Nelly Jelly is based on the children’s hit book series from Lithuania. The brand has a successful licensing business, including 30 partners and is now moving international with a new comedy preschool series in collaboration with British Animation Studio “3Megos.”
At this year’s Annecy Festival, Nelly Jelly IP, participating together with “3Megos,” will be sharing the trailer, and script for the new animated series. In this series, Nelly Jelly is presented as an intelligent, determined, strong-willed 6-year-old girl with a huge imagination, who sometimes simply needs a little help from her monster friends.
“Nelly Jelly is a relatable and loveable character, and its concept is already proven to work. We are not starting from scratch here – we’re starting with an IP that has a track record of people liking the characters, and there is a distinct storyline and a plot,” comments Martin Lowde, co-founder and CEO of “3Megos.” “The parents will also relate to the learning moments, and, in the end, the series will model good behavior. This is why we believe the series will be loved by kids and their parents around the world.”
Indeed, the world of Nelly Jelly is similar to the world of any child – she has real friends, pets, family, and real children’s problems. She’s good-hearted and optimistic, she’s also determined and smart, but when trouble hits, it creates a call into the monster world. And that’s when the magic happens – her monster friends sense when she’s in trouble and burst onto the scene.
Simona Krasauskienė, CEO of NJ World, the company that manages the Kakė Makė (native IP) and Nelly Jelly IPs, says that the new series offers a heartwarming, relatable story, with elements of music, fun, surprises, and comedy, making it great for family co-viewing.
“Our IP developing team, experienced and forward-thinking, is collaborating with Emmy and BAFTA Film award-winning animation studio “3Megos”: we have united to use our joint expertise in children’s preferences for entertainment and our understanding of the latest industry trends,” says Simona Krasauskienė. “3Megos” is a very talented and competent group of professionals in children’s animation, and the UK market is very important to us in connecting us with global audiences. “3Megos” are the major gatekeepers in reaching international audiences, and we are putting a lot of trust into this collaboration.”
The original content of Nelly Jelly IP, number one in the native market, has always reflected global tendencies. Currently, Nelly Jelly ranks first in Lithuania regarding awareness and top of mind.
“Only by knowing our native market inside out, can we become global trendsetters,” says Simona Krasauskienė. “By having played in our local sandbox, and having achieved mega success at home, we know how to get the attention of kids around the world.”
Besides the hit book series, Nelly Jelly is a household item in its home market: the IP has expanded to multiple platforms, including books, content, theater plays, and experiential events. The main publisher of the Nelly Jelly brand, Alma Littera, continues to publish Nelly Jelly content reflecting the global trends: a global recipe book for young chefs with a QR code in collaboration with a famous chef; an encyclopedia for toddlers, a Book of Order providing home cleaning tips for parents and children, and much more (the total number of new titles per year is 25).
When it comes to licensing business, the Nelly Jelly local brand is currently experiencing strong momentum in all categories, such as retail partnerships, and collaborations with top manufacturers – who cover not only Lithuania, but also the Baltics and other European markets – and, of course, product development, enabling a 360-degree community engagement model. In 2023 alone, the brand signed agreements with 8 new partners and launched nearly 70 new products under the local “Kakė Makė” brand.
