The lasagne-lover orange cat is back! With global awareness of 92 percent and licensed across 111 countries, Garfield has been the most syndicated comic strip in the world. Regarded as one of the most-watched kids’ shows with over 18 million social followers, the character has captivated young fans as well as adults. Further, in an endeavour to bolster Garfield’s fandom beyond television screens, Viacom18 Consumer Products is all set to introduce an exclusive range of Garfield merchandise to bring young fans and their families closer to their favourite character.
Keeping up in its attempt to engage young Indian viewers beyond the screen, Viacom18 Consumer Products and Nickelodeon now introduce an exclusive and refreshing range of the iconic and endearing cat – Garfield – merchandise in India. Over the last year, Viacom18 Consumer Products successfully managed to appoint 10 new licensee brands across 10+ categories for apparel, accessories, eyewear, furnishing, and more for both adults and kids. As a part of the collaboration, officially licensed Garfield merchandise will be available at a starting price of Rs. 499 across leading online and offline retail outlets. The launch of the exclusive merchandise is an attempt to expand Garfield’s universe and re-establish its fandom in India as the funny, mischievous, and unapologetically cool cat.
Commenting on the launch of an exclusive range of Garfield merchandise across categories, Mahesh Shetty, Head-Network Sales, Viacom18, said, “At Viacom18 Consumer Products, we have endeavoured to constantly expand our reach and build a portfolio of iconic characters and become the one-stop destination across multiple touchpoints for the fans in India. Garfield is an iconic and relatable character in the animation ecosystem for both kids and adults. The character’s quirky and honest appeal is unlike any other. Starting from a comic strip, Garfield has grown to become a globally sensational character. With the addition of Garfield to our products portfolio, we aim to get one step closer in our endeavour to provide our viewers with an opportunity to connect with their most-loved characters beyond screens.”
Mark Kingston, Senior Vice President, International Licensing, ViacomCBS Consumer Products, said, “At ViacomCBS Consumer Products, we aim to provide vital support to our consumers who have been trying to navigate through the unprecedented situation of the pandemic. As families are adjusting to the new normal, our team has been at the forefront to translate ‘content watched to products purchased’. With the launch of Garfield merchandise in India, we aim to bring truly unique products to the market that fans will enjoy and appreciate.”
Garfield’s range of exclusive merchandise is a strong proposition to attract Indians across age segments, thanks to its global popularity, aspirational attitude, snarky and relevant humour, dual-gender appeal, and relatability.