MAM
Fremantle signs more licensees for Cbeebies show
MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced new licensees in the UK and Eire for their hit pre-school series Cbeebies‘s show ‘Tree Fu Tom‘.
The latest deals cover a wide range of partners and categories, including: Blues clothing for daywear; MV Sports for wheeled toys; Flair for arts and crafts; VMC for accessories and dress up; Gemma for greeting cards and party products; Ravensburger for puzzles; Egmont for annuals; and Rainbow Productions for character costumes.
The latest round of signings are in addition to current partners Giochi Preziosi, who are the master toy licensee, Random House for publishing, Aykroyd and TDP for children‘s nightwear and Character World for bedroom textiles and accessories.
A second series of Tree Fu Tom was recently ordered by CBeebies for 2013 and the show is also distributed globally by FME, finding audiences in a number of territories around the world including France, Australia and Latin America. With a global licensing programme underway as well as a complementary home entertainment strategy, Tree Fu Tom is one of the hot brands to watch.
FME VP UK licensing and retail Pindy O‘Brien said, “With a host of new licensees on board, a new series commissioned for CBeebies and some exciting new international TV distribution deals, Tree Fu Tom is proving to be a great success both on and off screen.”
Aimed at 4-6 year olds, ‘Tree Fu Tom‘ combines innovative elements of heroic action, fantasy and magic, coupled with unique interactive physical activity. Set in an enchanted world where movement creates magic, viewers are encouraged to interact with the show through physical actions that have been devised and approved by movement development specialists to assist in the development of children. Former Doctor Who stars Sophie Aldred and David Tennant voice the lead characters Tom and Twigs.
With animation by Blue Zoo Animation, Tree Fu Tom is a co-production between FME and the BBC for CBeebies. The executive producers for the BBC are Jackie Edwards and Alison Stewart; and Bob Higgins and Sander Schwartz for FME. Tree Fu Tom was created and produced by Daniel Bays.
Brands
Parle-G celebrates Bihu with music-led campaign rooted in culture
Two-part films blend nostalgia and storytelling to capture Assam’s festive soul
MUMBAI: Parle-G has turned to music, memory and meaning in its latest campaign celebrating Bihu, offering a culturally rooted tribute that goes beyond typical festive advertising.
Created by Thought Blurb Communications, the two-part campaign builds on the brand’s long-standing thought of finding joy in others’ happiness. It begins with a music-led prequel and culminates in a narrative-driven film that explores the emotional essence of the festival.
The campaign opened with a two-and-a-half-minute Bihu music video featuring Partha Hazarika, with music composed by Nilotpal Bora and vocals by Dikshu. Rather than positioning itself as a conventional brand piece, the video leaned into authenticity, capturing the vibrancy and rhythm of Bihu. Viewers also drew emotional parallels to Zubeen Garg, whose absence lent the film a nostalgic undertone. The response was swift, with over 12 million combined views across YouTube and Instagram within a week.
Building on this momentum, the main film tells the story of Ahir, a musician struggling to compose a Bihu song within the confines of a studio. His journey takes him into the open landscapes of Assam and eventually to the banks of the Brahmaputra, where a boatman helps him rediscover the true spirit of Bihu. The narrative underscores a simple idea that the festival cannot be manufactured in isolation, it must be experienced in nature, community and shared joy.
Speaking about the campaign, Parle Products vice president Mayank Shah said the initiative aims to celebrate not just the festival but the emotion behind it. He noted that Bihu reflects the idea that joy multiplies when shared, a theme that sits at the heart of the story.
From the agency side, Thought Blurb Communications chief creative officer Vinod Kunj said the team sought to tap into Assam’s cultural pulse, acknowledging the emotional void left by the absence of Zubeen Garg while celebrating the enduring spirit of the festival.
Adding to this, Thought Blurb Communications national creative director Renu Somani Karwa said the campaign draws from deeply human stories, where small acts of generosity become powerful expressions of connection.
Meanwhile, Thought Blurb Communications executive creative director Auryndom Bose highlighted the importance of nature in shaping Bihu’s identity, noting that the film attempts to capture how music and movement emerge organically from the landscape itself.
With this campaign, Parle-G leans into cultural storytelling with a lighter brand footprint and a stronger emotional core. By placing music and community at the centre, it offers a reminder that some stories are best told not in studios, but in the shared rhythms of real life
