All3Media International’s Jason Easy on bringing The Traitors into games, apparel, experiences and more

Jason, thanks for making time. Firstly, can you give us a brief introduction to All3Media International?
All3Media International is a television distributor housing an impressive and distinct catalogue of over 30,000 hours of brands and shows. We’re part of The All3Media Group, comprising of more than 50 production companies, responsible for shows such as – deep breath! – The Tourist, Trigger Point, Gogglebox, Hollyoaks, TOWIE, Catch Phrase, Lingo, The Cube, Race Across the World, Sort Your Life Out, Midsomer Murders, All Creatures Great & Small, Kitchen Nightmares, Great British Menu, Garden Rescue, Naked Attraction… And of course, The Traitors!

A very impressive list! And can you tell us about your role at All3Media International?
All3Media International’s licensing activity is very much in its infancy, but it’s incredibly exciting to be building out. As a company we are relatively new to brand licensing and have been actively growing our presence over the past 18 months or so.

“With lots of content to come, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of the Traitor!”

I am responsible for developing and managing our international licensing footprint. With such a broad and diverse portfolio of brands, the opportunity is vast. We are therefore focusing on a core portfolio of properties and we’ll build out over time. My role covers all commercial aspects, from podcasts, apps, theatrical and live entertainment, traditional merchandise partnerships, product placement – where relevant – and sponsorship.

Let’s talk about The Traitors for a moment! This must be keeping you busy licensing wise!
Yes! Created by IDTV – an All3Media Group – in the Netherlands, The Traitors first launched on RTL 4 in 2021 and the format has proved its international appeal with over 25 adaptations and numerous returning seasons. It’s captured the public’s imagination in so many territories and it’s hard to believe we have had just two seasons on BBC in the UK, produced by Studio Lambert. It’s already one of the most talked about shows and with season three on the horizon, I am working with our partners to maximise the potential at retail this AW and beyond.

Can you tell us a bit about the licensing programme in the UK as it stands today?
2023 was an incredible year of launches for The Traitors. We partnered with Goliath who launched The Traitors board game across several markets. The game was a huge Q4 23 success, making it onto Tesco’s ‘Most Wanted’ Christmas list and number three in the Amazon toys and games list. Ginger Fox has also developed a card game ideal for playing on the move.

We had our first daywear launch in George at ASDA just before the final aired, which our apparel partner Bioworld did an amazing job in meeting the demand for at such short notice. Rubies, our UK dress up partner, produced the official iconic cloak and Penguin released The Traitors interactive game book back in November.

We’re also excited to move the brand into the immersive experience space with our partners at The Everywhere Group and Bearded Kitten, working towards a 2024 launch… With that, fans will get to experience The Traitors first hand. Additionally, our team has launched a global Traitors e-store – The Traitors Shop – run and managed by Event Merch.

Great launches. What product categories are you looking to add to the roster?
This year we are focused on building out our licensing partnerships and our retail presence. There is lots to come over the next few months. Sadly, I can’t say too much right now, but we have some very exciting announcements to come over the coming weeks!

“PowerStation Studios did a great job in reimagining the show into a strong, playful guide.”

We also have big retail plans in 2025. With lots of content to come, its shaping up to be the year of the Traitor. All the while we are building our international licensing presence. Ultimately, it’s an incredibly exciting brand to be taking to the world of licensing and one with endless opportunities to explore!

Design-wise, how have you approached The Traitors in licensing?
There are so many iconic elements within the show… The Cloak, the roundtable, the wax seal, the logo, banishments, ‘murders’, the phrases… We worked with PowerStation Studios who did a great job in reimagining the show and pulling these icons and themes into a strong, playful guide and trend directions, tapping into the jeopardy we see on screen.

The Traitors is an international success story. How does All3Media International co-ordinate things internationally?
All3Media International are still relative newcomers to the licensing world, so considerations are very much something we explore by looking at on a case-by-case basis. I sit within the formats team, responsible for the development of each local version of the show, so I have full visibility of when and where we are going into production and broadcast plans. We also work with the local broadcaster to agree a plan for licensing. In some instances that will involve appointing an agent, such as Metrostar, who have worked with across deals for apparel within the UK.

“Our catalogue contains several shows that are a natural fit for live and immersive experiences.”

You have a number of other gameshows in your portfolio. Can you tell us about product development for these, thinking particularly about products like board and card games?
We are fortunate to have a strong portfolio of gameshows. Lingo, Catch Phrase, The Cube and Picture Slam are each a huge hit, drawing in very strong audience figures. Picture Slam launched in 2023 and became an instant hit, reaching nearly four million viewers each week. The second series has been commissioned and we have a lot of interest from board game partners, complimenting the games partnerships with have for our other game shows.

We also have mobile app partnerships for Lingo and Catch Phrase, allowing fans to put their gameplay to the test. I am working on one or two other partnerships, but again, it’s a bit too early to share the details, sorry!

You’re forgiven! You mentioned experiences earlier in relation to The Traitors. What can you tell us about wider plans in that space?
Our catalogue contains several shows that are a natural fit for live and immersive experiences. The Cube Live Experience – run by Urban Playground – has been running for the past two years in Manchester, and later this year we will open the doors at a new Canary Wharf venue.

We also have a Don’t Scream VR experience based on Maverick TV’s nerve shredding reality game, based in Birmingham, run by Park Playground. This is a VR escape room with surprises around every corner – but whatever you do don’t scream! And as mentioned, fans of The Traitors will be thrilled to learn that we have partnered with The Everywhere Group and plans are afoot to launch our new immersive Traitors Experience There are many other live entertainment and theatrical conversations taking place across our wider portfolio – watch this space!

Beyond The Traitors and gameshows, are there other brands in the portfolio you would like to highlight for their licensing potential?
The best way to describe out portfolio is that there is something for everyone. There’s iconic dramas like Midsomer Murders and All Creatures Great and Small; these have a core fan base who love to see the brand extended beyond the TV screen. Theatre, stage, events and digital are areas we are actively exploring, with more details to be revealed soon!

Our catalogue also houses many lifestyles shows such as Sort Your Life Out, Garden Rescue and Love Your Garden, and publishing is an exciting and natural area for us. We’ve already had several successes with publishing across a range of brands – including All Creatures Great and Small, The Traitors and Midsomer Murders – so we’re looking forward to exploring opportunities for our lifestyle content.

You presented at the recent Brands & Retail conference. Thinking of this event and others, how important is it for All3Media International to be connected to the licensing world?
Attending events such as these is very important to us. While many might not know much more about All3Media International, most will have watched and are fans of many of our shows. We have a lot of work to do and we continue to build our presence. Events such as these are a great way to showcase our brands but also All3Media International.

BLE was also a huge success for us last year. The show kick started many of the conversations that have resulted in some wonderful partnerships – many more are ongoing! Our international development is also key, and we’ll be attending Licensing Expo this year, for the first time, I am sure this will also be a huge success for us.

Thinking more generally about the licensing market, can you highlight a couple of trends that our readers should be aware of in 2024 and beyond.
Collaborations are one trend that continues to grow. We are working on one or two ourselves. They are such an exciting way to play in a new space, reaching new consumers. I am sure collabs will continue, as like-minded brands come together in a playful and fun way. I read your recent Talking Brands article where Skew’s Oliver Dyer mentioned that The Traitors and Heinz would be a great collab. I couldn’t agree more!

Another that will continue to flourish is immersive. Experiences that allow fans to directly engage and experience the brand they love offers a new means to engage a community. As a team we recently visited Sandbox VR – the Squid Game VR experience – it was fantastic.

Thankfully All3Media International have brands that can easily play in these spaces. I am sure you’ll hear a lot more from us over time…

Jason, this has been great, I have one last question – if you had the chance to appear in one of All3Media International’s shows, which one would it be and why?
It would have to be Gogglebox – I am regularly told off at home for commentating and generally waffling-on while we’re watching TV.

Ha! Good pick. Thanks again – let’s catch up again soon!