LazyTown Entertainment, the only children’s brand solely dedicated to helping families lead a healthier lifestyle, has completed its financial restructure. As a result, the company can now claim to be one of the most solvent in the children’s entertainment business with zero debt and many growth opportunities on the horizon. The future looks bright for the brand.

Magnus Scheving, the CEO of LazyTown Entertainment commented,” I am extremely happy that everyone worked together as a team with the singular vision to conclude this deal and to now be able to turn our focus towards building the company.”

The LazyTown Entertainment brand enjoys enormous respect from parents, educators and national Governments alike for its key messages, and for remaining focused on and committed to its core values. The company has a number of exciting prospects for the future including alliances with key retailers in the U.S. and Continental Europe, a new digital platform and a sports club roll out with the world’s leading provider of training packages to fitness professionals.

As the only children’s brands dedicated to helping children lead healthier lifestyles, it’s hardly surprising the impact the company’s licensing strategy has had directly on its core audience’s eating habits.  This is a pure and natural extension of the brand because the characters of LazyTown actually eat “SportsCandy” (fruits and vegetables), drink water and milk and engage in sports and activities in each episode.  Now LazyTown is actively licensing partners who share their vision of a healthier world.

LazyTown leverages this unique and relevant edge with strategic retail and healthy consumables partnerships.  As an example, LazyTown’s retail alliance with ASDA (the UK Wal-Mart) that has been using Sportacus to promote its Great Stuff range of products has seen the range sell a whopping 41% more fruit and vegetables during a kick-off promotion last year than it had the previous year, which included over 2.5 million incremental packages of Great Stuff Sports Candy!

In Mexico, the company’s tie-up with dairy company Lala that also featured Sportacus on pack achieved a significant double digit sales growth of white milk, proving the brand can carry a consumable other than Sports Candy. This was historic for LazyTown as it was their first major win in a territory where they are not on Free TV and where sales of white milk to children are virtually zero (children have been reported to drink soda for breakfast!). Parents even called the 1-800 customer service lines at LALA and left voicemails thanking them because their kids were drinking milk again.

In Columbia, Sportacus is at national hero status. During a recent visit to the country, LazyTown’s creator and star Magnus Scheving was asked by the country’s Minister of Health to help him to lower obesity in the country where it has become a growing concern. The show’s tie-up with fruit and vegetable superstore Surtifruver de la Sabana has branched into the country’s school system where children have participated in LazyTown/Surtifruver activities based around exercise and healthy eating.

In the U.S., the show is breaking new ground. LazyTown has aligned itself with Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ initiative and will be sharing with the Administration some of the ground breaking work they have done in other countries to reduce childhood obesity. During a momentous week in March 2010, Sportacus met the First Lady when he warmed up local Washington DC school children at a US Soccer Foundation clinic that she attended. A deal with Windmill will see a range of completely natural vitamins go into over 20,000 retail outlets in the country. With a new broadcast deal soon to be announced in the U.S., LazyTown is confident they can make a real difference to American children’s health.

In their native country of Iceland, LazyTown have signed a world first deal with a local water company, Nordic Water, to produce a range of naturally fruit flavoured water. Nordic is aiming for worldwide distribution.

What’s clear is one thing – when companies use LazyTown to promote health, EVERYONE WINS!

Magnus Scheving, the creator/director and star of LazyTown, is available for interviews in January to support the launch of LazyTown FitKid (UK) – fun fitness classes for kids that will be starting across the UK in schools, nurseries, community centres and health clubs from February 09. Sessions will incorporate the LazyTown music and dances along with fun play equipment such as parachutes, space hoppers, balls, etc. encouraging kids to move and get active. Parents will also be able to book LazyTown themed birthday parties for their child.

Magnus says, ‘We’re very excited about working with FitKid (UK). They’re a terrific company who really understand the LazyTown philosophy of making fitness fun for kids.

Aside from FitKid, a new LazyTown show, ‘The Pirate Adventure’ will be kicking off their UK tour on 29th January 2009 in Northampton. LazyTown Live was the UK’s highest selling show for kids in 2008 selling just under 400,000 tickets across 46 venues in the UK and Ireland. Many of the LazyTown Live 2008 cast are returning to play the same roles.

Contact:  Suzanne @ Stunning PR, Tel: 0203 355 1529/07957 371840

For the first time ever children across the UK have a chance to see their favorite BBC & Nick Jr show live on stage. ON STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER FEATURING ALL NEW UK CASTUK TOUR 2007/08 4 October 2007 – 7 August 2008

BOX OFFICE NOW OPEN: 08701 283 607
www.lazytownlive.co.uk

For the first time ever children across the UK have a chance to see their favourite BBC & Nick Jr show live on stage. Featuring an all new UK cast, the brand new LazyTown Live! commences its tour in October 2007 at venues in London (Hackney Empire and Hammersmith Apollo), Woking, Northampton and Glasgow. The tour continues across the UK from end of January until August 2008. With box offices now open sales are already brisk.

LazyTown is the award-winning show of the moment and is proving a TV hit for kids across the globe – it currently airs in over 100 countries. British kids are now one of the first to have their own new stage version. LazyTown Live! is packed with moves, music, fun and a great story, all set in this amazingly colourful, fast-paced, upside-down world.

Stephanie, an optimistic and enthusiastic girl with bright pink hair, comes to live in LazyTown and meets a zany mix of kids and grown-ups, including the world’s laziest super-villain, Robbie Rotten. Fortunately for Stephanie, Sportacus, a slightly above average superhero who jumps, leaps, flips and flies his way around LazyTown in his airship is also on hand to help the townsfolk battle Robbie’s latest lazy schemes.

LazyTown is jam-packed with action, energy and a powerful message that will energise and inspire children everywhere.

Conceived, written and directed by the hugely talented Icelander Magnús Scheving (who also plays Sportacus in the TV show), LazyTown is a life-style brand for young children. With its lessons about making healthy food choices and being physically active, the show aims to provide children with positive role models, while still being a lot of fun!

LazyTown has enjoyed chart-topping ratings among 4 – 7 year olds, as well as a clutch of industry awards, including, here in the UK, Best International Children’s Programme BAFTA in 2006, as well as two EMMY nominations this year. Currently on BBC, CBBC, CBeebies and Nick Jr., its theme song (BingBang Time To Dance) also reached number 4 in the UK charts last year, sharing its top 10 spot with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Beyonce.

‘LazyTown is about action and excitement. It makes kids want to get up and do something right now. To think, move and GO!’ Magnús Scheving.

LazyTown Live! is produced by Fiery Angel Ltd and MCM Limelight Ltd.

TOUR DETAILS

Box Office: 08701 283 607
www.lazytownlive.co.uk

2008
26 & 27 March Hall for Cornwall, TRURO
29 & 30 March The Alban Arena, ST ALBANS
2 & 3 April Pavilion Theatre, BOURNEMOUTH
5 & 6 April Plymouth Pavilions, PLYMOUTH
12 & 13 April De Montfort Hall, LEICESTER
16 & 17 April Marlowe Theatre, CANTERBURY
19 & 20 April St George’s Hall, BRADFORD
26 & 27 April St David’s Hall, CARDIFF
3 & 4 May Assembly Hall, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
10 & 11 May Dorking Halls, DORKING
14 May Grand Opera House, YORK
16 – 18 May Theatre Royal, NEWCASTLE
23 & 24 May The Orchard, DARTFORD
27 & 28 May Theatre Royal, BRIGHTON
30 May – 1 June Mayflower Theatre, SOUTHAMPTON
5 – 7 June Milton Keynes Theatre
11 June Millennium Forum, DERRY
13 – 15 June Grand Opera House, BELFAST
20 – 22 June Liverpool Empire
26 June Auditorium, GRIMSBY
28 & 29 June Corn Exchange, CAMBRIDGE
2 July Guild Hall, PRESTON
4 – 6 July Wycombe Swan, HIGH WYCOMBE
9 July Grand Theatre, SWANSEA
12 & 13 July Fairfield Hall, CROYDON
16 & 17 July His Majesty’s Theatre, ABERDEEN
19 & 20 July Hexagon, READING
23 & 24 July Venue Cymru, LLANDUDNO
26 & 27 July Cliffs Pavilion, SOUTHEND
30 & 31 July Regent Theatre, STOKE ON TRENT
2 & 3 August Grand Theatre, LEEDS
6 & 7 August The Hawth, CRAWLEY