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A few weeks ago, we let you know that Pocoyo was in the Chinese TV. Today we can tell you that the relationship between Pocoyo and China is tighter than ever... Just a few days ago, we also got the Official Blog and the Pocoyo website are available in mandarine Chinese!
Below you can find the addresses:
http://blog.pocoyo.com.cn/
http://www.pocoyo.com.cn/
Pocoyo has no frontiers!
Would you like to have these toys in your room? We have found them in Japan but unfortunately are not on sale :-( They are used just for decoration…
The destiny wanted to hug each other. We could not avoid it. In fact, we think that anybody wanted to avoid it, even though it was a bit scary...
Pocoyo has his equivalent in a huge Pocoyo: the character costume. We wanted a nice character costume that would allow kids to keep on feeling the Pocoyo experience. It is a Pocoyo that you can touch, enjoy and interact with.
We got all that until the moment. However, we did not consider the possibility to make Pocoyo kneel down – due to the heaviness of Pocoyo’s head and the possibility to fall down in front of the kids...But the big day arrived! It was a great moment. The destiny. Even though we explained to our actor the limited movements he was able to do, the typical positions, proper hydration, etc. at some point – as a magic moment – Pocoyo kneeled down and the hug came by itself...
From the first hug, kisses and hugs came from all kids. It was like a Kisses and Hugs Special Day for Pocoyo... It was impossible to avoid that hug – not even the destiny...
Have you ever wondered how we create and design Pocoyo’s toys? Who produce them? Who design them? How is the working process? Time to learn a bit more…
As you probably know, even before the first emission of Pocoyo in TV (that was through the British channel CITV), Bandai was Master Toy of the series – participating and helping in the design of the characters: we took out the claws and the tusks of Elly; the dummy of Pocoyo; Pato changed many times shape and colour… always working together with Bandai in order to ensure the running of the brand properly.
However, Pocoyo has many other partners around the world besides Bandai. EVERY SINGLE ONE is responsible of Pocoyo’s success. Specifically, in every country, we have a licensee solicitor that is in charge of dealing with the proper partners, in charge of ensuring the name an the values of the brand, building a long-life brand, demanding product quality and in charge of favouring the distribution channels. How do we reach all this? How do we get to have uniformity in all merchandising products from Pocoyo? Among other, thanks to our STYLE GUIDE… At the same time, either Zinkia or our British partners Granada International, we double-check, coordinate and approve all the material that comes from the licensee partners. Having a Style Guide guarantees this uniformity, it is easy to work with and avoid confusions… What else? Once the licensee partner is decided – always he/she needs to be involved with the brand and our values, we start working on Pocoyo’s products. From there, the Design and Brand Department together with the Business Development Department at Zinkia try to bring the personality, the spirit and the essence of the TV series to the product itself – always caring the last detail and making sure that proportions and colours are respected. Our intention is to ensure that the person who has a Pocoyo toy in his/her hands feels the same as when he/she is watching the TV series (Pocoyo Experience… J). Once the product is defined, we start producing it… As you all know, Elly is a very vain and coquette elephant… What do you think she would look with a pearl necklace? Should we put her on a tutu? What about Pocoyo engine driver? And Pato, looking like a postman? Those are the proposals we have during our product meetings… One day, we will let you know which of them have been rejected… Do you know if we work in the same way in South America? And in China? To be continued…
In Zinkia, we love imagination. Pocoyo loves imagination. In fact, when we try to explain to somebody what is Pocoyo, we use to say: Can you imagine seeing the world for first time? Keep on imagining… Can you imagine having a magic pen that makes true all you draw with it? You puncture your car wheel? No problem! Just draw a new one! Do you feel eating an apple? Take a paper, draw it and eat it! The door is close and you can not get in? Draw a door in the wall and come in…
Obviously, in Zinkia we were very excited with this idea (and who wasn’t?), so we decided to have this item as the central theme of the story of the videogame Hello, Pocoyo! Furthermore, as Nintendo DS has a tactile pencil to paint with on the screen, everything fitted perfectly.
However, it is not easy to include a new element for first time. Yes, we do have a magic pen, but… First issue: we also though about having colour pencils for Pocoyo and his friends – and those could be confusing with the magic pen. We eliminated the pen and we transformed it in a magic fountain pen. Second problem: the icon of the fountain pen was very clear; however this object was too adult for Pocoyo. So the conclusion was to use a magic marker…
But obviously, if we gave a magic marker to Pocoyo, what could happen? How far can go Pocoyo with his imagination? I guess, as far as any other child.
