Laser plans licensing deals for Ice Warriors

Laser is planning a series of toy licensing and merchandising deals around its Saturday early peaktime show, Ice Warriors.

The fantasy tournament on ice, in which “super hero” athletes compete in a series of contests, strongly appeals to children’s fondness for action adventure. Laser is investigating deals with toy manufacturers for a series of dolls representing the main characters, once the show is established with a second series.

Negotiations are also underway to sell the programme into overseas markets.

PepsiCo has already agreed to sponsor the programme with its 7-Up brand, and on-pack promotions based around the soft drink are expected to follow.

The show, which is presented by Dani Behr, features Gladiator-style characters with names such as Morka the Fireblade, Rax the Destroyer and Krystor the Enchantress.

It is made by London Weekend Television and the production company 20/10 Media Group on a specially-created set at Manchester’s Nynex Arena.

Gary Knight, executive commercial director of Laser, says: “We are now treating programmes as ‘brands’ in the true sense of the word and our planning process would be very similar to any manufacturer’s branded goods.”

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