ZDF Studios launches innovative new animated children’s series Pipo, Pepa & Pop
Mainz, October 17th, 2024
ZDF Studios has secured the international distribution rights (excluding Italy) for Pipo, Pepa & Pop (26 x 7’). An exciting innovation in the children’s genre, the 2D animated series aims to teach 5 to 8 year olds the basics of economics and finance based on 2 principles: brainstorming and teamwork.
Created and developed by sisters Fiorella Congedo and Maria Elena Congedo and produced by Congedo CulturArte , the series is available in English and Italian.
Every episode is a combination of comedy, gags, music, adventure and quizzes. Young viewers will discover the siblings, Pipo and Pepa, accompanied by their dog Pop as they overcome emotional problems typical of children their age and manage everyday life situations of a financial-economic nature. They often seek advice from Adam, a Scottish elf - a character inspired by the father of modern economics, Adam Smith - who lives in a magic moneybox fitted out like a British castle, in the company of his butler Nessie, the Loch Ness monster.
The graphics “play” with numbers and symbols: numbers from 1 to 9 have been used to build the characters, the stock market graphs become the city skyline, percent signs flutter in the skies turning into butterflies, the different currencies become blooms of colorful flowers.
Marei Bruckmann, Director Junior, ZDF Studios said: “Pipo, Pepa & Pop is unique, not only because its goal is to educate young children about finance but also in the wonderful way it engages this age group in a topic that is considered dry and complicated. We are excited to present this title to our many clients who are always on the lookout for top quality, entertaining and educational content for their junior audiences.”
Luca Milano, Director of RAI KIDS said: "When the Congedo sisters proposed us the project of the animated series Pipo Pepa and Pop, we immediately understood that it would have been an innovative challenge: to teach children the basics of economics in a fun way. The result fully respected our expectations for editorial quality and went even further for ratings on our leading Tv channel Rai Yoyo and on our platform Rai Play."
Pipo is an 8 year old who is full of curiosity, an explorer always on the move. Full of energy, he loves soccer, organising parties and telling scary stories but overall he is generous and dynamic, with a talent for finding trouble. His little sister, Pepa, may be younger but she is also wiser and follows her brother everywhere to keep an eye on him. She’s top of the class, keen on economics, owns two moneyboxes and has a doll, Ellen, who is her business partner. Their puppy, Pop, is a funny happy dog who is easy to understand - just as if he could talk.
Pipo, Pepa & Pop are joined by Adam, a bagpipe playing wise elf, who comes out of his house as soon as the kids rub it and his butler Nessie, a very professional and serious monster butler. And there is Dad, Mom, Auntie Maggie, Grandma and Grandpa plus the school Principal and the teacher who represent the world of rules. Pipo also has a best friend, Tommy, and Pepa’s best friend is Ellen, her doll and business partner, but she alsoadores her friends and fellow classmates Evy and Li.
Congedo Culturarte is an Italian company, founded in 2003 by Fiorella and Maria Elena Congedo as a spin-off of Congedo Publishing for the development of new media, TV production, licensing and merchandising, and events.
The company is small but very well known and established. Since its launch in 2003, the owners, Fiorella and Maria Elena Congedo, have worked hard to build a solid reputation and made alliances with the main players in the industry, such as Disney, Viacom Paramount, Mattel and Imagine.
Based in Milan and Salento, Congedo CulturArte is the creator and producer of a number of successful children’s titles, such as Blu Baloon (26x13’) and Trulli Tales (104x11’).
Pipo, Pepa & Pop airs on RAI Kids in Italy and was supported by the scientific advice of the charity FLIC, the Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign established by the Financial Times, and supported by the contribution of the Apulia Film Fund and Regione Puglia.
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, D-55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, E-mail: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com