From Christian Retailing, Aug. 9...
Big Idea relaunches "3-2-1 Penguins!" on DVD
Popular children's series returns with three new episodes
Big Idea’s popular children’s animated series “3-2-1 Penguins!” is returning to DVD after a five-year hiatus with the release of Save the Planets! (8-20413-20119-7, $14.99), Aug. 30. The DVD features the first three, 22-minute episodes from the show’s recent re-launch on NBC.
Save the Planets! follows the adventures of brother and sister Jason and Michelle as they visit different planets with space-faring penguins Zidgel, Midgel, Fidgel and Kevin. Each planet offers a different life lesson, such as Planet Gutt, where the children learn about the dangers of overindulging.
While the lessons aren’t overtly Christian, they are biblically based. Sol, one of the characters new to the TV version of the show, dishes out pearls of wisdom based on Proverbs, and Jason and Michelle’s “Grandmum” reads from the “good book” and prays.
Big Idea has also created a DVD sampler exclusively for Christian retailers called Meet the Penguins!, which includes an original episode, sneak peeks at future installments of the series and a Save the Planets! coupon. The sampler released last month and retails for $3.97.
The first “3-2-1 Penguins!” DVD originally launched in the Christian market in 2002 and landed the top spot on the children’s video chart for about 40 weeks, eventually selling more than 1.5 million units. However, Big Idea cancelled the DVD series after six episodes around the time the company was bought by Classic Media, according to Greg Fritz, senior vice president of marketing for Big Idea.
In 2007, the series found new life alongside the “VeggieTales” TV show as part of NBC’s Qubo programming block Saturday mornings and became a hit with audiences. The penguins now occupy the No. 1 spot in the block, Fritz said.
The show is in its second season and plays in more than 60 markets across the world. NBC has ordered two more years of episodes.
“This property is special because it’s a bit aged up from VeggieTales,” Fritz said, noting that it targets children aged 7 to 8. “The storylines themselves are fun and are loaded with things kids like, but they also have a lot of meat to them.”
The Save the Planets! DVD includes a variety of bonus features, including video trivia, commentary and several special featurettes like “Pearls of Wisdom,” “Make Your Own Planet” and “How to Draw Kevin and Chancellor Gutt.”
The product will receive a major marketing push from Big Idea, including partnerships with Applebee’s and Chuck E. Cheese.
To order either Save the Planets! or Meet the Penguins!, call Word Distribution at 800-876-WORD (9673), or visit www.WordDistribution.com.
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