UK-based Open Mind Productions has taken back the licensing and brand marketing rights to its Numberjacks preschool property from ITV Global Entertainment, effective immediately.

The relationship is not being extended beyond the terms of the current agreement that was signed in 2006 and yielded a global merch program that included approximately 150 consumer products.

ITV, however, will remain involved through ITV Home Entertainment, as a new DVD exclusive Numberjacks: Seaside Adventure gets set for a July release, complemented by the Numberjacks magazine, published every three weeks by Egmont. Open Mind commercial director Nick Underwood tells KidScreen Daily that he’s in discussions with seaside venues to organize Numberjacks-themed events and appearances during the main school holiday period.

Underwood also said that with the launch of the series’ second season, Open Mind will be supporting key UK retailers with costume character appearances and in-store promos during the upcoming back-to-school season. The property’s licensees are also working together to create exclusive product bundles at particular retailers.

The current online retail store at numberjacks.co.uk is getting a revamp, and the company is looking to create Numberjacks micro-sites. The site already has a healthy flow of traffic, said Underwood, with numbers increasing on a month-to-month basis and visitors remaining on the site for an average of 14 minutes per visit.

‘As the property moves towards its second Christmas, our strategy is to bring together like-minded licensees and retailers to create tailored ranges that will maximize the soft educational appeal of this brand,’ adds Underwood.

Numberjacks airs in more than 45 territories and on CBeebies in the UK. The second season, currently in production, is due for a September delivery.