Opening of themed pop-up store in Tokyo kicks off roll out of product.
The launch of Peppa Pig consumer products in Japan was kicked off with an exclusive retail event last week.
eOne and its master licensee in Japan – Sega Toys – launched the Peppa Pig product at an exclusive Peppa Pig Goes to London themed pop-up store in Tokyo.
Running from March 28 to April 3 at Takashimaya, Shinjuku department store in Tokyo, the pop-up draws on the property’s British heritage with décor and styling inspired by the Peppa Goes to London story book.
Inside the store there are over 100 product skus available from 23 licensing partners, spanning categories including toys, publishing, novelty, homeware, home entertainment and stationery.
To support the pop-up, Takashimaya will also host special Peppa Pig screenings between March 28 and April 10.
Alongside selected fan-favourite episodes, an exclusive original episode will be shown that will give families the opportunity to watch Peppa and friends enjoying cherry blossom, to coincide with Japan’s traditional cherry blossom season.
There will also be English language workshops for young visitors to enjoy and reading sessions of Peppa Pig books in Japanese.
An opening ceremony was held on March 28 to celebrate the start of the activity at Takashimaya and was attended by the British Ambassador to Japan, Paul Madden CMG, along with the Japanese Peppa and George Pig voice actors.
Following the retail event, merchandise will launch nationwide at Toys R Us stores in June.
Peppa Pig premiered on TV in Japan last October on TV Tokyo, while also launching on Disney Junior in January. Japanese home entertainment distributor Nippon Columbia will introduce the first Peppa Pig DVD – Muddy Puddles – into the market from March 28.
“The response to Peppa Pig in Japan has mirrored the brand’s success throughout Asia and we’re seeing the demand for merchandise build rapidly,” said Ami Dieckman, eOne’s svp of international licensing.
“As the property’s British heritage is clearly striking a chord with fans in the market, it seems fitting to celebrate the Peppa Pig consumer products launch with a London-themed retail event that will give families a unique opportunity to engage with the property, while also demonstrating the brand’s tremendous potential to licensees and retailers across the country.”
