/comedy; Really Me, a tween live action sitcom; and The Aquabats Super Show, a quirky comedy adventure that combines a hybrid of concert footage, live-action skits and animation.
Licensing opportunities for Monsuno are still available in certain key categories.
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Notes to Editors
ABOUT MONSUNO
The Monsuno series is being co-produced by Pacific Animation Partners LLC, a joint venture between JAKKS Pacific, Inc. & Dentsu Entertainment USA, Inc., with FremantleMedia Enterprises and The Topps Company, Inc. FremantleMedia Enterprises will be responsible for the exclusive worldwide distribution of Monsuno TV programming except for Asia and act as the Master Licensing agent for the Monsuno brand outside of Asia. JAKKS Pacific is the creator of the underlying Monsuno property and master toymaker for the Monsuno toy line. The Topps Company has signed on to produce Monsuno trading card games, confectioneries and related products.
ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES & FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, and Neighbours.
For more information please contact:
Simon Lloyd
Access Public Relations
T: 02 9292 7003
M: 0424 470 923
E: simon@accesspr.com.au