Nickelodeon UK Unveils Two Exclusive Photographs From The Making Of Nickelodeon UK's "Camp Orange: The Lost Kingdom" In Australia

Nickelodeon UK and Ireland has Tweeted (posted) two exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs from the production of the second series of Nickelodeon UK's "Camp Orange UK", "Camp Orange: The Lost Kingdom", Nickelodeon's adventure reality show for best friends, on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK)!

Wanna see some EXCLUSIVE behind the scenes pics of the brand new ‪#camporange‬? RT if you do!

And:

If you send me a few more tweets I might just put a ‪#camporange‬ exclusive pic or two up!

Also:

RT if you cant wait until ‪#camporange‬! http://ow.ly/i/MnAb http://ow.ly/i/MnAp.

Nickelodeon UK's first exclusive "behind the scenes of Camp Orange The Lost Kingdom" picture (below) is of the "Camp Orange The Lost Kingdom" teams the "Crazy Einsteins" (the green team; an all girl team) and the "Surf Turtles" (the yellow team; an boy/girl team) coming out of a forst walking along a muddy path, and was taking on day three of the filming of Nickelodeon UK's "Camp Orange: The Lost Kingdom":

The second of Nickelodeon UK's exclusive behind-the-scenes "Camp Orange The Lost Kingdom" photos (below), which was also taken on the third day of filming the new series of "Camp Orange UK", features a few of Nickelodeon UK's "Camp Orange UK 2012" production crew standing on a jetty next to a river (or lake) with a rowing boat in it:

Nickelodeon UK filmed the second series of Nick UK's "Camp Orange" reality show between the end of June 2012 and early July 2012, and will be shown on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK from Thursday 16th August 2012.

Nickelodeon Announces Plans To Launch Brand New Localised "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Website Worldwide On Thursday 19th July 2012!

According to the below Nickelodeon News/"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" News article from Kidscreen, Nickelodeon International will be launching a brand new immersive official "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" website, which will be localised in 10 languages, worldwide across 13 regions from Thursday 19th July 2012! Nickelodeon's brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" website will feature exclusive sneak previews of Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" games, and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" quizzes. The URL of Nickelodeon UK's official websites' official "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" website, which British and Irish fans of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and Nickelodeon UK and Eire viewers will be able to visit from Thursday 19th July 2012, will be turtles.nick.co.uk! Turtle Power!

New UK licensees and website for TMNT

In the lead up to the October premiere of the new CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products has secured 30 UK licensees and Nick is launching a new website for the show.

In what's the largest number of licensing deals for a Nick property in the UK before a series debut, companies on board include master toy distributor Flair on behalf of Playmates Toys (action figures for December), Worlds Apart (bedroom and outdoor play range), Sambro (wheeled goods, arts and crafts), TV Mania (outerwear), Cooneen Misirli (nightwear), VMC, William Lamb and Zeon (accessories and gifts), Copywrite Designs, Hallmark, moonpig.com and Amscan (stationery and back-to-school), and Kinnerton and Lightbody (food licensing).

In addition, Character World and Vogue International have signed on for homewares, Egmont for annuals books and Parragon for publishing.

To further promote the TMNT brand, Nickelodeon is also launching an immersive website, turtles.nick.co.uk, across 13 regions and localised in 10 languages.

The site, which will feature sneak previews of the new series, games, and quizzes, will launch this Thursday, July 19.

Nickelodeon will roll out the new TMNT series in the US first, followed by international markets in the fall.

Tags: Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, UK, [TMNT]

Below is a list of website addresses to most of Nickelodeon's international versions of Nickelodeon International's brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" website:

Nickelodeon Australia (Oz) and New Zealand - turtles.nickelodeon.com.au

Nickelodeon Spain (Nickelodeon Espana) - turtles.nickelodeon.es

Nickelodeon France - turtles.nickelodeon.fr

Nickelodeon Germany (Nickelodeon Deutschland) - turtles.nick.de

Nickelodeon Netherlands (Nickelodeon Nederland) - turtles.nickelodeon.nl

Nickelodeon Italy (Nickelodeon Italia) - turtles.nicktv.it

Nickelodeon Brazil (Nickelodeon Brasil) - turtles.mundonick.com.br

Nickelodeon Worldwide - turtles.nick.tv

Nickelodeon Latin America - turtles.mundonick.com

Nickelodeon Sweden - turtles.nickelodeon.se.

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Ireland on their official Twitter feed (@NickelodeonUK):

Wanna hear the BRAND NEW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song? #nickturtles RT & Ill share!!!!

Also:

#nickturtles turtles new theme song here!!! http://ow.ly/d5nra [direct link to a online streaming video clip featuring Nickelodeon's brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" theme tune/theme song/intro music/opening song on Nick UK's brand new official TMNT website, turtles.nick.co.uk].

JAKKS Pacific Reports Second Quarter Results for 2012

Below is a JAKKS Pacific, Inc. Press Release from Business Wire:

JAKKS Pacific® Reports Second Quarter Results for 2012

Declares Cash Dividend for Third Quarter 2012

MALIBU, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) reported results for the Company’s second quarter ended June 30, 2012.

“We are pleased with the sales growth in the second quarter and year to date, and we are on track to meet our guidance ranges for the full year”

Net sales for the second quarter of 2012 were $145.4 million, up from $131.9 million reported in the comparable period in 2011. Reported net income for the second quarter was $0.2 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, which includes $1.7 million of pre-tax charges, or $0.05 per diluted share, related to financial and legal advisory fees and expenses associated with the unsolicited indication of interest and activist shareholder activities. This compares to net income of $4.2 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, reported in the comparable period in 2011, which included $0.9 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, of financial and legal advisory fees and expenses. Excluding the legal and financial advising fees, second quarter earnings would have totaled $1.6 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to $4.9 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, in 2011. The Company agreed to modify the payment terms of the THQ settlement agreement resulting in a deferral of $2.0 million of income, or $0.06 per diluted share, from the second quarter to $1.0 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, to each of the third and fourth quarters of 2012.

Net sales for the six months ending June 30, 2012, were $218.8 million compared to $204.3 million in 2011. The net loss reported for the six month period was $15.8 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, which included $3.1 million of pre-tax charges, or $0.09 per diluted share, of financial and legal advisory fees and expenses. This compares to a net loss for the first six months of 2011 of $6.3 million, or $0.23 per diluted share which included $1.2 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, of financial and legal advisory fees and expenses. Excluding the financial and legal advisory fees and expenses, the six month loss would have totaled $13.5 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $5.6 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in 2011. The first six months of 2012 was impacted by the deferral of the THQ income as noted above.

“We are pleased with the sales growth in the second quarter and year to date, and we are on track to meet our guidance ranges for the full year,” commented Stephen Berman, President and CEO, JAKKS Pacific. “Highlights of our second quarter include the expansion of the Monsuno toys in the US and the launch internationally of the animated series and related toy products, which has met the Company’s expectations to date, and our Winx Club dolls and Big Wheel line launched at select major retailers, both of which are already showing strong momentum. Our outlook for the third quarter remains optimistic with contributions from a broad range of products including our growing pool of owned content.”

As of June 30, 2012, the Company’s working capital was $353.5 million, including cash and equivalents and marketable securities of $221.6 million, compared to working capital of $372.8 million including cash and equivalents and marketable securities of $247.1 million as of June 30, 2011.

The Company recently completed a self-tender offer on July 5, 2012 for the repurchase of 4.0 million shares of its common stock at $20 per share for a total of $80.0 million, excluding offering costs of $0.6 million.

2012 Guidance & Dividend

For 2012, the Company continues to expect an increase in net sales of 6.2% to 7.4% to approximately $720 million to $728 million, with revised diluted earnings per share in the range of approximately $1.04 to $1.08, giving effect to the repurchase of common stock pursuant to the self-tender and the related anticipated financing costs and excluding the financial and legal advisory fees. The Company’s previous guidance for diluted earnings per share was in the range of $1.01 to $1.07, excluding the financial and legal advisory fees.

The JAKKS Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per common share payable on October 1, 2012, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 14, 2012.

Conference Call

JAKKS Pacific will webcast its second quarter earnings conference call today, July 17, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. ET (6:00 a.m. PT). To listen to the live webcast, go to www.jakks.com/investors, and click on the earnings webcast link under Events and Presentations at least 10 minutes prior to register, download and install any necessary audio software. A telephonic playback will be available from 11:00 a.m. ET on July 17 through August 17, 2012. The playback can be accessed by calling 888-286-8010, or 617-801-6888 for international callers, pass code 73323443.

About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) is a leading designer and marketer of toys and consumer products with a wide range of products that feature popular brands and children’s toy licenses. JAKKS’ diverse portfolio includes Action Figures, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, Halloween Costumes, Kids Furniture, Vehicles, Plush, Art Activity Kits, Seasonal Products, Infant/Pre-School, Construction Toys, Ride-On Vehicles, Wagons, Inflatable Environments and Tents, and Pet Toys sold under various proprietary brands including JAKKS Pacific®, Creative Designs International™, Road Champs®, Funnoodle®, JAKKS Pets™, Plug It In & Play TV Games™, Kids Only!™, Tollytots®, Disguise® and Moose Mountain®. JAKKS is an award-winning licensee of several hundred nationally and internationally known trademarks including Nickelodeon®, Warner Bros.®, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Hello Kitty®, Graco®, Cabbage Patch Kids® and Pokémon®. JAKKS' Monsuno™ toy line is based on the new Monsuno™ animated television series. www.jakks.com

This press release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS Pacific’s business based partly on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS’ products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired businesses. Continued payment of the quarterly cash dividend will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, JAKKS’ earnings, financial condition, business development needs, and is at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

© 2012 JAKKS Pacific, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contacts

JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
Joel Bennett, 310-455-6210
Anne-Marie Feliciano, 310-455-6235

You can read JAKKS Pacific, Inc.'s 2Q12 report, including JAKKS Pacific, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, liabilities and stockholders' equity, and 2012 Condensed Statements of Income (Unaudited) reports, in full here on the official Business Wire website, businesswire.com.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Co-Creator Kevin Eastman Says Nickelodeon Movies' Upcoming Brand New "Ninja Turtles" Movie "Easily The Best"

From MTV News USA on the official MTV USA website, MTV.com:

'Ninja Turtles' Creator Deems New Movie 'Easily The Best'

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' writer and artist Kevin Eastman tells MTV at Comic-Con that he fully supports Michael Bay's reboot.

Kevin Eastman; Photo: MTV GeekSAN DIEGO — What's going to happen with Michael Bay's planned [Paramount Picture and Nickelodeon Movie] "Ninja Turtles" reboot? That's the question we've been asking ourselves ever since the project's release date was delayed six months and rumors blamed that bump on initial fan backlash. But "Ninja Turtles" has supporters in high places, and it turns out that the delay might have been an intentional move by Paramount.

[SDCC 2012: Kevin Eastman Talks 'TMNT'; Click here to watch MTV News USA's interview with Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", recorded at San Diego Comic-Con International 2012 [video only available to view in the USA]]

Our friends over at MTV Geek have been busy hosting day-long live streams, bringing some great comic book-related material from Comic-Con to viewers at home. They sat down with comic book writer and artist Kevin Eastman, best known for co-creating "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" with Peter Laird. Among other things, Eastman talked about the "Ninja Turtles" movie that is yet to be and why it has him excited.

"From what I've seen, it's easily the best 'Turtle' movie yet," Eastman said. "We're talking 'Raid: Redemption'-style fight scenes; we're talking about epic 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' sort of effects."

He said that it's "still to be discussed" whether "Ninja Turtles" is going to use motion-capture suits on its titular heroes, but did confirm that the pushed-back release date was not caused by Paramount's unhappiness with the project.

"A lot of people are worried we pushed the release date from December to May, but the 30th anniversary of the 'Turtles' is in May, so it worked out perfectly," Eastman said.

Last we heard, the plan for this reboot was to ditch the "teenage" and "mutant" elements of the story and have these "Ninja Turtles" be aliens from space. The rest of the plot will be familiar to fans of the series, but there was a very negative initial backlash to the news that these turtles would differ significantly from what we're used to. It's unclear whether that will still be the case now that Paramount is doing more work on the story concept.

Eastman, who has obviously been close to the franchise for decades, said change isn't always a bad thing. Instead of being peeved by the way Bay and company are changing his source material, he's embracing it.

"I know that Michael and his group really like that and that Paramount was supportive of that, so I think that it's great," he shared. "I grew up reading 'Captain America' and 'The Avengers' and all that stuff, and over the course of the comic book history, since 'Avengers' has been around, how many times has it been reinvented, reformatted, restructured, replatformed?

"Every person that's grown up inspired by that material wants to put their stamp on it a little bit. It just keeps getting better and better, and to have that opportunity is pretty awesome."

Also, from Total Film:

Ninja Turtles co-creator says new reboot is the best yet

Michael Bay's ill-received project gets Kevin Eastman's backing

Ever since Michael Bay announced that his production company were backing a reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, fans have been merrily putting the boot into what seems generally regarded as a totally unnecessary undertaking.

The main problem seems to be with Bay's announcement that the backstory will be tweaked to recast the Turtles as alien beings rather than mutated reptiles. However, director Jonathan Liebsman was quick to reassure fans of the story's authenticity, claiming, "Whatever mythology we’re building on or expanding is coming from that guy, Kevin Eastman’s head, who created the Turtles in the first place."

Eastman was one of the co-creators of the original comic-book characters and now he too has had his say on the forthcoming reboot. And what do you know? It turns out he's all for it.

“From what I’ve seen, it’s easily the best Turtle movie yet," Eastman told MTV. "We’re talking Raid: Redemption-style fight scenes; we’re talking about epic Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes sort of effects.”

“I know that Michael and his group really like [the changes] and that Paramount was supportive of that," he continues, "so I think that it’s great. I grew up reading Captain America and The Avengers and all that stuff, and over the course of the comic book history, since Avengers has been around, how many times has it been reinvented, reformatted, restructured, replatformed?”

Even so… Turtles from space? As the script is still being written no release date has currently been set, allowing plenty more time for increasingly frantic studio reassurances that "everything is going to be okay, honest". Anyone believe them?

Source: MTV

Are you keen on the idea of a Turtles reboot? [...]

Nickelodeon Stars Victoria Justice And Max Schneider To Perform At The 2012 Orange County Fair In Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, USA On Thursday 2nd August 2012

From the Daily Pilot:

Music for most every taste

Sheryl Crow, Adam Lambert, Duran Duran and Tears for Fears among performers at this year's O.C. Fair.

Young the Giant is just one of the acts billed for the Pacific Amphitheatre's Summer Concert Series' at the 2012 Orange County Fair.

The lineup offers genres of popular music that should resonate with different generations, ranging from reggae to country and rock.

On Wednesday and Thursday nights, two "American Idol" alumni will perform separate shows. First, Season 10 "American Idol" Scotty McCreery will play songs off his debut album, "Clear As Day." Attwater, a Sacramento-based country band will open the show.

Then on Thursday, Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert will celebrate the release of his new album "Trespassing."

On Saturday, Costa Mesa native Madasen McGrath, 15, will play an opening set of her original pop-rock music in support of Cody Simpson's USA tour. In 2008, Australian singer/songwriter Simpson — a Justin Beiber, Jesse McCartney type — gained worldwide attention by posting videos of himself performing original songs and covers on YouTube.

Teen-targeted entertainment will continue on Aug. 2 with singer-songwriter and actress Victoria Justice — star of the Nickelodeon show "Victorious" [and "Zoey 101"]. Max Schneider [Nickelodeon's "How To Rock", "Rags"] will open the evening.

On July 25, Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sheryl Crow will play her Top 40 hits. Best known for "Soak Up The Sun," "All I Wanna Do," "Leaving Las Vegas," and her latest Top 10 release "100 Miles To Memphis," her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country, and pop.

Country music lovers will be treated to country singer Martina McBride on Aug. 10. Since debuting in 1992, McBride has released a series of Top 40 albums including "Evolution," "Martina," 2007's "Waking Up Laughing," and her latest release "Eleven."

A succession of rock acts, ranging from classic rock to glam-metal and reggae, will make up most of the season's shows on the Pacific Amphitheatre stage.

On Friday night, Randy Bachman and Fred Turner of Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive will reunite for the first time in more than 20 years. Under a new name, Bachman & Turner, the group will perform live with Foghat. The band's hit songs include "Let It Ride," "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," "Takin' Care of Business."

On July 27, Grammy Award winning reggae superstars, Steel Pulse, will return to the Pacific Amphitheatre, accompanied by Orange County's The Dirty Heads.

On July 29, classic rock band Three Dog Night will take the stage. The group had three No. 1 songs in the U.S.: "Mama Told Me Not to Come" "Joy to the World" and "Black and White." Canadian Rock band The Guess Who will open.

Heart will perform on Aug. 9. Fronted by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, Heart has been a mainstay of rock radio for almost 30 years with such Top 40 hits as "Crazy On You," "Barracuda," "Magic Man," "These Dreams," and 2010's Top 10 hit "Red Velvet Car."

Concert-goers can also get their '80s fix with English rock band Tears For Fears on Aug. 1. and Duran Duran on Aug. 11.

From its roots as a new wave synthesizer band in the early 1980s, Tears For Fears later branched out into the mainstream pop and rock genres. The group's greatest hits include "Shout," "Sowing the Seeds of Love," "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Woman in Chains."

Meanwhile, Birmingham-based Duran Duran sprung onto the music scene in 1981 combining guitar-based new wave with synth pop. Hits songs in the U.K .and U.S. include "Hungry Like The Wolf," "A View To a Kill" and "Rio."

For tickets to shows at the Pacific Amphitheatre, call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit http://www.ocfair.com.

Editor's note: Heather Youmans was a contestant on "American Idol."

Summer Concert Series at Pacific Amphitheatre

July 18 - Scotty McCreery / Attwater, 8:15 p.m.

July 19 - Adam Lambert, 7:45 p.m.

July 20 - Bachman & Turner / Foghat, 7:30 p.m.

July 21 - Cody Simpson / Madasen McGrath, 8:15 p.m.

July 22 - Young The Giant / The Steelwells, 7:30 p.m.

July 25 - Sheryl Crow / honeyhoney, 8 p.m.

July 26 - Hot Chelle Rae / Allstar Weekend, 7:45 p.m.

July 27 - Steel Pulse With Very Special Guest The Dirty Heads, 7 p.m.

July 28 - Earth, Wind & Fire, 8 p.m.

July 29 - Three Dog Night / The Guess Who, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 1 - Tears For Fears, 8:15 p.m.

Aug. 2 - Victoria Justice / Max Schneider, 8:15 p.m.

Aug. 3 - Cinderella / Sebastian Bach, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 4 - The Fab Four / Surfin' Safari, 8 p.m.

Aug. 5 - Jeff Dunham, 8 p.m.

Aug. 8 - The All-American Rejects, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 9 – Heart, 8:15 p.m.

Aug. 10 - Martina McBride, 8:15 p.m.

Aug. 11 - Duran Duran, 8 p.m.

Aug. 12 - "Weird Al" Yankovic, 8 p.m.

North American Satellite Broadcasting Service DirecTV Says It's Closer To Deal With Viacom

From Bloomberg:

DirecTV Says It's Closer to Deal With Viacom

DirecTV (DTV) is closer to restoring Viacom Inc. (VIAB)'s 26 channels, including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, as discussions between the two sides continue, according to the satellite-TV provider’s head of content.

“There's been progress,” Derek Chang, DirecTV's executive vice president of content, strategy and development, said yesterday in a phone interview. “We’ve been getting closer. We would love to be done with this thing, but we have to do it in a way that we can protect our customers.”

DirecTV, the largest U.S. satellite-TV provider, lost 17 standard-definition and nine high-definition channels from Viacom on July 10 after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. Viacom demanded the networks be dropped and threatened to sue El Segundo, California-based DirecTV if it didn’t comply, Chang said.

Viacom is asking for a 30 percent rate increase over the term of the new contract, Chang said, amounting to more than $1 billion in additional costs. DirecTV has forecast that its total programming expenses will rise almost 10 percent this year.

Viacom has countered by saying its fees account for less that 5 percent of the satellite service's programming expenses.

Viacom began offering new episodes of "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" on the Web yesterday after pulling some of its online programming last week. The New York-based company said in a blog posting that the decision was meant to be “helpful to our fans with DirecTV.”

Back on TV

"We're happy Viacom has put programming back on the Internet because it allows our viewers to watch those shows," Chang said. "But clearly we want to get the programming back on TV at a reasonable price."

Mark Jafar, a Viacom spokesman, declined to comment.

DirecTV rose 1.2 percent to $48.78 yesterday in New York trading. The shares have climbed 14 percent this year. Viacom’s Class B stock, up 3.4 percent to $46.96 in 2012, was little changed yesterday.

DirecTV isn’t the only pay-TV broadcaster locked in a contract dispute. Dish Network Corp. failed to reach an accord with AMC Networks Inc. and replaced its channels on June 30, affecting 14 million customers.

Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC), the second-largest U.S. cable provider, voiced support for DirecTV and Dish in a statement yesterday, saying television networks were demanding “huge price increases.”

“We will continue to stand up for consumers against programmers’ outrageously large price increases that serve no purpose other than to line network pockets at our customers’ expense,” the New York-based company said.

The World's Largest Zeppelin Airship, Airship Ventures' "Eureka", Launches New Social Media Campaign

Below is a Airship Ventures, Inc. Press Release via Business Wire:

Airship Ventures Displays World's Largest Hashtag

The world's largest Zeppelin airship launches new social media campaign

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Unveiling a new look, Airship Ventures, operator of the Zeppelin airship, Eureka, launched its new Social Media campaign with the world’s largest hashtag decal, #ZeppMe. Displayed across the side of the airship, the aerial hashtag lifts social media to new heights.

"Displaying a fun and friendly call to action, we're encouraging people to look up – to the airship – and then down – to their mobile – to engage and share."

Measuring 22 feet by 128 feet, the logo, an adhesive vinyl decal, took two days to install. Eureka will display the hashtag and its Twitter handle (@AirshipVentures) in the San Francisco Bay Area during the month of July and in Los Angeles the first week of August.

“The Zeppelin is based in Silicon Valley, where social media reigns supreme. With the #ZeppMe campaign, we are leveraging the airship to showcase social media integration into a sponsorship campaign,” said Airship Ventures CEO Brian Hall. “Displaying a fun and friendly call to action, we're encouraging people to look up – to the airship – and then down – to their mobile – to engage and share.”

Eureka delivers a versatile marketing platform, and is the only commercial passenger airship in the US. The Zeppelin’s unique day-to-day job as a passenger and scientific research platform provides a brand additional exposure through high-profile earned media placements as well as social media efforts. By further providing aerial coverage for sporting events or conducting one-of-a-kind promotional stunts for conferences or award shows, Eureka heightens a brand’s recognition whether it’s for short or long-term campaigns.

“The Zeppelin helped bring to life Nickelodeon’s Kids' Choice Awards generating excitement and buzz from our fans,” said Sal Maniaci, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Original Programming and Events. "As a company, we were able to yield rewards beyond traditional marketing by performing an exclusive aerial stunt to capitalize on our event in the Los Angeles skies."

[
(Photograph of Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards 2012 airship/blimp Copyright © Nickelodeon UK producer Jimmy Hunt)]To demonstrate the impact on social media channels through the exposure of the hashtag decal among fans, Airship Ventures held its first Tweetup on Friday, July 6 to introduce it to the public. Engaging with the public in non-traditional ways, Airship Ventures utilized Twitter and Facebook to promote and interact with fans for a chance to be part of the revealing of the hashtag. The hashtag #ZeppMe became Twitter's third trending topic in San Francisco.

Previous brands that have successfully leveraged Eureka include Farmers Insurance Group, regional newspaper publisher Bay Area News Group, Unwired Planet, Nickelodeon, personal genetics leader 23andMe and Disney-Pixar’s animated film UP.

About Airship Ventures Sponsorships

Under the guidance of an in-house sponsorship expert, Airship Ventures sponsorships combine the unforgettable experience of airship flight with on-the-ground visibility for miles. Each sponsorship program is custom tailored to include the right mix of integrated marketing and promotional opportunities to garner client brand affinity and support business objectives. For more information on Airship Ventures sponsorship opportunities visit www.airshipventures.com/sponsorship or contact our sponsorship group via sponsorship@airshipventures.com or 650-969-8100 x114.

About Airship Ventures, Inc.

Founded in 2007 in California, Airship Ventures, Inc., operates the only commercial passenger airship in the United States, Eureka, the world’s largest passenger airship. The Zeppelin’s spacious cabin comfortably accommodates one pilot, one flight attendant, and 12 passengers, with luxury features including oversized panoramic windows, an onboard restroom with window, and a 180-degree rear observation window and “love seat” that wraps the entire aft of the cabin. Using the inert gas helium for lift, and vectored thrust engines for flight, Zeppelin NTs have been flying with an unparalleled safety record since 1997 www.airshipventures.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50342737&lang=en

Contacts

KRT Marketing for Airship Ventures
Nathalie Cano, 650-969-8100 x 150
pr@airshipventures.com.

Nickelodeon And IDW Present The "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012"; To Be Released In October 2012

Below is a IDW Publishing Press Release from the official IDW Publishing website, idwpublishing.com:

IDW Presents Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012

TMNT story written and drawn by co-creator Kevin Eastman

Coming in October 2012

San Diego, CA (July 14, 2012) – IDW Publishing and Nickelodeon are excited to announce the launch of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ANNUAL 2012, a 48-page jam packed story written by co-writers Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman, and drawn by co-creator Eastman. It's been nearly 20 years since Eastman has created a full TMNT story, but fans will relish this Annual filled with non-stop downtown action and mayhem that is well worth the wait!

"After nearly 20 years I find myself once again fully engrossed in the wonderful mythos of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and having the absolute best time in my life!" said Eastman. "The intense creative energy flying around between IDW and Nickelodeon is when this idea was inspired and born, so with this incredible team, I'm back on the drawing board--hanging with the boys, knocking out a full blown epic--and it is AWESOME!"

Releasing in October this year, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ANNUAL 2012 follows the adventure of Raphael and Casey as they find themselves in the middle of a criminal escapade gone wrong. Rival clans jockey for power in the NYC criminal underworld, and the Ninja Turtles are drawn into the chaos. Expect the unexpected in this exciting, all-new tale that sets up a crucial future TMNT storyline. Readers are encouraged to ask their retailers about the special variant “Eastman Layout” edition.

IDW's TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES comics launched in August 2011 with great success, resulting in multiple printings of the first five ongoing issues. Last month, TMNT comics launched digitally, and are now featured in IDW Comics and comiXology Mobile Apps for Android, iPhone, Kindle Fire, and more. There is no doubt that the Turtles have made a huge comeback, and IDW and Nickelodeon are catering to the fans by providing even more Ninja Turtle action!

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ANNUAL 2012 ($7.99, 48 pages, full color) will be available in October. Diamond order code AUG12 0321.

Visit IDWPublishing.com to sign up for updates and learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez [and Ghostbusters]. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.

IDW's critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

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Tags teenage mutant ninja turtles, tom waltz, kevin eastman, tom waltz, annual

It is currently unknown whether IDW's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012" TMNT book will be released in the UK and Ireland for British and Irish "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" fans buy.

Also, from Digital Spy:

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012' announced by IDW

Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman will write and draw the book for the publisher.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012 has been announced by IDW Publishing.

The property's co-creator Kevin Eastman will write and draw the book, which is being released to capitalise on the hype surrounding the Nickelodeon television show.

© IDW Publishing"After nearly 20 years I find myself once again fully engrossed in the wonderful mythos of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and having the absolute best time in my life," said Eastman.

"The intense creative energy flying around between IDW and Nickelodeon is when this idea was inspired and born, so with this incredible team, I'm back on the drawing board - hanging with the boys, knocking out a full blown epic - and it is awesome."

Nickelodeon acquired the rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and will debut its new animated series on September 29. The children's TV network previously teamed up with IDW to launch a Ninja Turtles comic book app for mobile devices.

Eastman, who came up with the concept in 1984 in collaboration with Peter Laird, recently spoke out in support of the controversial Michael Bay-produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie reboot.

Bay's project sparked a backlash from fans following the announcement that the titular characters have been reimagined as extra terrestrials, rather than the mutated reptiles of the source material.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012 is released in October.

Nickelodeon UK To Repeat "House Of Anubis Season Two" Throughout The Summer To Celebrate "Summer 2012 On Nickelodeon", Beginning Monday 23rd July 2012

According to Nickelodeon UK's "What's On" schedule section on the official Nickelodeon UK and Ireland website, Nick.co.uk, as part of Nickelodeon UK's "Summer on Nickelodeon" 2012 schedule line-up, to celebrate the summer evenings throughout the UK and Ireland's summer school holidays, Nickelodeon UK will be repeating season two of the hit Nickelodeon mystery series "House Of Anubis" every weeknight (Monday to Friday) at 10.00pm and 10.15pm on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK (repeated at 11.00pm and 11.15pm on Nickelodeon UK's plus one (+1) timeshift channel Nick Replay UK) from Monday 23rd July 2012, giving any Nickelodeon viewers and "House of Anubis" fans the perfect chance to catch any HoA episodes they may have missed, and/or the chance to watch and relive the mystery again! SIBUNA!

It is currently unknown whether Nickelodeon UK will be holding and doing a "Anubis Superfan" Nickelodeon Stunt/competition this year to win a walk-on part of "House of Anubis Season 3", like Nick UK held last year, where Nickelodeon UK offered viewers the chance to enter a exclusive "House of Anubis" competition on the official Nickelodeon UK websites' official "House of Anubis" website, in which the lucky winner got to visit the "House of Anubis" set and appear in "House of Anubis Season 2".