Karen Idelson Cultural phenomena aren’t often yellow and seldom absorbent, and almost never live in a pineapple under the sea.
In those and many other ways, SpongeBob SquarePants is exceptional. Since the Nickelodeon animated series bearing his name launched 25 years ago, the cheerful icon has developed a reach as porous as he is.
SpongeBob memes are everywhere online. His face adorns countless items of apparel and collectibles. Holland even has a signature SpongeBob tulip.
Yet his popularity should come as no surprise: As one of the most widely distributed shows in the history of Paramount Intl., the show is seen in more than 180 markets and has been translated into over 30 languages, soaking up an excess of 100 million viewers — each quarter.
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