Nickelodeon's "Yo Gabba Gabba!" Wins Over Kids, Parents

Sesame Street better watch out. There's a new kid on the block -- who makes Elmo look like a dinosaur.

Now in its second season, Nickelodeon's  children's show Yo Gabba Gabba! has won accolades and become an overnight sensation for children and adults alike. Mixing live-action segments hosted by DJ Lance Rock and a cast of puppets along with animated sketches and pop, hip-hop and rock dance sequences, the series plays frequent host to a cast of high-profile celebrities like Elijah Wood, Jack Black, Tony Hawk and The Roots among many others.

The crew of characters -- Muno (a red cyclops), Foofa (a pink flower bubble), Brobee (a hairy green monster), Toodee ( a blue cat-dragon) and Plex (a yellow robot) -- have not only won the hearts and minds of pre-schoolers and their "hip" parents but have made the brand a media darling. Touted by Slate as "the best preschool programming" on television, the show is poised for widespread appeal with its irreverent sketches, educational and family values messages, and captivating imagery.

The show is an off-air success too. The producers have taken the show on the road to Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and New York, with the usual cast of characters and special guests playing out to sold-out crowds. Of course, the show's DVDs do a brisk business.

While yet to permeate into pop culture like earlier Nickelodeon show like Dora The Explorer and Blue's Clues, the series already has a toehold on cultural ubiquity. The show recieved a boost this Halloween when Brad Pitt donned the very same bright orange jumpsuit and toboggan as DJ Lance Rock. And next Thursday, Yo Gabba Gabba! will make its way through Manhattan and countless homes on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Yo Gabba Gabba's! success demonstrates the need for brands to understand the evolving demands of their base, a constant in children's entertainment; opposed to building off of the success of established competitors.

Breaking the mold and "going crazy" have made Yo Gabba Gabba! a rising brand on the horizon.