Tag Archives: Paramount Global

Paramount Global strengthens its Consumer Products team

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Paramount Global has announced new appointments and hires within its Consumer Products leadership across global toys, games, emerging media, franchise planning and CP marketing divisions.

“Staying focused on the consumer is at the heart of everything we do so we have made key updates to the leadership within the organisation to maximise our portfolio,” says Pam Kaufman, President, Consumer Products and Experiences, Paramount. “These new remits, along with our new hires, set us up to further grow our franchises, from SpongeBob to Star Trek, and deliver the best products and experiences for today and the future.”

Toys

  • Priya Mukhedkar, formerly Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, will now serve as Senior Vice President, Global Toys and Packaged Goods. In her new role, she adds global toys to her current remit over business development, brand marketing and licensing for consumables at Paramount. Mukhedkar has a track record for her inclusive leadership and building strategic alliances with major consumer product brands including P&G, Danone and Unilever as well as many other up and coming brands. Priya will report to Dion Vlachos, Executive Vice President, Global Toys, CPG & Retail.
  • Stephanie Bailey, Vice President, Global Toys, who formerly co-led the global toys group, will now fully lead that division. An established force in the toy industry, she has been integral in bringing Nickelodeon hits to the toy aisle in an authentic way including That Girl Lay Lay, Blue’s Clues & You!, Baby Shark and the upcoming products for Santiago of the Seas. Stephanie will report to Priya Mukhedkar.

Games & Emerging Media

  • Rebecca Tatlock, formerly Vice President, Global Toy Licensing, will now serve as Vice President, Business Development, Games. In this new role, Rebecca is responsible for new partnerships and opportunities across all business models for Paramount’s global games group. With a wealth of deal-making experience across multiple categories, Rebecca most recently led the charge on key global toy partnership deals across major franchises such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Trek. Rebecca will report to Doug Rosen, Senior Vice President, Games & Emerging Media.
  • Erika Winterholler, formerly Vice President, Business Development and Licensing, Games, will now serve as Vice President, Business Development & Operations, Emerging Media. In this new role, Erika will focus on emerging media initiatives across Paramount, including its growing NFT business, AR, VR and new metaverse platforms. Recently, Winterholler played a critical role in Paramount’s partnership with Recur to launch Paramount.xyz, the company’s digital collectible portal for fans to collect NFTs across key franchises. Erika will also report to Rosen.

Global Franchise Planning & CP Marketing

  • Prima Chambers has joined Paramount as Vice President, Franchise Planning, Multi-Generational, reporting to Veronica Hart, Executive Vice President, Global Franchise Planning. In this role, Chambers will lead the development of strategic long-range plans to support the growth of key priority properties within the Paramount Consumer Products division. She joins Paramount from Reckitt, with nearly two decades of consumer brand experience across roles in marketing and research & development at organisations like The Hershey Company and General Mills.
  • Shian-Li Tsang has been hired as Vice President, Consumer Products Marketing, where she will also report to Hart and oversee Paramount retail marketing, social marketing and brand go-to-market strategy. Tsang is responsible for representing Paramount’s brands through high-impact, omni-channel retail activations, social programming and IP launch campaigns. She has demonstrated success directing integrated omni-channel marketing strategies at companies like The LEGO Group, adidas and DICK’s Sporting Goods. Tsang joins Paramount’s Global Consumer Products division with over 15 years of progressive marketing experience.

 

First Paramount Global NFT collection to drop with Star Trek on 9 April

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Paramount Global and RECUR have announced that Star Trek  will be the first NFT digital collection to drop from their multi-year partnership to bring Paramount’s entertainment brands and characters to the metaverse.

Fans will be able to access Star Trek digital collectibles starting 9 April through Paramount.xyz, the online portal to access Paramount’s iconic IP and franchises in the form of NFTs.

Through this fan-focused platform, Paramount and RECUR have created a unified environment where fans can buy, collect and trade NFTs as digital collectibles across Paramount’s leading portfolio of brands, including Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, CBS, Showtime Networks Inc., and more.

Star Trek is the first franchise to launch and will be followed with collectibles from Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures.

Paramount.xyz allows fans to build a community, engage with peers, and unlock new, innovative and interactive experiences with properties and brands they love.

“Fans should be able to engage with our content wherever they are, including the metaverse,” says Pam Kaufman, President, Consumer Products and Experiences, Paramount. “Paramount.xyz will offer one seamless digital collectable experience for fans across our key franchises, starting with Star Trek,  an iconic franchise that is forward-thinking, innovative and multi-generational. We are thrilled to have a space that is accessible to everyone and allows another expression of fandom.”

The Star Trek collectibles will be housed in “Star Trek Continuum”, an experiential hub that will be the space for this first and future seasons of Star Trek NFTs. Here, fans will have the opportunity to own a piece of their favorite franchise while embarking on an entirely new journey.

The Star Trek Continuum sale will take place for 24 hours only on 9 April, 2022, starting at 11am ET. The cost per pack will be $250. There will never be more of these designs created and the minting window will only be open for 24 hours.

The Season 0 drop on 9 April will feature algorithmically-generated starships, and no two will be the same. The starships will be unveiled today, 8 April, at 1:45pm CT during Star Trek: Mission Chicago, where RECUR will be hosting a star-studded panel with talent from the franchise. Fans around the world can tune in to RECUR’s YouTube channel to view a live streamed unveiling of the coveted digital collectibles.

The journey continues later this year as fans can collect crew in Season 1 and go on voyages around the galaxy to seek out new planets and get digital collectible rewards. Season 0 starship owners will be rewarded with a crew member NFT leading into Season 1, and in Season 2 fans can use their crew to go on missions in a play-to-earn game.

“Fans are looking for new ways to engage with their favourite shows and franchises, and our innovative ecosystem gives them a community to be a part of for years to come,” says Zach Bruch, CEO of RECUR. “Through the introduction of Paramount.xyz and StarTrek.xyz, we’re providing fans with a unique way to embark on a journey to boldly go into the metaverse.”

Pre-registration for “Star Trek Continuum” opens today at StarTrek.xyz. Through this launch, RECUR and Paramount will be dropping 20,000 Star Trek  digital collectibles with an additional 2,000 in reserve. Continuum holders will get access to exclusive perks, events and the expanding content available to the NFTs digitally and in-real life.

For more information, visit Paramount.xyz and StarTrek.xyz.

Paramount Global promotes Pam Kaufman to President, Consumer Products and Experiences

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Paramount Global has announced that Pam Kaufman will take on the role of President, Consumer Products and Experiences, effective immediately. In addition to leading the Consumer Products business representing well over $5.5 billion in worldwide retail revenue, Kaufman will now have oversight across the Paramount global portfolio of Live Experiences including Hotels, Resorts, Theme Parks, Tours, and Broadway, as well as VidCon and Gaming.

Pam will continue to report to Brian Robbins, President and CEO, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon and Chief Content Officer, Kids & Family, Paramount+, and Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO, Paramount International Networks, Studios and Streaming. By placing these consumer experiences within the Paramount global portfolio under Kaufman, the company is continuing to align its leadership with the strategy of further connecting its iconic franchises with fans.

“Pam is a dynamic and authentic leader who deeply understands the consumer,” says Robbins. “Her engaging and strategic approach will create innovative consumer touchpoints offering fans even more access to experiences with our franchises and characters.”

“The Consumer Products business has grown exponentially under Pam’s leadership and we’re thrilled to expand Pam’s global role to encompass more ways our fans can experience our brands and IP,” says Annecchino. “Pam is a visionary who leads with compassion, has boundless energy and is a unifying presence for our business across our global markets.”

Pam will add these new responsibilities to those in her current Consumer Products role, which includes managing worldwide product merchandising and licensing as well as business development, marketing, franchise planning, creative strategy, retail sales and consumer insights.

Additionally, the company announced its launch into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in a collaborative cross-functional effort driven by Consumer Products, to bring some of the biggest Paramount’s franchise and characters to the metaverse.

Pam’s oversight of the consumer products business covers the global Paramount portfolio, including iconic franchises PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, JoJo Siwa, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar, Star Trek, South Park, Emily in Paris, Yellowstone, The Godfather and Top Gun, among many others.

Paramount Global promotes Pam Kaufman to President, Consumer Products and Experiences

Posted on by

Paramount Global has announced that Pam Kaufman will take on the role of President, Consumer Products and Experiences, effective immediately. In addition to leading the Consumer Products business representing well over $5.5 billion in worldwide retail revenue, Kaufman will now have oversight across the Paramount global portfolio of Live Experiences including Hotels, Resorts, Theme Parks, Tours, and Broadway, as well as VidCon and Gaming.

Pam will continue to report to Brian Robbins, President and CEO, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon and Chief Content Officer, Kids & Family, Paramount+, and Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO, Paramount International Networks, Studios and Streaming. By placing these consumer experiences within the Paramount global portfolio under Kaufman, the company is continuing to align its leadership with the strategy of further connecting its iconic franchises with fans.

“Pam is a dynamic and authentic leader who deeply understands the consumer,” says Robbins. “Her engaging and strategic approach will create innovative consumer touchpoints offering fans even more access to experiences with our franchises and characters.”

“The Consumer Products business has grown exponentially under Pam’s leadership and we’re thrilled to expand Pam’s global role to encompass more ways our fans can experience our brands and IP,” says Annecchino. “Pam is a visionary who leads with compassion, has boundless energy and is a unifying presence for our business across our global markets.”

Pam will add these new responsibilities to those in her current Consumer Products role, which includes managing worldwide product merchandising and licensing as well as business development, marketing, franchise planning, creative strategy, retail sales and consumer insights.

Additionally, the company announced its launch into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in a collaborative cross-functional effort driven by Consumer Products, to bring some of the biggest Paramount’s franchise and characters to the metaverse.

Pam’s oversight of the consumer products business covers the global Paramount portfolio, including iconic franchises PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, JoJo Siwa, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar, Star Trek, South Park, Emily in Paris, Yellowstone, The Godfather and Top Gun, among many others.

ViacomCBS becomes Paramount Global

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ViacomCBS has announced that the global media company will become Paramount Global, effective from today (February 16), bringing together its portfolio of entertainment properties under a new parent company name.

“Paramount is an idea: a promise to be the best,” said Shari Redstone, Non-Executive Chair of the company’s Board of Directors, at the company’s investor event. “That promise has always been at the centre of what we aspired to build as the steward of more than a century of cinematic excellence, and with businesses and brands that have defined and redefined entertainment for generation after generation. We have made enormous progress, and I have never been more excited about the future of this company.”

“Paramount’s iconic peak represents a rich history for our company as pioneers in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Today, as we embrace the Paramount name, we are pioneers of an exciting new future,” added Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer.

In addition to the name change, the company has detailed plans to accelerate the global momentum behind Paramount+, unveiling new content, enhanced product offerings and continued international expansion.

“We see a huge global opportunity in streaming, a much larger potential market than can be captured by linear TV and film alone,” continued Bakish. “We’re excited about our ability to not just compete, but thrive, creating significant value for both consumers and shareholders. How? Because we’re broader in four key areas: our diverse content, streaming model, mix of platforms and global reach. As we look forward, the size of the opportunity we see is matched only by our ambition to seize it.”

The company announced that starting with 2024 film releases, Paramount+ will become the streaming home for all new Paramount Pictures movies in the U.S. following their theatrical runs.

New blockbuster franchise expansions unveiled include:

  • A QUIET PLACE – A Quiet Place Part III from John Krasinski, is confirmed for theatrical debut in 2025. As previously announced, the next installment of A Quiet Place from director Michael Sarnoski, based on an original idea from Krasinski, is set for release on September 22, 2023.
  • SONIC THE HEDGEHOG – the first-ever original live-action Sonic series, featuring the character Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba, is in development to debut on Paramount+, setting up the third film installment in the flagship franchise.
  • SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS UNIVERSE – a further expansion of the SpongeBob universe is coming exclusively to Paramount+ with three brand-new movies based on the show’s original characters, with the first dropping in 2023. In addition, a fourth SpongeBob release from Nickelodeon Animation is currently in development for theatrical release.
  • STAR TREK – the next theatrical film, with Matt Shakman directing and J.J. Abrams producing, will feature the original cast and new characters.
  • TEEN WOLF – the first-ever original production from MTV Entertainment Studios and MGM’s Orion Television, Paramount+ will reunite the original Teen Wolf cast for an exclusive full-length movie. Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Shelley Hennig and Crystal Reed are set to reprise their iconic roles alongside Orny Adams, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne, Seth Gilliam, Colton Haynes, Ryan Kelley, Melissa Ponzio and Dylan Sprayberry. Additional names to be announced.
  • TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES – a new era of TMNT-mania takes over in 2023 with a new animated take on the Turtles coming to theaters, produced by Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and directed by Jeff Rowe. Nickelodeon Animation will fast follow that film with a series of exclusive movies for Paramount+ beginning in 2023, each centering on one of the property’s storied villains in never-before-told tales.
  • TRANSFORMERS – the next chapter begins with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023, where director Steven Caple Jr. and star Anthony Ramos, will lead the first of three film installments of the iconic Hasbro property. Additionally, the previously announced Untitled Animated Transformers film, a Paramount/eOne co-production with Josh Cooley attached to direct, will debut in theaters on July 19, 2024.

Other Kids and Family content announcements included updates to animated preschool favourites:

  • Blue’s Big City Adventure – the now-announced animation/live-action hybrid title to this brand-new Blue’s Clues & You! movie from Nickelodeon Animation is set to premiere later this year and follows host Josh and Blue as they head to New York City, with the help of Steve and Joe, to audition for a big Broadway musical.
  • Dora the Explorer – the preschool return of the groundbreaking Latina heroine in an all-new CG-animated series produced by Nickelodeon Animation, and featuring the beloved characters, plus key modernization to the storytelling, debuts in 2023.

Additionally, an update in Kids and Family live-action programming included:

  • Dora the Explorer – in addition to the character’s animated preschool return, now in development from Nickelodeon is the first-ever live-action Dora the Explorer series, inspired by the tone of Paramount Pictures’ 2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold theatrical release, with this new version for Paramount+ targeting the tween demo.

ViacomCBS becomes Paramount Global

Posted on by

ViacomCBS has announced that the global media company will become Paramount Global, effective from today (February 16), bringing together its portfolio of entertainment properties under a new parent company name.

“Paramount is an idea: a promise to be the best,” said Shari Redstone, Non-Executive Chair of the company’s Board of Directors, at the company’s investor event. “That promise has always been at the centre of what we aspired to build as the steward of more than a century of cinematic excellence, and with businesses and brands that have defined and redefined entertainment for generation after generation. We have made enormous progress, and I have never been more excited about the future of this company.”

“Paramount’s iconic peak represents a rich history for our company as pioneers in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Today, as we embrace the Paramount name, we are pioneers of an exciting new future,” added Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer.

In addition to the name change, the company has detailed plans to accelerate the global momentum behind Paramount+, unveiling new content, enhanced product offerings and continued international expansion.

“We see a huge global opportunity in streaming, a much larger potential market than can be captured by linear TV and film alone,” continued Bakish. “We’re excited about our ability to not just compete, but thrive, creating significant value for both consumers and shareholders. How? Because we’re broader in four key areas: our diverse content, streaming model, mix of platforms and global reach. As we look forward, the size of the opportunity we see is matched only by our ambition to seize it.”

The company announced that starting with 2024 film releases, Paramount+ will become the streaming home for all new Paramount Pictures movies in the U.S. following their theatrical runs.

New blockbuster franchise expansions unveiled include:

  • A QUIET PLACE – A Quiet Place Part III from John Krasinski, is confirmed for theatrical debut in 2025. As previously announced, the next installment of A Quiet Place from director Michael Sarnoski, based on an original idea from Krasinski, is set for release on September 22, 2023.
  • SONIC THE HEDGEHOG – the first-ever original live-action Sonic series, featuring the character Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba, is in development to debut on Paramount+, setting up the third film installment in the flagship franchise.
  • SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS UNIVERSE – a further expansion of the SpongeBob universe is coming exclusively to Paramount+ with three brand-new movies based on the show’s original characters, with the first dropping in 2023. In addition, a fourth SpongeBob release from Nickelodeon Animation is currently in development for theatrical release.
  • STAR TREK – the next theatrical film, with Matt Shakman directing and J.J. Abrams producing, will feature the original cast and new characters.
  • TEEN WOLF – the first-ever original production from MTV Entertainment Studios and MGM’s Orion Television, Paramount+ will reunite the original Teen Wolf cast for an exclusive full-length movie. Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Shelley Hennig and Crystal Reed are set to reprise their iconic roles alongside Orny Adams, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne, Seth Gilliam, Colton Haynes, Ryan Kelley, Melissa Ponzio and Dylan Sprayberry. Additional names to be announced.
  • TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES – a new era of TMNT-mania takes over in 2023 with a new animated take on the Turtles coming to theaters, produced by Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and directed by Jeff Rowe. Nickelodeon Animation will fast follow that film with a series of exclusive movies for Paramount+ beginning in 2023, each centering on one of the property’s storied villains in never-before-told tales.
  • TRANSFORMERS – the next chapter begins with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023, where director Steven Caple Jr. and star Anthony Ramos, will lead the first of three film installments of the iconic Hasbro property. Additionally, the previously announced Untitled Animated Transformers film, a Paramount/eOne co-production with Josh Cooley attached to direct, will debut in theaters on July 19, 2024.

Other Kids and Family content announcements included updates to animated preschool favourites:

  • Blue’s Big City Adventure – the now-announced animation/live-action hybrid title to this brand-new Blue’s Clues & You! movie from Nickelodeon Animation is set to premiere later this year and follows host Josh and Blue as they head to New York City, with the help of Steve and Joe, to audition for a big Broadway musical.
  • Dora the Explorer – the preschool return of the groundbreaking Latina heroine in an all-new CG-animated series produced by Nickelodeon Animation, and featuring the beloved characters, plus key modernization to the storytelling, debuts in 2023.

Additionally, an update in Kids and Family live-action programming included:

  • Dora the Explorer – in addition to the character’s animated preschool return, now in development from Nickelodeon is the first-ever live-action Dora the Explorer series, inspired by the tone of Paramount Pictures’ 2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold theatrical release, with this new version for Paramount+ targeting the tween demo.