Business segments

A big name in the disc, video and literary publishing industry previously known for its ability to produce successes, Carrere Group is now a diversified audiovisual group operating in three main sectors :

Production
Distribution
Marketing

The Group’s speciality, and also its strength, is that it not only produces but also distributes its own catalogue. Carrere Group directly markets its catalogue of audiovisual rights globally and on different media (mainly television and video), generating recurrent revenue and large margins during the term of the rights.

Production

Unlike cinematographic productions intended for the big screen, audiovisual productions for television are far less risky. Televised programmes are partly funded by television channels. Funding is set up in co-production with one or two co-producers, one or two television stations and in French and international pre-sales. Added to this are CNC and MEDIA type subsidies. Carrere Group normally obtains 50% of the negative when negotiating and putting together funding packages..

Drama

In just a few years, Carrere Group has established itself as a major player in drama production. While winning an ever larger market share, the Group benefits from the popularity of drama in France, producing many series which are broadcast on the biggest French television channels. This type of programme is also experiencing steady growth, accounting for almost half of the Group’s activity.

Boosted by an extensive catalogue of successful series, such as “Maigret” starring Bruno Cremer, “Le Commissaire Moulin” starring Yves Rénier, “Une Famille Formidable” starring Bernard Le Coq, “Le Grand Patron” starring Francis Huster, “Péril Imminent” starring Richard Berry, “Groupe Flag” starring Sophie De La Rochefoucauld and “Le Juge est une Femme” starring Florence Larrieu, the Group reaps the benefits of programmes which are re-broadcast many times, and which are easily exportable. PM Films, Dune and Ego productions, subsidiaries of Carrere Group, are three companies which produce series with recurrent heroes which make an active contribution to the development of the Group’s catalogue.

Entertainment

Carrere Group produces magazine shows such as “C’est pas Sorcier” (presented by Frédéric Courant, Jamy Gourmaud and Sabine Quindou, broadcast on France 3), “Campus” (presented by Guillaume Durand and broadcast on France 2), “Arrêt sur Image” (presented by Daniel Schneidermann and broadcast on France 5), and “Ca Balance à Paris” (presented by Laurent Ruquier and broadcast on Parispremière). In the entertainment programme sector, the Group incorporates the production companies belonging to animators Benjamin Castaldi (“La Nouvelle Star”, “La Saga des Gadins”, “Le Grand Test”) and Flavie Flament (“Saga”, “500 Choristes”, “Dominos Day”).

The Group provides documentaries for programmes such as “Le Droit de Savoir” on TF1, “Envoyé Spécial” on France 2, “Des Racines et des Ailes” on France 3 and “Zone Interdite” on M6. A pioneer in short programme production, Carrere Group notably produces “Du côté de chez vous“ on TF1 with Leroy Merlin, “La Météo“ on France 3 with Mr Bricolage, “Plus jamais comme ça” on France 2 with Expert, “Va y avoir du Sport“ on TF1 with Intersport, “Mission Prix” on France2 with U.

Animation

Carrere Group is the leading independent producer of animation series and films in France and one of the leaders in Europe. The Group has a good brand image, having been involved in this type of production for many years. Animation, the Group’s historical sector, now accounts for less than 10% of turnover, as a result of the Group’s diversification strategy.

There have been many notable successes in animation feature films, such as “Les Triplettes de Belleville”, which won 1 Cesar award and 2 Oscar nominations, “Kirikou et la Sorcière”, with a box office in excess of 1 million, “Les 3 Rois Mages”, and more recently “Kirikou et les Bêtes Sauvages” which has so far generated a box office of nearly 2 million.

Distribution

The Group distributes its own catalogue, as well as a small number of producers outside the Group. This activity entails exploiting the catalogue on all types of media worldwide: either in uncharted territory for new series from the production workshops or again, with old catalogue titles being re-issued by the same television channels or bought by its competitors. Television rights are assigned on paying or non-paying digital and analog hertzien channels, by cable or satellite, depending on the requirements of the different countries. Video and merchandising rights are assigned on their own medium, locally.

Having forged relations with hundreds of television channels and many video distributors all over the world, Carrere Group is now a key player in the distribution of audiovisual rights. The Group has managed to broaden its offering year on year. Starting initially with animation, then marketing its own drama productions, and now distributing productions of other producers and its own short format TV shows.

Catalogue distribution factors strongly in the Group’s net income, as the operating costs of selling licences on a medium and for a specific period are low and does not call for any local set-up. Distribution is done either through specialist fairs or by travelling directly to the purchasers.

Marketing

Advertising

Through its advertising and communication advice agency Dassas, the Group has many success stories to its credit, notably Lesieur olive oil, Ebly wheat, new Mars products, Azzaro and Mugler perfumes, Clarins cosmetics, Algoflash fertilisers, Mutuelle de Seine et Marne insurance, distribution of Primagaz gas, the Intermarché department store and Mattel toys. Dassas controls the international organisation of the campaigns in partnership with agencies in the ICOM network, the top independent international network, which the agency co-founded in 1988. ICOM, which is in place in 20 countries and present in 50 cities in America, posted a turnover of 2.4 billion dollars in 1999.

 Communication

Besides productions, Carrere Group has diversified into communication within its subsidiary Carrere Group Droits Audiovisuels. This activity entails organising press relations, public relations and marketing events. Carrere Communication’s main clients are: La Poste, La Croix Rouge, Laboratoires Lever Fabergé, L'Association pour le développement de la Philatélie (ADP), L'Association Dentaire Française (ADF), L'Union Française pour la Santé Bucco-dentaire (UFSBD), Laboratoires Danisco Sweeteners, Sunstar, etc.

 Merchandising

Carrere Group is one of Europe’s independent leaders in the subsidiary rights sector, which occupies a strategic position within the Group. Carrere Group sells character exploitation rights for use in textile goods, crockery, video, publication, perfumes, toys, etc. The Company manages the copyrights, in this capacity checking compliance with the graphic charters and the artistic features of the characters. Carrere Group exploits the subsidiary rights of famous series characters such as Zorro, Snoopy, Casimir and Sarah Kay. Carrere Group specialises in all audiovisual forms of programmes and in the integration of all aspects of subsidiary rights arising therefrom during their production. The various licences are incorporated from the outset, maximising the success of the programmes on the market. This leadership is a direct result of the Group’s strategic policy of development in a profitable activity.