Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.
Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.

Tag Archive: Jane Smith

  1. Simon’s Cat Expands Global Pawprint with Raft of New Licensing Deals

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    Banijay Brands today announces a raft of new licensing deals for digital content sensation, Simon’s Cat. In addition, Japanese agent ZenWorks has been appointed to represent the brand’s interests in the respective territory.

     

    The licensing programme for Simon’s Cat is continuing to expand with new licensees appointed for fashion, crafting, phone accessories, puzzles and accessories. Fashion UK is developing a range of ladies’, mens’ and kids’ apparel, accessories and essentials for the UK market – Wulydermy is launching a selection of craft kits for release later this year (available in the UK); global online retailer and manufacturer, Ecell, will launch Simon’s Cat phone covers in Q3; Heye has just sold out of the first print run of its 1,000-piece Simon’s Cat puzzle; Pinfinity will be releasing a range of augmented reality Simon’s Cat branded metal pins; and Australian medical wear specialist, Dr. Woof, has signed a deal which covers branded medical and clinical apparel.

     

    This all sits alongside the official Simon’s Cat webshop refresh, managed by key e-commerce partner, Star Editions, which also released a collectible limited edition branded coin to coincide with the new store look.

     

    Following the success of its previous Simon’s Cat releases, leading social commerce platform, Spring, is extending its partnership with the brand to deliver an extensive range of products this year for worldwide distribution, which will include a collaboration with Rubik’s Cube, bespoke apparel drops, and a limited edition ‘Kitten Care Kit’ collection of pet products.

     

    In Asia, Banijay Brands has appointed renowned agent ZenWorks Licensing to represent the Simon’s Cat in Japan. And following the success of its initial partnership, apparel specialists Quanshang in China has renewed its deal for a second year.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing at Banijay says: “Simon’s Cat is such a lovable brand that resonates with fans all around the world. The extensive licensing programme, that continues to expand, is testament to its enduring popularity.”

     

    Simon Tofield, creator of Simon’s Cat added: “I am always amazed that there are so many Simon’s Cat fans all over the world. Our audiences are incredibly passionate about Simon’s Cat and it is wonderful to be able to offer them such a brilliant array of products.”

     

    The Simon’s Cat brand enjoys international success across multiple categories including gaming, publishing and apparel. There have been more than 90 million digital sticker downloads, in excess of 20 million mobile gaming downloads and over 2 million books sold across 30 countries. Simon’s Cat has over 18 million fans and subscribers across social platforms, with the iconic films totalling more than 2 billion views. Recent successes include the brand-new match-3 mobile game, Simon’s Cat Story Time, from developer Tactile Games, which launched last month, exclusively on Apple Arcade, Apple’s award-winning game subscription service.

  2. Banijay Brands with Caryn Mandabach Productions Launches First Official Peaky Blinders Wine

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    Banijay Brands, in partnership with official Peaky Blinders brand owner and producer, Caryn Mandabach Productions, today announces the launch of the first official Peaky Blinders wine.

     

    Inspired by the multi-award winning drama, Peaky Blinders, renowned French vineyard, Vignobles Bardet, has created two red wines, a Saint-Emilion and a Saint- Emilion Grand Cru. Born from the highly-regarded Bordeaux region following research into 1920s wine in partnership with wine historian Jean-Michel Chevet, the offerings are set to give buyers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of the international hit drama.

     

    The wine will initially be available in France but is available for export, via local distributors in key markets across Europe and Asia.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments; “In Vignobles Bardet we have found an established and creative partner to create an authentic product, which is perfectly suited to the Peaky Blinders brand. This collaboration has created two fine reds that will give fans an authentic taste of the 1920s in the very style that would be shared at the Shelby table.”

     

    Thibault Bardet, Vignobles Bardet comments; “It’s easy to imagine a character like Thomas Shelby importing his own wine from our great-great-grandfather Jean Roy on the prestigious Saint-Emilion region of Bordeaux and we believe these reds are exactly what he would have chosen. We are extremely proud to produce a product that captures the true essence of Peaky Blinders.”

     

    Jamie Glazebrook, Executive Producer of Peaky Blinders for Caryn Mandabach Productions comments;  “Peaky Blinders continues to be a journey into the unexpected. In series five, Churchill outlines Tommy Shelby’s progress as ‘a tent, then a boat, then a house, now a mansion.’ To which we can now add a vineyard! We could not be more delighted with this collaboration, the results of which are truly delicious.”

     

    This year Banijay Brands has developed an extensive licensing programme for the global hit in partnership with official Peaky Blinders brand owner, brand curator and producer Caryn Mandabach Productions. This includes a collaboration with Curve Digital for Peaky Blinders: Mastermind,  Hodder for The Official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book,  a card game with Steamforged, the first stationery products in Brazil with Tilibra, Thornbridge Brewery for the first endorsed “Shelby” beer, and various product ranges spanning apparel, gifting, men’s grooming and more.  Officially-licensed Peaky Blinders products are proving a hit with consumers and retailers, as the successful licensing programme now spans over 40 licensees across multiple territories.

     

    Created and written by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises and Locke), the multi award-winning BBC One series is produced by Peaky Blinders official brand-owner, Caryn Mandabach Productions, and co-produced with Banijay’s Tiger Aspect Productions. The season five launch on BBC One in autumn 2019 delivered its highest ratings yet.

     

    Peaky Blinders is distributed by Banijay Rights and has sold in more than 183 countries and is widely available internationally on Netflix i including the USA.

     

    The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

  3. Banijay Brands Unveils New Licensing Deals in Asia

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    Banijay Brands today announces a range of new licensing agreements Mr Bean, MasterChef and Simon’s Cat in Asia, ahead of the region’s week at Festival of Licensing.

     

    This year British comedy star Mr Bean celebrates 30 years of continual distribution and to mark the occasion, Banijay Brands has partnered with Bzmedia to open licensed bubble tea stores in China, where up 22 stores have launched across various cities and further expansion expected.  The company is joining forces with Hong Kong-based manufacturer and distributor, Toyeast, and partnering with BMW to produce a die cast model of Mr Bean’s classic Mini and plush products based on the iconic character have been renewed with Kin Hsing in Taiwan. Mr Bean is represented by four agencies, Asiana, Black White Orange, MediaLink and Empire in Asia.

     

    For global culinary hit MasterChef, a new cookware, tableware and kitchenware range will be available in Indonesia on online retail store for household products,  dusdusan.com in 2021, in a deal with Indonesian company PT Homeco. This news follows the recent launch of MasterChef handblenders in South Korea with SJ Trend.

     

    Other existing business in this key region includes continued growth for animated hit Simon’s Cat through three agencies CLICK!, Block 12 and Enpop. South Korean agency Enpop are growing awareness for the brand through a partnership with Samsung for licensed digital accessories such as wallpaper designs for Samsung handset users worldwide.

     

    This follows recent deals in South Korea including Simon’s Cat plush toys with Nooritoys and mobile phone case accessories with OGA Prince, as well as an apparel deal in China with Quanshang. The mischievious cat will feature across various locations of 9 Lives Cat Clinic in Hong Kong in a partnership across three years.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments; “These extensions for Mr Bean, MasterChef and Simon’s Cat are great examples of how we can offer fans a variety of ways to enjoy their favourite brands beyond the screen. This region continues to be significant market for our growth and it’s brilliant to announce these deals at the Festival of Licensing’s Asia week.”

     

    The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

     

  4. Banijay Brands Announces ‘MasterChef Green’ Cookbook Ahead of Festival of Licensing 2020

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    Banijay Brands is today announcing MasterChef Green, a vegetarian cookbook consisting of 80 greener recipes, published by Bloomsbury Absolute, and authored by Adam O’Sheperd. The book will launch globally in Spring 2021.

     

    MasterChef Green will include a foreword from MasterChef creator, Franc Roddam, and offers a comprehensive selection of vegetarian recipes, including a large number which are suitable for vegans, and encourages a vegetable-led diet.

     

    In line with MasterChef’s brand values, the MasterChef Green cookbook will show the home cooks to cook more sustainably, waste less, go greener and have a lighter footprint on our environment.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments; “We are thrilled to work with Bloomsbury once again on MasterChef, adding a brand-new book to our range.  As a world leader, MasterChef embraces the green theme and as more and more people turn to increasingly responsible diets and cooking, MasterChef offers its twist on this culinary journey. We know how much more people have been cooking and sharing food at home, and hope this collection of recipes will offer something different to our MasterChef audience.”

     

    With contributions from 10 MasterChef champions, fans of the biggest cookery show in the world will be able to explore recipes such as: summer rolls with smoked tofu and satay sauce; smashed broad bean and peas on sourdough with goat’s cheese, dukkah and mint; puy lentil salad with charred tenderstem broccoli and miso dressing; Sri Lankan potato and lentil curry with mint sambal; orecchiette with broccoli, lemon and chilli, plus many more.

     

    This announcement marks the fourth cookbook with Bloomsbury, having previously published MasterChef: Street Food of the World, MasterChef: The Masters at Home and MasterChef: The Finalists.

     

    MasterChef is the world’s most successful cookery television format with 63 local adaptations, broadcast in over 200 countries and watched by more than 300 million people globally. MasterChef has a digital footprint of more than 34 million fans totalling in excess of 4 billion views across YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

     

    Produced by Shine TV, the latest series of MasterChef UK performed exceedingly well, attracting over 5 million viewers with its best audience figures since 2017. The series was also BBC One’s highest-rated non-scripted show of the year for 16-34 year olds.

     

    The MasterChef brand extends into a huge range of commercial activities across consumer products, experiential, publishing, and digital.

     

    MasterChef, the worldwide smash hit format that sets out on a nationwide quest to find the best amateur cook in the country, was created by Franc Roddam. The MasterChef format and finished programmes are represented internationally by Banijay Rights.

     

    Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

     

    The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less?, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t!, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

  5. Banijay Brands Partners with Australian Licensing Agency, WP Brands, for Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat

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    Banijay Brands has appointed brand management agency, WP Brands, to represent Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat in Australia and New Zealand, as part of the continued expansion of its brand footprint.

     

    Global hit Peaky Blinders is a multi-award-winning BBC One series, created and written by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises and Locke), and produced by official brand owner, Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions.  Season five launched on BBC One last year and delivered the show’s highest ratings yet. The series has aired across more than 183 countries, as well as internationally on Netflix, including the USA.

     

    Simon’s Cat is a worldwide phenomenon, seen in over 100 countries, with 7 million fans on Facebook, 2 million followers on Instagram, and more than 1 billion views on YouTube.

     

     Created by award-winning illustrator, animator and director, Simon Tofied, Simon’s Cat features the hilarious antics of a mischievous white cat and his long-suffering owner Simon. First seen on YouTube in 2008, the Simon’s Cat brand enjoys international success across multiple categories including gaming, publishing and apparel.

     

    There have been more than 80 million digital sticker downloads and in excess of 18 million mobile gaming downloads with further titles in development.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing at Banijay Brands said: “WP Brands has a stellar reputation and we are thrilled to now partner with the business on these hugely popular brands. We have a shared passion and belief in the appeal for customers in Australia and New Zealand.”

     

    Lim Mi-Kyoung, Managing Director of WP Brands comments: “WP Brands is excited to be working alongside a phenomenal media partner like Banijay Brands and we are looking forward to further building on the consumer products offering in our market. We can’t wait to bring fans more opportunities to engage with these two exciting and wildly popular brands.’’

  6. MasterChef Finalist Launches Textiles Range for Amazon

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    Banijay has commissioned MasterChef UK finalist, Claire Fyfe, to produce a range of products with creative and bold prints to be sold on the MasterChef store on Amazon from today.

    The ‘MasterChef by Claire Fyfe’ range is inspired by her MasterChef journey and represents her favourite ingredients during her time on the show; including rhubarb, pineapple and mackerel. Each of the creative and bold block prints have been hand crafted by Fyfe from potatoes and rhubarb stalks.

    The range includes aprons, tea towels, coasters and placemats, lunchboxes, premium water bottles, mugs and ceramic trivets.

    Claire Fyfe comments; “I’m absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with the MasterChef brand by personally creating a range of textiles and homeware products. The designs represent my most-loved ingredients from the show and evoke wonderful memories of my MasterChef journey. I’m passionate about developing fun prints for the kitchen, and that’s exactly what I wanted to showcase in these products. I hope consumers love these products just as much as I do.”

    Fyfe, who came fourth in the sixteenth series of Shine TV’s’ MasterChef on BBC One earlier this year, studied textiles at university, is an abstract artist and trained as an interior designer. MasterChef delivered a final consolidated series average of 5.06 million viewers with a market share of 21.1%. This was its best audience since 2017 (5.21m) and +14% higher than the audience for Series 15.

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments; “Claire’s creative passion extends beyond food and into textiles and designs.  We talked about how we could work together, and this seemed the perfect fit, combining her love of food and design, creating original and unique MasterChefproducts.  We are thrilled to have partnered with Claire to help bring the MasterChef brand into even more homes in different and unique ways”

    Click here to view the products on Amazon.

    MasterChef is the world’s most successful cookery television format with 63 local adaptations, broadcast in over 200 countries and watched by more than 300 million people globally.  MasterChef has a digital footprint of more than 34 million fans totalling in excess of 4 billion views across YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

    The MasterChef brand extends into a huge range of commercial activities across consumer products, experiential, publishing, and digital.

     MasterChef, the worldwide smash hit format that sets out on a nationwide quest to find the best amateur cook in the country, was created by Franc Roddam. The MasterChef format and finished programmes are represented internationally by Banijay Rights.

    Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing, with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

  7. Ready Steady Cook Refreshed for New Licensing Opportunities

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    Banijay has today announced the launch of a new consumer products programme for the iconic cooking brand, Ready Steady Cook.

     

    The brand is back with a modern style guide and suite of creative assets, which offer an exciting opportunity to develop products across a range of categories including food storage, kitchen appliances, cookware, textiles, foodstuffs and digital products for the much-loved, heritage brand.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments; “Worldwide consumers and audiences love Ready Steady Cook and we’ve seen a real rise in fans from younger demographics. This classic heritage brand is both nostalgic and fresh in bringing together people, generating culinary ideas, and providing great entertainment, creating an exciting opportunity for new licensees and partners. The quality and popularity of the Ready Steady Cook brand means the products are sure to fly off the shelves.”

     

    The current climate has seen cooking at home at an all-time high, as well as being an activity which brings loved ones together. Consumers’ relationships and experiences with food in the home have never been more important, which makes ‘now’ the perfect time for Ready Steady Cook to be a brand partner for licensees in the culinary space.

     

    The Ready Steady Cook brand values mirror that of kitchens around the world, with a particular focus on value for money, sustainability, managing food waste and provenance; all of which will resonate with economically-conscious and environmentally-aware consumers looking for exciting culinary products to add to their homes.

     

    The brand is internationally-renowned and recognised, with the show being adapted in over 20 territories. Consumer brand awareness has also been amplified this year in the United Kingdom following the successful TV relaunch on BBC One from Remarkable TV.

     

    Popular presenter Rylan Clark-Neal was at the helm as he introduced the TV classic and gave new meaning to the phrases, “green peppers” and “red tomatoes”. The iconic show had all the secret ingredients as it performed well for younger viewers and was above the broadcaster’s slot average by +10% for Adults 16-34. The show has once again taught a new generation about contemporary food themes; from how to cook on a budget, to eating healthily, and feeding a whole family, whilst reflecting the changes in food and British cooking over the past decade.

     

    Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

     

    The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less?, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t!, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

  8. Banijay and Caryn Mandabach Productions Reveal First Official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book to Launch Next Month

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    Banijay, together with official Peaky Blinders brand owner and production company Caryn Mandabach Productions, today announce the first Official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book from Hodder & Stoughton publishers.

    Inside the Official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book fans of the show will find over 1,000 questions from across the five series, varying in difficulty level from the criminally easy to the murderously hard, all designed to put the knowledge of even the most passionate of Peaky Blinders fans, to the test. Suitable for all ages, the quiz book will provide hours of fun for all the family.

    The Official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book is released following the success of the first official Peaky Blinders book By Order of the Peaky Blinders: The Official Companion to the Hit TV Series which launched last year, and invited fans to step inside the set and discover the real-life inspiration for the show. Published by Michael O’Mara Books, the book is an ultimate call-out to fans; exploring the key themes, characters and plotlines.

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments; “The new Official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book is incredibly exciting, and demonstrates yet another way of how Banijay Brands are able to work with licensees to come up with innovative ways to extend the brand into multiple product lines that consumers will love. At a time when quizzing has never been so popular, we really hope fans of the show enjoy delving deep, and testing their knowledge, as they will no doubt find out interesting facts they never knew.”

    Susan Waddell, Commercial Director, Caryn Mandabach Productions, comments; “We have had so much fun working with Matt Whyman and the  talented team at Hodder on the creation of the first official Peaky Blinders Quiz Book.   It’s a brilliant way to relive the Show and we are sure our fans will love the chance to put their Peaky knowledge to the test”.

    Peaky Blinders officially licensed product is proving a hit with consumers and retailers, as the successful licensing programme now spans over 40 licensees across multiple territories. This includes product ranges across apparel, gifting, stationary, men’s grooming, games and puzzles, video games and experiential. The brand continues to appeal to the TV series’ dedicated fan base in a growing number of international markets.

    Created and written by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises and Locke), the multi-award-winning BBC One series is produced by Peaky Blinders owner, independent production company Caryn Mandabach Productions and by Banijay’s Tiger Aspect Productions.

    Banijay represent a range of global ancillary rights for Peaky Blinders which is distributed by Banijay Rights across more than 183 countries and airs widely on Netflix internationally including the USA.

    The season five launch on BBC One in autumn 2019 delivered its highest ratings yet.

    Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

  9. Banijay Strengthens Commercial with Launch of Banijay Brands

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    Banijay today announces the launch of Banijay Brands, a division dedicated to all areas of commercial activity.

     

    Led by newly-appointed Chief Commercial Officer, Owain Walbyoff, Banijay Brands will encompass brand licensing, merchandising, gaming, gambling and music. The operation will represent an extensive and diverse portfolio covering entertainment, scripted, animation, game shows and kids, which offer a wide range of commercial opportunities.

     

    Following the recent acquisition, Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing will lead the licensing area, overseeing key brands from the world’s largest international content catalogue, comprising of 88,000+ hours of original programming. She will also work with the network of teams in local markets to further expand the business.

     

    Smith joined Endemol Shine in 2018, where she has substantially driven the growth of properties such as MasterChef, Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat within licensing and merchandising.

     

    Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

     

    Owain Walbyoff, Chief Commercial Officer at Banijay Brands comments;“Without a doubt we are a market leader in this space, and I look forward to seeing how we bolster the IP even further. Jane is a highly-experienced, strategic executive with vast industry knowledge, and with some of the world’s biggest brands in our portfolio, the possibilities are endless.”

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing of Banijay Brands comments;“Banijay Brands represents an incredibly compelling catalogue of globally-renowned, cross-genre brands, which we will be bringing to the Festival of Licensing. By partnering with the very best licensees in the business, we aim to create innovative and impressive products that our audiences and fans will love.”

     

    The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.