Aardman Launches New Mobile TV Channel On Orange

Aardman Animations will, this week, launch its own mobile TV channel on the Orange TV service. The channel, “Aardman Animations” will consist of a video loop, refreshed weekly of its own content combined with some of the best animation sourced elsewhere in Britain and around the world.

Aardman has already had huge success with distributing mobile content in the U.K., from video clips, wallpapers, audio tones, messaging services and games. Video content regularly features in the top 10 downloads on Orange and Aardman is selling more than 10,000 video clips a day over mobile networks. Launching a mobile TV service is the next step in a strategy, which will continue Aardman’s pre-eminence in mobile animation services.

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Orange became the first U.K. operator to launch mobile TV in spring last year, and will be the first operator to launch a dedicated Aardman Animations channel.

Launches with other operators in the U.K. are planned over the coming months and discussions are already underway for distribution in other territories. Aardman has developed its own mobile content production capability and is producing the entire service in house.

The deal was brokered by Aardman’s mobile agent, Crucible Media. Over the past three years, Crucible has taken a stage-by-stage approach to introducing Aardman to the mobile marketplace. This has resulted in Aardman developing expertise in which content works best for mobile and ensuring the right commercial terms have been obtained in all its distribution deals.

Deborah Tonroe, head of TV and video for Orange U.K., said, “With the promise of WALLACE AND GROMIT and ANGRY KID programs, the Aardman Animations channel is a great addition to our already strong TV line-up. Orange TV has shown great promise over the last year and we’re looking to make some exciting new changes to the service in the coming months. This kind of innovative programming is exactly the sort of addition we’re looking at to ensure our TV service remains fresh and compelling.”

Sean Clarke, head of licensing and marketing at Aardman Animations, said, “This is a very important step forward for Aardman in the mobile space. We have paid a huge amount of attention to ensuring the product is just right for the consumers, ensuring they come away satisfied even if they watch the product for only a couple of minutes. We have had considerable success with individual content brands on Orange, especially ANGRY KID and WALLACE AND GROMIT and this presents the opportunity to build on that success with a wider range of content.”

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Andre Burgess, md of Crucible Media, said, “The launch of this mobile video channel is the next logical step. Aardman has eight or nine very strong content brands, which can be best exposed to consumers via this service. We are expecting to see not only great take up of the service itself, but an uplift in on demand services, once consumers are exposed to the content for the first time. This really demonstrates just how innovative a company Aardman are in this space.”

Aardman Animations, based in Bristol, U.K., is one of the world’s leading animation studios. Founded by David Sproxton and Peter Lord in 1976, Aardman produces feature films, television commercials and television series for the global market. The studio has won more than 400 international awards including four Oscars, one Emmy and seven BAFTAs. Aardman has a five-picture output deal with Dreamworks SKG.

Crucible Media, delivers solutions across IPTV, mobile, digital interactive TV channels and online. Services include consultancy, licensing and production for major companies in the media and entertainment sector such as Aardman Animations, Universal Pictures, Working Title Films, Alliance Atlantis, Chorion, BBH and AETN. Crucible also developed and continues to manage the Nokia Shorts competition on behalf of Nokia and Raindance Film.

(c) Animation World Network

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