Type of Market
Public Schools (K-12). The Magic School Bus has been around for some time now and has been utilized by many educators teaching students ages 3-10 (Scholastic, 2014).
Who is the Buyer?
The buyers of The Magic School Bus products are “Typical of K-12.” Educators and even parents purchase the products, making the “learning bought for learner.” At Scholastic Book Fairs or book orders, students may wish to purchase The Magic School Bus products on their own (“learner buys personally”). The products can also be purchased by a school or school district, making it available to all students in that area (“learning bought centrally”).
Product Set
The Magic School Bus started off as a series of children’s books about science in 1985, written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen (Wikipedia, 2014). In 1994, the television series began with the addition of video games (Wikipedia, 2014).
To date, The Magic School Bus product set includes:
-Books (picture books and novels)
-Videos, available on DVD and Netflix
-Mobile Applications
-Video games for PC and for Nintendo DS
-Science kits and games
-The Travelling Magic School Bus, a bus with hands-on exhibits
Global Target
The Magic School Bus is the "longest-running kids' science series in history" ... "airing for 18 consecutive years seen in more than 39 countries" (Newswire, 2014, para. 7). "Scholastic has operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India, China, Singapore and other parts of Asia, and, through its export business, sells products in approximately 140 countries" (Scholastic, 2013, Part 1, para. 1). Furthermore, the rights are licensed on selected Scholastic titles in over 45 languages to publishing companies around the world (Scholastic, 2013). The Magic School Bus is available in nine different languages and has over 85 million books in print worldwide (Newswire, 2014).
Differentiation
The Magic School Bus is a unique series with educational and engaging content, a difficult combination to find on the market. The alternatives to The Magic School Bus include children cartoons and video games, which may or may not be educational.
Competition
There is not a whole lot of competition with The Magic School Bus, a science-based television show for children. The competition that comes remotely close in this genre are Sid the Science Kid and the 90s television series, Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Sid the Science Kid “focuses on a single scientific concept that is presented using Preschool Pathways to Science (PrePS©), a practical science readiness curriculum used in preschool classrooms that was created by cognitive researchers and preschool educators, incorporating lessons learned from developmental research as well as classroom experience” (PBS, 2014, para.1). This is very different than The Magic School Bus, which focuses on a variety of science topics whereas Sid the Science Kid explicitly caters to the preschool age group. Similarly, Bill Nye the Science Guy “aims to teach a specific topic in a natural science to a preteen audience” (Wikipedia, 2014, para. 2).
The Magic School Bus is the only scientific television and book series that caters to children ages 3-10 (Scholastic, 2014). Thus, no strong competition exists with The Magic School Bus.
Championship
Scholastic is a large company that has the necessary capital and resources to fund The Magic School Bus. Deborah Forte, Scholastic Media’s award-winning Executive Vice President and President, has experience producing “more than 300 television productions, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Goosebumps, I SPY, The Magic School Bus, Maya & Miguel and WordGirl” (Scholastic, 2014, para. 6).
Awards
The Magic School Bus has received more than 100 awards, including a Daytime Emmy and Parents' Choice Gold Medal for Excellence in Children's Programming (Newswire, 2014; Scholastic, 2014).
Public Schools (K-12). The Magic School Bus has been around for some time now and has been utilized by many educators teaching students ages 3-10 (Scholastic, 2014).
Who is the Buyer?
The buyers of The Magic School Bus products are “Typical of K-12.” Educators and even parents purchase the products, making the “learning bought for learner.” At Scholastic Book Fairs or book orders, students may wish to purchase The Magic School Bus products on their own (“learner buys personally”). The products can also be purchased by a school or school district, making it available to all students in that area (“learning bought centrally”).
Product Set
The Magic School Bus started off as a series of children’s books about science in 1985, written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen (Wikipedia, 2014). In 1994, the television series began with the addition of video games (Wikipedia, 2014).
To date, The Magic School Bus product set includes:
-Books (picture books and novels)
-Videos, available on DVD and Netflix
-Mobile Applications
-Video games for PC and for Nintendo DS
-Science kits and games
-The Travelling Magic School Bus, a bus with hands-on exhibits
Global Target
The Magic School Bus is the "longest-running kids' science series in history" ... "airing for 18 consecutive years seen in more than 39 countries" (Newswire, 2014, para. 7). "Scholastic has operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India, China, Singapore and other parts of Asia, and, through its export business, sells products in approximately 140 countries" (Scholastic, 2013, Part 1, para. 1). Furthermore, the rights are licensed on selected Scholastic titles in over 45 languages to publishing companies around the world (Scholastic, 2013). The Magic School Bus is available in nine different languages and has over 85 million books in print worldwide (Newswire, 2014).
Differentiation
The Magic School Bus is a unique series with educational and engaging content, a difficult combination to find on the market. The alternatives to The Magic School Bus include children cartoons and video games, which may or may not be educational.
Competition
There is not a whole lot of competition with The Magic School Bus, a science-based television show for children. The competition that comes remotely close in this genre are Sid the Science Kid and the 90s television series, Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Sid the Science Kid “focuses on a single scientific concept that is presented using Preschool Pathways to Science (PrePS©), a practical science readiness curriculum used in preschool classrooms that was created by cognitive researchers and preschool educators, incorporating lessons learned from developmental research as well as classroom experience” (PBS, 2014, para.1). This is very different than The Magic School Bus, which focuses on a variety of science topics whereas Sid the Science Kid explicitly caters to the preschool age group. Similarly, Bill Nye the Science Guy “aims to teach a specific topic in a natural science to a preteen audience” (Wikipedia, 2014, para. 2).
The Magic School Bus is the only scientific television and book series that caters to children ages 3-10 (Scholastic, 2014). Thus, no strong competition exists with The Magic School Bus.
Championship
Scholastic is a large company that has the necessary capital and resources to fund The Magic School Bus. Deborah Forte, Scholastic Media’s award-winning Executive Vice President and President, has experience producing “more than 300 television productions, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Goosebumps, I SPY, The Magic School Bus, Maya & Miguel and WordGirl” (Scholastic, 2014, para. 6).
Awards
The Magic School Bus has received more than 100 awards, including a Daytime Emmy and Parents' Choice Gold Medal for Excellence in Children's Programming (Newswire, 2014; Scholastic, 2014).
References
Newswire, PR (2014, June 11). Scholastic Media’s The Magic School Bus Continues Legacy with The Magic School Bus 360 degrees, a new Netflix original series for kids. Retrieved from http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/scholastic-medias-the-magic-school-bus-continues-legacy-with-the-magic-school-bus-360-degrees-a-ne-20140611-00109
PBS (2014). Sid the Science Kid. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/sid/
Robinson, Clyde (Photographer). (2006). The Magic School Bus [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://flic.kr/p/scCrK
Scholastic (2014). About Scholastic. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/seniormanagement.htm
Scholastic (2014). Award Highlights. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/awards/
Scholastic (2014). FAQS. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/parentteacher/faq.htm
Wikipedia (2014, June 20). Bill Nye the Science Guy. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nye_the_Science_Guy
Wikipedia (2014, June 18). The Magic School Bus. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus
Wikipedia (2014, June 18). The Magic School Bus (TV Series). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_(TV_series)
Newswire, PR (2014, June 11). Scholastic Media’s The Magic School Bus Continues Legacy with The Magic School Bus 360 degrees, a new Netflix original series for kids. Retrieved from http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/scholastic-medias-the-magic-school-bus-continues-legacy-with-the-magic-school-bus-360-degrees-a-ne-20140611-00109
PBS (2014). Sid the Science Kid. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/sid/
Robinson, Clyde (Photographer). (2006). The Magic School Bus [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://flic.kr/p/scCrK
Scholastic (2014). About Scholastic. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/seniormanagement.htm
Scholastic (2014). Award Highlights. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/awards/
Scholastic (2014). FAQS. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/parentteacher/faq.htm
Wikipedia (2014, June 20). Bill Nye the Science Guy. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nye_the_Science_Guy
Wikipedia (2014, June 18). The Magic School Bus. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus
Wikipedia (2014, June 18). The Magic School Bus (TV Series). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_(TV_series)