LICENSING NEWS

VTech and BBC Studios expand global Bluey licensing deal

Published on: 21st December 2022

The VTech range for 2023 will include musical item Bluey’s Keytar, with product planned to launch at retail from Q3.

BBC Studios has expanded its multi-territory licensing deal with VTech to produce interactive electronic role-play toys for Bluey.

VTech’s 2023 range for Bluey will feature popular characters from the global hit TV show, and new lines include its first musical product Bluey’s Keytar, and innovative proprietary formats such as Scooter Time Bluey, Shake It Bluey, Game Time Laptop and LeapFrog LeapStart (known as MagiBook in the EU) Bluey Fun and Games book.

Product is planned to launch at retail in the UK, US, Mexico, Canada, France, Belgium, Spain, UK and Australia from Q3 2023.

Andrew Barrett, director of Product Development and Licensing at VTech, said: “Following on from the highly successful launches of the Bluey electronic book, role-play watches and phone in key territories this year, we are delighted to be expanding the partnership with BBC Studios. We will be launching into more territories and extending our product offering, where we continue to focus on role-play combined with adventurous storytelling – this fits perfectly with our ethos of play, learn and develop.”

Julie Kekwick, head of Hardlines at BBC Studios, said: “Our growing partnership with VTech symbolises a significant extension of our Bluey franchise, joining our other multi-territory partners such as Penguin Random House, Immediate Media, Hasbro, Stor, Crayola, Ravensburger and HTI; and complementing our outstanding master toy range from Moose Toys.”

Jointly commissioned by BBC Studios Kids & Family and ABC Children’s, Bluey is produced by Ludo Studio in association with Screen Queensland and Screen Australia. The series is distributed internationally by BBC Studios Kids & Family outside Australia.

BBC Studios Kids & Family has a global broadcast deal with Disney for Bluey in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand and China, with the third season debuting on Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior and more episodes from Season 3 to come in 2023.

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