MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced the launch of the second Teletubbies Play and Development Centre with their licensee Shenzhen Tianyuan Business Management (SZTY) in Southern China.
The centre, which provides an environment for Chinese children to learn through play, opens to the public on 20 September in Shenzhen, China.
The second Teletubbies Play and Development Centre launches following the success of the initial Centre which opened in the same province in February 2006.
The launch further cements the success of UK Children‘s brands in China with BBC Worldwide currently collaborating with Chinese media companies and licensees on educational pre-school children‘s brands Teletubbies and Charlie and Lola.
BBC Worldwide senior VP, GM, sales and distribution Asia Joyce Yeung says, "China has the largest population of children in the World and so there is a constant demand for high quality children’s brands in the market. We‘ve had success with Teletubbies since its inception and the core ethos of learning through play has enabled us to facilitate an innovative interactive ‘live experience‘ for children to engage with the brand.
"The opening of the second Centre is a significant symbol of the success of the brand among pre-school children in the country and we are hopeful that we‘ll be in a position to expand the Centres further in the coming months."
The second Play and Development Centre heralds further success for Teletubbies which has become a mainstream brand in the country with over 30 licensees. Teletubbies continues to be broadcast on 30 regional channels in China and a plethora of product is available in retailers across the country. Four branded Photoshops have opened in Shanghai and over 3 million DVDs and VCDs have already been sold.
A celebratory opening of the Teletubbies Play and Development Centre will take place on 20 September at 10.30 am at Shenzhen Bay 2nd Rd, Nan Shan District, Shenzhen City by Joyce Yeung, Senior VP and GM, Sales and Distribution Asia of BBC Worldwide Limited.
Globally Teletubbies continues to succeed 11 years after it first broadcast. The characters Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po have captured the imagination of young children in 120 countries in 45 different languages. The show, created by Andrew Davenport and Anne Wood of Ragdoll Productions, was designed with young children‘s development and enjoyment in mind and centres on the ethos of ‘learning through play‘ as children actively engage with the Teletubbies‘ activities on screen.
