Introduction

Industry: Animation Design/Production/Distribution 

Business Scope:  

DIC Entertainment, a fully-integrated global brand management company, is dedicated to creating, developing, producing, distributing, marketing and merchandising family-based intellectual properties. DIC is headquartered in Burbank, California with offices in New York, Paris and London.

DIC serves as the worldwide licensor or licensing agent for renowned brands, such as Strawberry Shortcake, McDonald's, Madeline and Classic Trolls. The company has also distinguished itself by building one of the largest libraries of animation with approximately 2,800 half-hours of programming. DIC's prolific library includes some of the most recognizable children's brands in the world including Inspector Gadget™, Strawberry Shortcake™, Sabrina The Animated Series™, Madeline™, Liberty's Kids™, Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?™, Sonic The Hedgehog™, Super Mario Bros™, Care Bears™ and Trollz™.

Additionally, DIC is a pre-eminent supplier of children's programming internationally and distributes its programming to over 350 broadcaster licensees in over 200 countries. DIC has developed strategic partnerships with key domestic and international broadcast partners throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia.

DIC Entertainment was founded in Paris in 1971 and was acquired by Andy Heyward, the company's Chairman& CEO, in 1986. DIC was later acquired by ABC/Cap Cities in 1993 and became a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company in 1995. In 2000, Heyward led the buyout of the business from Disney with Bain Capital and subsequently purchased Bain's interest in 2004. In October 2005, DIC listed its IPO on the AIM unit of the London Stock Exchange in order to fund future growth and development.