Peppa Pig sales in China are increasing after the cartoon pig’s show was shown on Chinese TV. She is a big hit, and sales of Peppa Pig merchandize have been increasing rapidly. Home furnishings, toys, clothes and other branded merchandize have all seen rapid increases in sales figures.
Peppa Pig originated as a UK preschool animated TV series, first shown in the UK in 2004. The brand is now owned by US company Entertainment One (EOne), who two years ago purchased a 70% stake in owner Ashley Baker Davis worth $212 million. Entertainment One has been promoting Peppa Pig in China where it has been a big hit. It has been shown nationwide on TV and social media has also been use to promote the brand.
Peppa Pig has achieved 34 billion viewed on a number of social media and TV platforms in China since the 2015 takeover. The character hot the movie screens this year with “Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience” earning around £3.6 million in the UK and just over a third of that in Australia and New Zealand.
It is not easy to penetrate the Chinese media markets for two main reasons. One is censorship of the content of western shows, and the second is that no company can operate in China without some form of alliance with a native Chinese company. Nevertheless, it is easy to promote what is viewed as ‘Children’s Content’, particularly if that content comes in cartoon format.
That format makes it very easy for the Chinese to dub with its own language and content. It is also easy for Chinese producers to make the content appear local rather than originating in the West. Seeming ‘local’ is important, and the top shows in most countries are those that appear to originate from their own country.
Over the past 12 months, shares in EOne have increased in value by over 20%. Peppa Pig marketing is on the up. The TV program is shown in around 180 countries worldwide and in 40 languages. The cartoons are not long, and around 400 5-minute shows will have been shown on TV by spring, 2019. There are three new Peppa Pig movies to be released by the end of this year.
Peppa Pig sales in China are no less than amazing, and are expected to continue to rise. The new movies are set to raise income from the brand and merchandise to new heights.
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