Why this could be the year China falls in love with the smiling pink Peppa Pig that has taken the world by storm
- London-listed Entertainment One, which owns the smiling pig cartoon character, sees China as one of its biggest drivers alongside the UK
- On Tuesday, the beloved pink pig also makes her big screen debut in China, in Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year
As China ushers in the Year of the Pig, globally beloved cartoon Peppa Pig is ramping up its presence in the country that has become a key market in just three years.
Peppa Pig has taken children worldwide by storm since 2004. What began as a preschool animated television series in the UK of a smiling pink pig, has spanned into everything from backpacks to bicycles and even theme parks.
The brand makes up about 62 per cent of revenue for London-listed media group Entertainment One’s Family & Brands division, according to the company’s 2018 annual report. Peppa Pig’s revenue grew 21 per cent from £70 million (US$92 million) in 2017 to nearly £85 million last year.
China is no exception to the hype, and was named in the report alongside the UK as a primary growth driver.
First aired in China in June 2015, Peppa, friends and family have accumulated 60 billion views on state-broadcaster CCTV and video services like Tencent, iQIYI and Youku. Live licensing agreements rose from 22 in 2017 to 43 last year, and more than 45 million books have been sold since launching in 2016.