eOne announces Alpha Group as master toy partner for Peppa Pig in China

Entertainment One (eOne) unveils that Alpha Group is on board as master toy partner for its hit global preschool property, Peppa Pig, in China and will introduce an extensive new toy line in 2018 that will continue to fuel the brand’s accelerating growth in the market.

As part of their strategy, Alpha plans to offer multiple price points across the range to give consumers more choice and value for money.

The award-winning TV series made a strong broadcast debut in China in June 2015 on national broadcaster CCTV and is now also available on multiple leading VOD platforms including Youku, IQIYi and Tencent, where the series has now accumulated a staggering 45 billion cumulative views.

Harnessing the rising popularity of the show, eOne has just appointed Alpha Group, one of China’s leading toy manufacturers, as master toy partner. Plans are underway for the launch of a brand-new core toy range including playsets, figurines and role play which will debut in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Commenting on the partnership, Andrew Carley, EVP Global Licensing, Family & Brands comments, “Alpha’s leading position in the Chinese market, in addition to its industrial chain platform and diverse operational IP experience, will contribute greatly to the reach of Peppa Pig across a wider consumer spectrum and we’re delighted to have them on board.”

The licensing program for China now proudly boasts over 45 partners and is continuing to expand. Apparel, publishing, digital and confectionery categories are all reporting very strong sales with over 40 million books sold since April 2016 and over 7 million plush products sold to date. In addition, three sets of Peppa Pig branded and animated emoji’s have been downloaded over 20 million times and shared more than 210 million times.

Live events and immersive fan experiences are also a key priority for eOne in China. This September will see the opening of Merlin Entertainments’ first Peppa Pig attraction in Shanghai. Alongside this, a new deal has been signed with Happy Kids Cultural Development for a Peppa Pig stage show that will tour the country over the next three years. A number of branded pop-up and mall events are also in the pipeline.

Kenny Cao, Senior Vice President at Alpha Group said, “More and more families in China have fallen in love with Peppa Pig. Such collaboration will enable both parties to make the most of resources for a mutually beneficial partnership. Alpha also aspires to enhance its competitiveness in the family entertainment field.”

To manage this rapid growth, eOne has expanded its local team in the company’s Hong Kong office and has recently appointed Jennifer Pang as Licensing Director, Leo Tsoi as Hardgoods Manager, Joyce Lauw, as Director of Product Development and Debra Ng as VP of Marketing.

Alpha’s leading position in China and rich IP management experience will facilitate the Peppa Pig IP to reach a wider audience. eOne’s proactive efforts to protect its IP from piracy are ongoing and in 2017 the licensor removed over 80,000 online marketplace listings across leading e-commerce platforms covering 5 continents, as well as seizing approximately 1.5 million physical goods globally. eOne and Alpha will continue to collaborate with Chinese authorities to carry out an extensive anti-counterfeiting programme to reduce and deter infringement of its brands.

Entertainment One is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content.