Dentsu Inc. has acquired the European format rights for the TV program "SASUKE," produced by TBS Television (hereinafter "TBS"). Over the next two years, Dentsu Inc. will exclusively sell the format across all of Europe, excluding Scandinavia.
First broadcast in 1997, "SASUKE" is a popular sports entertainment program TBS is proud of. In the US, a local version titled "American Ninja Warrior" has been produced since 2009 and is now a hit show on NBC, one of the four major terrestrial networks. Sales of 'SASUKE', including the US version 'Ninja Warrior', have reached 157 countries and regions. It airs across five continents, including Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Local adaptations of 'SASUKE' are also in production in Turkey, the UK, and Vietnam, following earlier launches in Asia (Malaysia, Singapore), the US, and Sweden.
Dentsu Inc. will advance these rights sales in collaboration with brands under its overseas headquarters, Dentsu Aegis Network, particularly The Story Lab*, whose mission is to create new-concept content. For television networks, it will propose local version production through format sales. For corporate clients, it will offer product placement, sponsorship tie-ups, promotions, and branded entertainment utilizing 'SASUKE' content.
*The Story Lab
A specialized agency under Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network responsible for content production. Its motto is "Innovating the storytelling supply chain." It has offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Vietnam, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
Dentsu Inc. News Releasehttp://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/2015/0413-004026.html
