Nickelodeon Consumer Products Announce "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Licensing News

From Animation Insider:

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Licensing News

'TMNT' Animation & Licensing News

Nickelodeon has its hands full working with female viewers on the thus-far successful relaunch of Winx Club [recent A.I. news: "Winx Club Animation News" (10/2011)], but the kid's media group is charging forward on another key property of note: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. According to recent news reports, new merchandise for the Nickelodeon Animation Studios' new CG series will be ready by autumn 2012, just in time for the cartoon's on-air debut. There are (or will be) plenty of multimedia complements to the new series, including the recently launched comic book line, but Playmates Toys seems hardat work in preparing viewers overseas for the cartoon's debut as well.

El Segundo, CA-based Playmates Toys, Inc. has a simple and recognizable line-up of figures and dolls currently on its roster -- Lucha Libre, Family Guy -- and looks to make a significant splash when its ninja turtle figures hit retail. Previous titles under license from Playmates through the years include Atomic Betty, Huntik: Secrets & Seekers, Iron Kid (as Eon Kid), Space Jam, Strawberry Shortcake, and countless others. TMNT has been with the company for decades, beginning with a New York Toy Fair unveiling back in 1988.

According to Playmates, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had an estimated 60% share of the action figure market only two years after they launched.

Per Playmates, whose parent company is based in Hong Kong, China, the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures will enter the North American market at series launch (autumn 2012), with the international market following soon thereafter (early 2013). Domestically, the new TMNT toys will be available at Amazon.com, Wal*Mart, Toys 'R Us, and Target stores.

New marketing and distribution partners for international consumers will be as follows: Headstart (Australia), Spin Master (Canada), Stadlbauer (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Planet Fun (New Zealand), Concentra (Portugal), Gulliver (Russia), Toy Triangle (Middle East and North African), Prima Toys (South Africa), and the Giochi Preziosi Group (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, UK).

"We are privileged to be working with Nickelodeon to create the all new toy line for a whole new generation of kids and reaffirm the brand as an evergreen franchise," Thomas Chan, Chairman, Playmates Toys, commented. "Together with the appointed distribution partners, industry leaders in their respective markets, we will deliver exciting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys to kids everywhere in the world."