• In 1997, Swede Daniel Malmedahl recorded himself impersonating the sounds produced by internal combustion engines. He posted this on the internet and the ‘beh ding ding’ sound began appearing on various websites under the filename "Two stroker";
• The sound effect was quickly included in the Insanity Test, which challenged test subjects to keep a straight face while staring at a still photograph of Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari Formula 1 car as the sound effect was played;
• In late-2003, Malmedahl's fellow Swede Erik Wernquist encountered the sound effect and was inspired to create the 3D animation "The Annoying Thing" to accompany it;
• It was broadcast for the first time on two Belgian commercials for Ringtone Europe and Jamster België (now both merged into Jamba!) in mid-2004, using the name that Jamster coined: “Crazy Frog”;
• The Crazy Frog franchise may be popular among children, but its reception throughout the adult audience is different. Many adults find the Crazy Frog remixes to be an insult to formerly great songs, including the Queen hit "We Are the Champions", as well as "Axel F", which was a global music charts success in 2005.
  

OBJECTIVES

• Steve Manley, Co-Founder of AT New Media, discovered the character on the internet before Jamster brought it to mass public attention and he persuaded Erik Wernquist to allow him to offer ecommerce t-shirts for sale;
• Erik then asked Steve to manage the ever-growing number of licensing enquiries, at which point Steve teamed up with experienced licensing agent Paul Comben;
• They managed to reconcile the diverse rights owned by Daniel, Erik, Jamster and music company M1, in order to respond to overwhelming demand from manufacturers, retailers and consumers.
  RESULTS
• The AT Merchandise division of AT New Media eventually brokered over 100 merchandise licences to produce over 300 products for over 40 countries;
• The global retail value of the licensed merchandise during an 18-month high exceeded $50 million (on top of music and mobile content values);
• Through previous knowledge and experience, the best possible licensees and territory agents were licensed via AT New Media in the shortest possible time;
• Products included plush, clothing, bedding, housewares, clocks, watches, amusement machines, videogames, mobile phone games and toys;
• Merchandise counterfeiters were rife as the character’s popularity swept the world and control measures were put in place to stifle their activities;
• The maximum value of the intellectual property was realised for the owners by AT New Media;
• Thus, AT Merchandise orchestrated the licensing campaign for the first character ever to be launched on the internet and mobile phones, then achieve mass market awareness, giving us unique experience that could benefit your company.

In true licensing style Retail tried to kill off the Crazy Frog as a 'FAD' but it lives on within the internet and at www.taymai-shop.com