BRAVO MEDIA ANNOUNCES BRAND EXTENSIONS WITH MULTIPLE LICENSING PARTNERSHIPS
Network Launches "Fashion By Bravo" With Exclusive Merchandise And Bravo's First Fashion Line Sold To Consumers
NEW YORK - April 13, 2009 - Continuing the extension of the Bravo brand beyond the television screen and directly into the viewer's environment, Bravo Media, the global, multimedia content company, announced today a number of major retail and merchandising partnerships. Building off the success of the Emmy-nominated "Top Chef" franchise, Bravo Media has inked deals with major retailers to create "Top Chef" branded wines and floral arrangements, 'Top Chef" Master Cutlery Knives, as well as a second installment of the best selling "Top Chef" cookbook. Additionally, the network will launch "Fashion by Bravo" with the creation of its own fashion line from the upcoming series 'The Fashion Show," as well as exclusively designed Kooba bags, which will be integrated into the upcoming series "NYC Prep." The announcements were made by Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bravo Media.
"Our highly engaged viewers continue to experience the brand on every level possible, and these Bravo Media initiatives are another way to extend that experience," said Berwick. "By capitalizing on our already successful 'Top Chef' franchise, and building up our upcoming original series with exclusive in-show integrations and merchandising deals, we're able to not only grow our business, but grow our brand beyond the TV screen."
FASHION BY BRAVO
Bravo Media is launching "Fashion By Bravo," a new brand extension that offers exclusive fashions featured in-series to Bravo fans. Beginning with the upcoming series 'The Fashion Show," Bravo has partnered with Brooklyn Equities to create its own fashion line, with the winning look from each week's winning designer available for online purchase on BravoTV.com immediately after it's revealed on-air, starting on May 7 when the series premieres. Additionally, the network partnered with upscale handbag designer Kooba to create exclusive bags that will be integrated into the upcoming series "NYC Prep." Cast members will have specially designed bags in exclusive colors that will be available for purchase. All merchandise will be offered exclusively at www.BravoTV.com and www.kooba.com.
TOP CHEF: THE QUICKFIRE COOKBOOK
In March of 2008, Bravo Media released 'Top Chef: The Cookbook," which quickly soared to the top of the charts, became a New York Times best-seller and is currently in its fourth printing. Published by Chronicle Books, the second installment of the official companion cookbook to the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning No. 1 food show on cable, "Top Chef," will focus on the skills involved in the Quickfire challenges. "Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook" will also include behind-the-scenes interviews with producers, chef'testants from past seasons, and other inside dish that fans will love.
"TOP CHEF" MERCHANDISE
Continuing to extend the "Top Chef" brand, Bravo Media inked a deal with Master Cutlery, the largest importer of knives in the U.S., for the "Top Chef" Master Cutlery Knives, which will be available in summer of 2009 on www.BravoTV.com. The network is also currently in talks with major retailers for in-store distribution.
Bravo Media has partnered with Terlato Wines International, the leading marketer of luxury wines in the United States, to launch "Top Chef" co-branded wine, which will be available in retail and grocery stores in late 2009. This partnership brings together the cooking expertise of "Top Chef" and the wine knowledge and food pairing experience from Terlato. Terlato Wines International, with its global portfolio of 50+ brands from a host of world-class wine producers, presently markets more than one out of eight bottles of wine over $14 sold in America. This deal was brokered by JTMG LLC.
JTMG LLC also helped the network partner with Teleflora to create 'Top Chef" co-branded flower arrangements, which will be available beginning in August 2009. The bouquets will be available at florists throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as on Teleflora.com, and will come with recipes and unique containers featuring a mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables.
Additionally, Bravo Media is partnering with LightSpeedVT and Post Oak Productions to create "Top Chef VT," a subscription-based online cooking class. "Top Chef VT" will feature interactive content, multimedia lessons, recipes and much more. Fans of the show will have access to exclusive content and cooking classes, taught by the chef'testants, from the comfort of their own homes.
Bravo Media - a global, multimedia content company - reaches every consumer touch point, with its all-encompassing group of divisions: talent management, publishing, merchandising, Bravo To Go (wireless), Bravo Experience, digital, television, radio and international. With Bravo's television content serving as a blueprint for the multiplatform business, Bravo Media's divisions are organic extensions, providing the network's highly-engaged fans with a menu of options to experience the network in a four-dimensional manner. Bravo is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBC cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com.
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