SA agency Stimulii has become the first local company to sell a reality TV format into the key American market. Ben Silverman, an executive producer of such hit shows as Ugly Betty, The Office and The Biggest Loser, bought the rights to their reality TV format Thumb Wars.
 
Thumb Wars was broadcast during prime time on SABC 2 last year as an advertiser  funded programme in conjunction with Vodacom and Samsung Mobile. Silverman, who is also a former chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, acquired the rights at MIPTV, the television market held in Cannes recently. The US version of Thumb Wars will be co-produced by Silverman’s new company Electus and Engine Entertainment.
 
Besides the newly announced US connection, a further 20 international territories have shown interest in Thumb Wars with some looking to purchase the existing ten South African episodes.
 
“Thumb Wars was born as a solution to a problem. Vodacom was looking for a product placement platform to showcase their technologies, and since none existed that could fully integrate the cellular technology, we created a format that could,” said Samantha Moon, director of Stimulii.