The globally popular and classic brand "The Smurfs" is celebrating the 65th anniversary this year on 23rd of October and IMPS, the worldwide licensor for the brand, has prepared several events and new launches appealing a huge base of worldwide fans. Given the huge success of season one and two of the TV series, the company has announced the season three. "It follows the same style and tone and format as season one and two because it's the magic formula we found and it works really well," said Nele de Wilde, CCO Audiovisual & Music at the IMPS. "We have developed the popular characters that were in season one and two, plus more Smurfs girls and new villains as well, and for the first time ever on the small screen, we will show the girls village," she anticipated.
The third season of the global hit series "The Smurfs" is coproduced by Peyo Productions, Ellipse Animation, KiKA, Ketnet, RTBF, and TF1 and will be broadcasted globally by Nickelodeon and on local Free-to-Air beginning next year. "The Smurfs" season one and two are already widespread around the globe. The cartoons started on television in 2021, followed by episodes on YouTube in 2022, and since this year, "The Smurfs" are also on Netflix around the globe. “It's been performing amazingly all around the world so far, so we are very proud about it,” commented Sebastien Dumont, Marketing, Communications & Graphic Studio Manager at IMPS The Smurfs. "On the free TV side, next to our co production partners, Kika in Germany, TF1 in France, and RTBF in Belgium, we are also on almost every free to air channel in Europe and MENA," added Nele De Wilde. Dumont also mentioned that "The Smurfs" will have its own App. "People will be able to watch a lot of content about the Smurfs but also play games, listen to music and so it's going to be a lot of 'Smurf fun' for everyone," he affirmed.
NEW MOVIE
Another great news for this year of celebration is the new movie of "The Smurfs" that will be realized on Valentine's Day 2025. "It's a movie from Paramount and Nickelodeon and combines live action and animation," De Wilde commented. The action adventure comedy produced by Ryan Harris and directed by Chris Miller has lots of music in it. "Rihanna will be the voice of Smurfette and she will also be writing and performing original songs," she added.
SMURFS TO EVERYONE
For 65 year, The Smurfs have captivated kids and families over the world. Translating in 55 different languages, the brand has strong and global presence in consumer products and family entertainment. "The first category are kids from 4 to 11 with a sweet spot 5 to 8, and it's very important for us a focus to create new content," asserted Fabienne Gilles, CCO Consumer Product & Family Entertainment. On the other hand, the classic TV series is pleasing several generations. "We have the family on board and there is a lot of co-viewing in our TV series," she explained. She added The Smurfs target teenagers that like really the pop culture aspects of "The Smurfs". "This is great for gaming, fashion and social media," she said.
In the toy line division, IMPS announces that Giochi Preziosi is the new Master Toy partner for non-English speaking territories. The famous toys production company from Italy is creating a brand-new Smurfs toy line that will hit the European market in 2024. As already announced, Florida-based company Jazwares is The Smurfs’ Master Toys for English speaking territories and Peyo’s little blue heroes had a special 65th birthday celebration with fans in the Belgian Comic Con this month.
IMPACTING ACTIONS
"The Smurfs" is a brand really committed with environment and it's ambassadors of the 17th Sustainable Goals of United Nations. "This program is very important because we have still 20 or 30 a years left to change the world," expressed Philippe Glorieux, CMO at The Smurfs. The company every year launches a beach cleaning in more than 85 countries all around the world. "This year we reached almost 180 million people as volunteers and it means that we have to make a big change and thanks to our great partners, we are very involved in the sustainability," he affirmed.
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