Italian content powerhouse Rainbow Group, the production company behind global classics such as the legendary
Winx Club saga, will debut the second season of its hit CG-animated series
44 Cats on Italy’s Rai Yoyo beginning Monday, March 2, 2020! The series is locally titled
44 Gatti in Italy.
Pay-TV partners Discovery Kids, for Latin America, and Nickelodeon, for the rest of the world, will follow with exclusive launches in the second and third quarters of the year. The season will premiere on free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters later in fall/autumn 2020.
The first season of
44 Cats established record ratings since its very first launch in November 2018, and it’s proving a sensational success:
44 Cats is on air in over 100 countries and in more than 20 languages. According to Rainbow, the series is ‘conquering major kids networks,’ such as Carousel Russia where it is currently the number one show in the country for ratings and share.
Meanwhile, CCTV 14, China’s major kids’ content channel, the show launched early in February with ratings that confirm
44 Cats as a leading show on the channel.
“Already on air on the major pay and free to air TV networks in the world and on leading digital platforms such as Netflix, Tencent and YOUKU in China, Start.ru and Yandex in Russia, 44 Cats is performing incredibly and turning into a true web phenomenon and a widespread success on YouTube, where the official channels have surpassed 320 million views in just 14 months,” said Rainbow in a press release.
The newest season comprises 52 episodes that follow the adventures of the Buffycats and Granny Pina as they are joined by new animal and human friends.
Rainbow added: “The explosive mix of action, comedy, friendship and great music makes 44 Cats a series that stands out worldwide, with a magnificent soundtrack of original songs by Antoniano.
After captivating TV, social media and the web around the world, the new chapter of the Made in Italy preschool classic by Rainbow is set to amaze again thanks to the great attention to product quality, universal values and educational content offer.”
Produced by Rainbow in collaboration with Antoniano and Rai Ragazzi, the series is billed as a growing hit for ratings and web interactions, while making a significant impact on the licensing sector. Currently, more than 100 partners from across the world and a number of product categories have signed with 44 Cats, across both national and multi-territorial deals.
Set in the world of animals,
44 Cats follows the daily adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball – four adorable kittens who are part of a music band named The Buffycats.
The protagonists live and play in the Clubhouse, a garage beside old Granny Pina’s house. Their adventures explore the themes of friendship and altruism: the four cats love helping others and always find creative solutions to everyday hitches and help other cats in need. The series promotes positive attitudes and conveys educational messages dealing with important themes such as tolerance, diversity and solidarity in a funny way.
Season two of
44 Cats will contain 52 x 13-minute episodes, bringing the number of episodes of the series up to 104 x 13 minute episodes.
Produced by Rainbow in collaboration with Antoniano and Rai Ragazzi,
44 Cats is currently on the air in more than 100 countries and in over 20 languages. The new season continues to follow the Buffycats in new cat-proof missions, with a soundtrack of original songs from Antoniano. The series combines great music and edutainment with high quality animation. The series also marks Rainbow’s (
Winx Club,
Regal Academy,
Club 57,
Mia and me,
Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends) inaugural foray into preschool programming.
44 Cats is inspired by the very popular Italian kids song "44 Gatti", which, in 1968, won the 10th edition of the Zecchino d'Oro and has since entered the collective imagination of Italians.
44 Gatti become the most watched Italian-produced cartoon of 2018 when it debuted on Rai Yoyo on Monday 12th November 2018, recording record ratings of 527,000 viewers and a 2.71% audience share, helping Rai Yoyo to continue to be the most watched children's channel in Italy! Since its debut,
44 Gatti has also held the record for the highest viewing share amongst children aged 4-7 years, reaching 16% and an average audience of 350,000 viewers in the 19.15 timeslot.
44 Cats consumer products, including toys and books inspired by the series are currently rolling out worldwide.
2020 will see
44 Cats lead a worldwide campaign to support responsible pet adoptions alongside several pet care associations. A host of edutainment activities and events promoting social responsibility are also planned.
Additionally, Bandai Namco
unveiled their upcoming line of
44 Cats toys at Toy Fair 2020! Master toy partner Toy Plus appointed Bandai America to distribute their full range of
44 Cats toys in the U.S. last year.
Visit the official
44 Cats show website at
44cats.tv to find out more about the show and its musical stars, as well as watch exclusive video clips, play pawesome games and download purr-tastic activities!
From
Señal News:
RAINBOW ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF THE SECOND SEASON OF “44 CATS”
The eagerly awaited second chapter of animated hit 44 Cats, the cat-tastic show from entertainment specialist Rainbow, is ready to conquer families across the world debuting on March 2 on Italian Rai Yoyo.
The two main pay TV partners Discovery Kids (Latin America) and Nickelodeon (rest of the world) will follow with exclusive launches in Q2 and Q3, and the show will later land on free to air broadcasters from fall 2020. The first season of "44 Cats" established record ratings since its very first launch in November 2018, and it’s proving a sensational success: "44 Cats" is on air in over 100 countries and in more than 20 languages. And it’s conquering major kids networks with great results like the most recent one on Carousel Russia, where 44 Cats is number one show in the country for ratings and share, currently reaching an impressive daily average of over 2M viewerships, and Chinese CCTV 14, China’s major kids content channel, which launched the show early in February with ratings that confirm 44 Cats a leading show on the channel.
Produced by Rainbow in collaboration with Antoniano and Rai Ragazzi, the series starring the most loved furry fellows on screens is conquering more and more children and families on all media platforms. A growing hit for ratings and web interactions, increasingly widespread worldwide also in the licensing sector with more than 100 partners of international prestige in many consumer product categories, with both national and multi-territorial deals.
Already on air on the major pay and free to air TV networks in the world and on leading digital platforms such as Netflix, Tencent and YOUKU in China, Start.ru and Yandex in Russia, 44 Cats is performing incredibly and turning into a true web phenomenon and a widespread success on YouTube, where the official channels have surpassed 320 million views in just 14 months.
In this new season of 52 episodes, the Buffycats and lovely Granny Pina will be joined by new animal and human friends, they will face lots of hilarious, 'cat-proof' missions and will amaze the audience with pawesome surprises. The explosive mix of action, comedy, friendship and great music makes 44 Cats a series that stands out worldwide, with a magnificent soundtrack of original songs by Antoniano.
After captivating TV, social media and the web around the world, the new chapter of the Made in Italy preschool classic by Rainbow is set to amaze again thanks to the great attention to product quality, universal values and educational content offer.
###
From
Toy World Magazine:
Rainbow’s 44 Cats reports success following UK debut
Official UK toy partner Simba Dickie’s Siso Toys started distributing the collection from February, featuring interactive plush and figurines.
Since its debut in the UK, Rainbow’s 44 Cats has been growing consistently, with the show reaching millions of viewers and increasing audiences month after month, establishing itself as one of the most popular properties among children aged three and above.
The first season of 44 Cats started airing on Pop TV, Nick Jr and Nick Jr Too in 2019. The 52 x 13’ animated series is a mixture of music and cute cats telling the daily adventures of four kittens — Lampo, Milady, Pilou, and Meatball — who form a band called the Buffycats.
The original score is a collection of Italian children’s songs revisited for the show and performed by Antoniano Bologna’s Children’s Choir, which makes the property stand out as unique in the current offer of kids content. From TV to web platforms, media outlets are quickly falling for the charm of the show, dealing with themes such as diversity and altruism and combining values, action and comedy in a sophisticated CGI production for pre-school audiences.
The partnership between Rainbow and Lisle Licensing, which is licensing the brand across the UK, is reinforcing the success of the brand. The official UK toy partner, Simba Dickie’s Siso Toys, started distributing the toy collection from February. The range created by master toy partner Toy Plus is based on the key elements of the series – music, creative play patterns and collectibility – and includes interactive plush toys, figurines, play sets and musical toys.
Major CP deals are in place with UK partners, including John Toys and Amscan, developing products with multi territorial deals and many others such as Sony Music, Dreamtex, Redan Publishing, Fashion UK, Ravensburger, Clementoni, Chicco & Bip.
After captivating TV, social media and streaming platforms around the world, the brand has an extensive PR and marketing plan in place for both trade and consumer audiences.
###
From
Licensing.biz:
Rainbow’s 44 Cats leaps into UK retail spearheaded by Lisle Licensing
Rainbow’s 44 Cats has landed on its feet across UK broadcasters and retail thanks to a growing popularity on channels such as Pop TV, Nick Jr, and Nick Jr Too, as well as a licensing programme spearheaded by Lisle Licensing.
Already a nightwear collection from TDP Textile Aykroyds is poised to enter the UK market through F&F and Amazon, while the UK’s official toy partner Simba Dickie’s Siso Toys has started distributing the all-cat collection to retailers including The Entertainer, Argos, Amazon, and Asda from this April.
The toys – created by master toy partner Toy Plus – are based on the key elements of the series: music, creative play patterns and collectability. From interactive plush toys to figurines, from play sets to musical toys, each item is deeply linked to the show.
Since its debut in the UK, global content group Rainbow’s 44 Cats has been consistently growing, with the show reaching millions of viewers and increasing audiences. The first season of 44 Cats started airing on Pop TV, Nick Jr and Nick Jr Too in 2019 and is already enjoying popularity across the world.
The 52 x 13’ animated series is a mix of music and cuteness telling the daily adventures of four kittens.
Consumer product deals are in place with UK partners including John Toys and Amscan developing products with multi territorial deals and others such as Sony Music, Dreamtex, Redan Publishing, Fashion UK, Ravensburger, Clementoni, Chicco & Bip.
“After captivating TV, social media and streaming platforms around the world, the brand is set to amaze with an extensive pr and marketing plan for both trade and consumer audiences,” said Rainbow.
###
From
License Global:
‘44 Cats’ Paws New Licensing Deals
The creators of the animated television show have signed new licensing deals.
“44 Cats” has announced new licensing deals in a variety of verticals.
The nightwear collection from TDP Textile Aykroyds is about to enter the market through F&F and Amazon, while official U.K. toy partner Simba Dickie’s Siso Toys started distributing the all-cat collection in February. The toys created by master toy partner Toy Plus are based on the key elements of the series - music, creative play patterns and collectability.
Other consumer product deals are in place with U.K. partners including John Toys and Amscan developing products with multi territorial deals and many others such as Sony Music, Dreamtex, Redan Publishing, Fashion U.K., Ravensburger, Clementoni, Chicco and Bip.
###
Official Rainbow Group press release:
Rainbow’s 44 Cats Season 2 Ready To Take Over World Screens
The eagerly awaited second chapter of animated hit 44 Cats is ready to conquer families across the world starting from Italy, where the show is debuting on March 2 on Rai Yoyo.
The show will later land on free to air and pay TV broadcasters worldwide.
In this new season of 52 episodes, the Buffycats and lovely Granny Pina will be joined by new animal and human friends, they will face lots of hilarious, ‘cat-proof’ missions and will amaze the audience with pawesome surprises. The explosive mix of action, comedy, friendship and great music makes 44 Cats a series that stands out worldwide, with a magnificent soundtrack of original songs by Antoniano.
44 Cats is developed in the three production headquarters of Rainbow Group in Loreto, Rome’s Rainbow CGI and Canada’s Bardel Entertainment studios, with world-class animation quality and a dedicated soundtrack with songs and melodies that appeal directly to pre-schoolers’ love of dancing and singing.
The first season of 44 Cats established record ratings since its very first launch in November 2018, and it’s proving a sensational success: 44 Cats is on air in over 100 countries and in more than 20 languages, and it’s conquering major kids networks with great results: a growing hit for ratings and web interactions, increasingly widespread worldwide also in the licensing sector with more than 100 partners of international prestige in many consumer product categories, with both national and multi-territory deals.
Already on air on the major pay and free to air TV networks in the world and on leading digital platforms such as Netflix, Tencent and YOUKU in China, Start.ru and Yandex in Russia, 44 Cats is performing incredibly and turning into a true web phenomenon and a widespread success also on YouTube.
The Made in Italy preschool classic by Rainbow is set to amaze again thanks to the great attention to product quality, universal values and educational content offer and supported by a strategic PR and marketing plan.
###
Italiano:
La seconda stagione di 44 Gatti dal 2 marzo su Rai Yoyo
I quattro amici mici più simpatici della TV sono pronti ad entusiasmare il pubblico di tutta Italia con le loro nuove avventure! 44 Gatti, il cartone che ha conquistato il cuore di grandi e piccini, arriva finalmente sul piccolo schermo con l’attesissima seconda stagione: i nuovi episodi andranno in onda su Rai Yoyo a partire da Lunedì 2 marzo.
In questa nuova stagione di 52 episodi, i Buffycats e la loro adorabile Nonna Pina saranno accompagnati da nuovi esilaranti amici animali e umani, affronteranno missioni sempre più ‘a prova di gatto’ e stupiranno il pubblico con tantissime sorprese. Il mix esplosivo di azione, comicità, amicizia e grande musica fa di 44 Gatti una serie coinvolgente e appassionante per bambini e famiglie di tutto il mondo. A curare la magnifica colonna sonora della serie ci sarà, anche stavolta, Antoniano Bologna, con le canzoni originali cantate dal Piccolo Coro più famoso d’Italia.
44 Gatti è sviluppato congiuntamente nelle tre sedi di produzione del gruppo: negli HQ Rainbow di Loreto, Rainbow CGI di Roma e negli studi canadesi Bardel Entertainment, ed è prodotto con un’animazione di altissima qualità e una colonna sonora travolgente, canzoni della tradizione italiana tutte da ballare e cantare.
La prima stagione di 44 Gatti ha registrato ascolti da record fin dal suo primissimo lancio nel novembre 2018 su Rai Yoyo, dove è leading show, e questo è solo il fronte italiano di un successo che si è presto rivelato un fenomeno di risonanza mondiale: 44 Gatti è in onda in oltre 100 Paesi e in più di 20 lingue, e ha conquistato le maggiori reti kids con risultati record.
La serie rivelazione con protagonisti i quattro mici più simpatici della TV conquista sempre più bambini e famiglie su tutte le piattaforme media: un successo in continua crescita per ascolti e interazioni web, e sempre più capillare a livello mondiale anche nel settore delle licenze con più di 100 partner di prestigio internazionale in tantissime categorie di prodotto, con accordi sia nazionali che multi territoriali.
Già in onda sulle maggiori reti TV nel mondo e su piattaforme leader quali Netflix, Tencent e YOUKU in Cina, Start.ru e Yandex in Russia, 44 Gatti è anche un successo dilagante su YouTube.
###
Official Rainbow Group press release:
44 Cats lands in China on CCTV 14
Rainbow recently launched its animated hit 44 Cats on CCTV 14 China, and ratings have already established it as a leading show on the channel.
Starting from February 4, 44 Cats has been airing daily on China’s major kids content channel. The 52 x 13’ preschool show follows the daily adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou, and Meatball – four adorable kittens living in lovely Granny Pina’s house and playing their songs as a music band named The Buffycats. Always ready to help their friends finding creative solutions to any kind of problem, the Buffycats are conquering broadcasters across the globe thanks to their cuteness and universal attributes, their stories dealing with central themes such as tolerance, diversity and altruism, and their unique way of combining positive values, action and comedy in a sophisticated CGI production. Distinctive feature of the show is the wonderful music score, made up of original songs from the Italian tradition, developed and sung by the famous children choir of the Antoniano Bologna.
“We are really proud that 44 Cats has reached the Chinese audience with its positive values and entertaining adventures”, commented Iginio Straffi, CEO of Rainbow and creator of the series. “We are confident that the audience will appreciate the passion and dedication we put in this show”.
44 Cats keeps growing meowtifully, and on the licensing and CP landscape the brand is gaining rising popularity across the world. Guangzhou Art-land Holding Co. Ltd. is consumer product agent for the brand in Mainland China, Taiwan e Hong Kong.
Rainbow’s explosive mix of music and comedy is ready to charm the Chinese audience, while a second, enthralling season of the best loved cat friends team on screen is already in production.
###
Italiano:
44 Cats sbarca in Cina su CCTV 14
Rainbow ha recentemente lanciato il classico d’animazione CGI 44 Gatti su CCTV 14, e gli ascolti l’hanno già confermato fra gli show leader del canale.
A partire dal 4 febbraio, 44 Gatti è in onda ogni giorno sul principale canale cinese per bambini. La serie di 52 episodi di 13’ dedicata al target prescolare segue le avventure quotidiane di Lampo, Milady, Pilou e Polpetta, quattro adorabili gattini che vivono nella garage della casa dell’adorabile Nonna Pina e che suonano le loro canzoni nel loro gruppo musicale chiamato, i Buffycats. Sempre pronti ad aiutare i loro amici mici e a trovare soluzioni creative a qualsiasi tipo di problema, i Buffycats stanno conquistando le emittenti di tutto il mondo grazie alla loro dolcezza, alle loro storie che affrontano valori importanti come l’amicizia, la diversità e l’altruismo, e al loro modo unico di combinare valori positivi, azione e comicità in una sofisticata produzione animata. Caratteristica distintiva dello show è inoltre la splendida colonna sonora, composta da brani originali della tradizione italiana, cantata dal celebre coro di bambini dell’Antoniano Bologna.
“Siamo davvero orgogliosi che 44 Gatti abbia raggiunto il pubblico cinese con i suoi valori positivi e le sue divertenti avventure”, ha commentato Iginio Straffi, presidente, fondatore di Rainbow e creatore della serie. “Siamo sicuri che il pubblico apprezzerà la passione e la dedizione che abbiamo messo in questo show”.
44 Gatti continua a crescere e nel panorama delle licenze e dei CP il marchio sta guadagnando sempre più popolarità in tutto il mondo. Guangzhou Art-land Holding Co. Ltd. è l’agente per i prodotti del marchio nella Cina continentale, Taiwan e Hong Kong.
Il mix esplosivo di musica e comedy targato Rainbow è pronto ad affascinare il pubblico cinese, mentre è già in produzione una seconda, avvincente stagione del team degli amici mici più amati della TV.
###
More Nick: Rainbow's '44 Cats' Renewed for Season Two!
Originally published: Saturday, February 29, 2020.
Original source: VideoAge International; Additional source: ToyNews.
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