ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) announced that Knockout Licensing has been signed as the licensing agent for the popular historical drama, Poldark in the U.S. and Canada.
Co-produced by Mammoth Screen and Masterpiece, Poldark made its U.S. broadcast debut on leading drama channel PBS Masterpiece in June 2015, attracting a strong average of 4 million viewers per episode. Now, building on the growing popularity of the series in the market, Knockout Licensing will oversee the development of a dedicated Poldark consumer products programme.
The licensing agent is currently seeking partners in key categories including homewares, gifting, stationery and apparel. Merchandise will target the female adult market, with a secondary audience of gift buyers and men.
ITVS GE, Head of Global Merchandise, SVP, Trudi Hayward commented, “We’re delighted to have Knockout Licensing on board as our licensing partner for Poldark in the U.S. The show has already generated a huge amount of interest in the market and Knockout Licensing’s expertise in developing high quality and engaging merchandise programmes makes them the ideal partner to bring products to the show’s growing fan-base across the U.S. and Canada.”
Knockout Licensing, President, Carole Postal said, “Poldark is a beautifully filmed historical drama with compelling storylines and a wonderful cast so the licensing potential is excellent across a wide range of not only contemporary fan-based products but also those that authentically capture the look and feel of Poldark’s world. Knockout knows the PBS Masterpiece audience well and we are looking forward to working with ITV Studios to create a product range that U.S. fans will love.”
Supporting the broadcast, in July PBS Distribution and Masterpiece launched the Poldark series on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD at retail and through e-commerce accounts. The show tells the story of Ross Poldark in the late 18th century as he returns to England having fought in the American Revolutionary War.