Created by the famous animator Stephen Hillenburg, an ex marine biologist, SpongeBob SquarePants first took the global stage when it was premiered in the child-oriented global network Nickelodeon in May 1999. The appeal of the each episode lies on the child-like demeanor of SpongeBob and his best friend, the star fish Patrick Star. Moreover, a huge help in its popularity rests in its character design. SpongeBob’s all-yellow appeal coupled with his distinct blown-up face and also Patrick’s all-pink appearance make them easy to remember for children. SpongeBob SquarePants is not particularly created with only young children in mind.Teenagers and young adults find the humorous dialogues in the show as appealing.
All these lucrative character licensing deals were made possible by a brilliant intellectual property which was carefully planned to be of significance not only to children but also to young adults. SpongeBob SquarePants’ success is proof that careful planning, perseverance and hard work can pay off in the end.
With the recent victory of the franchise SpongeBob SquarePants during the recently concluded 2009 Elan Awards for the category Best Voice-Over in an Animated Production (as won by Tom Kenny), it is only fitting to explore the success of the titular character with the impeccable charm and absurd decision-making.
In 2007, TIME Magazine also gave it the distinction as one of the greatest television shows of all time. So hard to argue as SpongeBob SquarePants has become a force in the character licensing industry. With its great characters, many companies have lined up to produce merchandise which bear the resemblance of SpongeBob and even his friends including lunch boxes, books, pencils, and some items which are useful for kids.
Moreover, SpongeBob SquarePants is now a king of character licensing deals with fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King’s. Toy companies like LEGO has been one of the more popular brands which licensed SpongeBob SquarePants as one of its builder sets. He has also been featured in board games such as Monopoly, Life and Operation and many more.