CIC Video was a home video distributor, established in 1980, owned by Cinema International Corporation (the forerunner of United International Pictures), and operated in some countries (such as United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Japan, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, South Korea, Turkey, Argentina, Colombia, Philippines, Chile and Venezuela) by local operators. Outside North America, it distributed films by Universal Pictures (now owned by NBCUniversal/Comcast) and Paramount Pictures (now owned by Paramount Global, which is owned by National Amusements), CIC's partners. DreamWorks films were added to the company output in 1998, as the fledgling studio had a worldwide video distribution deal with Universal.
 | |
| Company type | Label |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Dissolved and renamed Paramount Home Entertainment (UK) Universal titles now going through Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd |
| Successors | Paramount Home Entertainment (UK) (1999–present) Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd (1999–present) |
| Products | Home video |
| Parent | Cinema International Corporation (1980–1981) United International Pictures (1981–1999) |
| Divisions | CIC-Taft Home Video |
History
editWhen the distributor appointed Karl Oliver from Brooke Bond Batchelors to be its sales and marketing director in 1991, they wanted him to introduce "classic FMCG disciplines" to its marketing campaign. Oliver responded by reducing video cassette prices to and promote impulse purchasing as part of CIC Video's reformed distribution strategy.[1] After the sudden death of CIC Video's president Roy Featherstone of an asthma attack on 17 July 1992 the distributor underwent restructuring with aid from senior Universal and Paramount employees.[2] In 1994, Viacom purchased Paramount Pictures, enabling CIC Video to gain international distribution rights to shows from, among other networks, MTV and Nickelodeon, which came into effect in Australia in 1995 and the UK and other countries in early 1996.
In 1999, CIC Video was dissolved when Universal pulled out in favour of its then-newly purchased PolyGram Filmed Entertainment's video division (PolyGram Video) which was then promptly renamed Universal Pictures UK Ltd. Paramount would retain CIC Video, which was then renamed Paramount Home Entertainment UK.[3] The last videos with the CIC label were released in the same year. Meanwhile, the distributor signed sales and distribution contracts with local market producers in Europe to increase profit and the brand name of CIC Video remained in the short term in markets where Paramount Home Entertainment were absent.[4]
CIC Video was operated in Australia (where it was known as CIC-Taft Home Video) by the Taft-Hardie joint venture (now Southern Star Group), and also distributed some Southern Star and Hanna-Barbera product under other labels. The Hanna-Barbera library is now handled usually by Warner Home Video. The label's defunct subsidiary was a distributor called Rigby-CIC Video and CIC-Taft's label manufacturer was Roadshow Home Video.
CIC Video was operated in Sweden by Esselte Video.
References
edit- ^ Toor, Mat (18 November 1993). "Head marketer quits CIC Video". Marketing: 6. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via General OneFile.
- ^ Clark-Meads, Jeff (1 August 1992). "CIC Video refocuses after Chief's death". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 31. p. 103. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Paramount to retain CIC Video operations". Screen Digest. 1 March 1999. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ Groves, Don (24 January 2000). "CIC Video builds new identity after split". Variety. Vol. 377, no. 10. p. 24. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via General OneFile.