LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. has teamed with Disney Publishing Worldwide to bring Disney character to its LeapPad Learning System. Children place the Disney books on the LeapPad player, pop in the cartridge and touch any page with the Magic Pen to have LeapFrog read the words. These books also work with the LeapPad Plus Writing Learning System and the Quantum Pad Learning System.
DIC Entertainment (DIC), Bandai America Inc. (Bandai) and ADV Films (ADV) navigating a course for the 2004 U.S. retail launch of the anime property, KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC, across all platforms with a comprehensive marketing and promotional campaign supporting the rollout.
Walt Disney Pictures and McDonald's have teamed up to bring THE HAUNTED MANSION movie to Happy Meals. Launching Nov. 26 and running until Dec. 18, Happy Meals will feature six different toys from the movie including Ramsley's Trunk, Zombie Surprise, Madame Leota, Singing Bust, Gracey's Camera and Mortifying Mirror.
Kellogg Company have partnered with Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Imagine Entertainment for the promotion of the family film, DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT, which opens in theaters Nov. 21, 2003. As part of the deal, Kelloggs will release for a limited time a CAT IN THE HAT cereal and Pop-Tart.
As part of its larger holiday season promotional push, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. will give one lucky consumer $1 million as part of its "PlayStation's Million Reasons to Play PlayStation 2 Combo Pack $1 Million Giveaway." Customers can enter by supplying the serial number from their new PlayStation 2 Combo Pack online at www.us.playstation.com by Jan. 16, 2004. A winner will be randomly chosen on Jan. 26, and presented with a check for a one-time payment of $1 million dollars by the beginning of March 2004.
Worldwide licensing agent, The Sharpe Co., has negotiated a number of licensing partners for DECODE Entertainments 3D animated pre-school show, THE SAVE-UMS!
New licensing and merchandising partners include Copyright Promotions Group in the U.K., France, Spain, Portugal, the Benelux territories and Italy; Licensing Works in Australia and Newman International in New Zealand. Plus Licens is a licensing partner for Scandinavia and Eastern Europe with the company also picking up merchandising rights for Scandinavia.
DIC Consumer Products has significantly expanded its licensing/merchandising programs across Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia, South Africa and the Middle East to gear up for the international launches of kids entertainment brands, including STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, MADELINE and SUPER DUPER SUMOS.
ADRtists will premiere PLAY IT AGAIN, MOM!, a CD collection of radio plays for children 4-8, at the October Women In Animation (WIA) L.A. General Meeting. Receiving volunteers from WIA writers and voice artists, the project was originally designed to create the CD for entertaining seriously ill and bedridden children. Some of the initial costs were covered by various individuals and the WIA Los Angeles Chapter. To cover the final cost of production and distribution, the CDs will be sold to the public.
Carlton International announced it would oversee the development of a range of licensed products to coincide with the recently announced remake of the popular 1960s Supermarionation show, CAPTAIN SCARLET. Licensing activity will focus around the revamped cast of characters and vehicles. The Carlton Consumer Division will be handling all video/DVD opportunities as well as a full cross-category range of merchandise led by an interactive deal to be commissioned by show creator Gerry Anderson.
4Kids Entertainment and Playmates Toys will be presenting the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Training Event on Saturday, October 25, 2003 at Wal-Mart stores across the U.S., giving kids the opportunity to role-play one of their favorite heroes. Kids will be able to train with motion-activated toys that resemble Leonardo's sword, Michelangelo's nunchaku, Donatello's bo staff or Raphael's sai. Upon completing their training, students will be declared an "official" Ninja Warrior and the first 250 participants at each store will receive a certificate proclaiming them a member of Team Green.
Mel Blanc, the master of multiple animated stars such as Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig is being honored, along with his son, in a limited-edition lithograph featuring Warner Bros. characters that Blanc helped make famous.
The poster-size "Passing the Baton: A Tribute to Mel and Noel Blanc" lithographs are numbered, signed and will be personalized by his son, Noel Blanc, who continues his fathers legacy. Produced by Warner Bros. for Great American Ink, the lithos cost $495 (www.cartoongallery.com).
Personal Products Co. and 4Kids Ent. have struck a licensing deal to bring the YU-GI-OH! characters to REACH brand toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products has awarded the Master Toy License for MUCHA LUCHA! to JAKKS Pacific Inc, which plans to develop products including action figures, play sets, role play and plush. JAKKS expects to present the initial line at the Fall Mass Market Expo in New York in October 2003, with shipping to begin spring 2004.
Kids' WB! has announced its support for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) VERB campaign, which encourages youth, ages 9-13, to get physically active. Kids' WB! will lend characters from its body-based TV series, OZZY & DRIX. The Warner Bros. Animation-produced series follows the adventures of white blood cell cop Ozzy and his partner, over-the-counter cold pill Drix, as they defend the City of Hector -- the body of a 13-year-old boy.
Characters from ShoPro Entertainment's series HAMTARO will be featured as Halloween toys at Burger King restaurants. The toys will be available in North America from Oct. 6 to Nov. 2, 2003. This promotion will coincide with a special Halloween episode of the series airing in the U.S. on Cartoon Network Oct. 21 at 8:00 pm and Oct. 30, 2003 at 8:30 pm.
Embassy Suites Hotels and Warner Home Video have announced a licensing promotion entitled, "Fall Family Suite Retreat," featuring a plush toy of Scooby-Doo. The promotional toy is available with advance reservations on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights now through December 7, 2003, at more than 165 participating hotels.
Japanese taxi company, Kanachu, has signed a three-year licensing deal with HELLO KITTY creator Sanrio to create KITTY-themed taxicabs, reported CNN. The pink and baby blue sedan with two HELLO KITTY characters emblazoned on the side, include HELLO KITTY blankets, play HELLO KITTY music as well as offer riders HELLO KITTY umbrellas, ponchos and tissues. The 10 specialty cabs began running in April 2003.
The cabs are meant to attract mothers and their kids, making a cab ride more fun for a child with the free giveaways.
Kids WB! has signed a deal with MilkMedia, the in-school milk carton side panel sponsorship program, to be the newest national childrens account for the fall 2003 season. Titled Toon In To Schools, Kids WB!s characters from ¡MUCHA LUCHA!, OZZY & DRIX and XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN will lend their likenesses to milk containers.
Toy Play LLC has signed a deal making it the master toy licensee for MR. BEAN. Created by comedian Rowan Atkinson, MR. BEAN, THE ANIMATED SERIES follows the day-to-day mishaps of the quiet and clumsy Mr. Bean. The toy line is set to hit the U.S. and Canada, beginning fall 2004. This announcement comes on the heals of The Sharpe Company being granted the merchandising rights for the MR. BEAN character throughout North America.
Disney Channel and McDonalds have agreed to bring characters from the animated TV series KIM POSSIBLE to the fast-food restaurants Happy Meals. Featuring action figures and spy accessories, the new Happy Meal toys will be available September 5, 2003 through October 2, 2003.
The Anime Network has announced a nationwide in-store signage promotion with Waldenbooks, America's largest mall based book retailer. Starting August 1, 2003, Waldenbooks will promote the Anime Network with signs placed in the manga section of its stores. The deal is an extension of the partnership between Waldenbooks and the networks parent company A. D. Vision, Inc., which brings home-entertainment anime products in Waldenbooks locations.
A.D. Vision Inc. has officially announced the founding of ADV Toys, the firm's new merchandise division. Word of the new arm was first hinted at Anime Expo 2003. The new division will create toys and collectible merchandise based upon the company's film, manga and original content properties.
On August 16, 2003, U.S. postmaster general John E. Potter unveiled a new commemorative postage stamp honoring music legend Henry Mancini at the 2003 Mancini Musicale at UCLA. Stamp artist Victor Stabin's painting shows Mancini conducting as the titles of some of his most popular film and television projects appear to scroll over a screen behind him. Mancini created the theme for the PINK PANTHER and the stamp features the animated visage of the title character. The stamp is scheduled to be issued April 13, 2004.
LevyMann Entertainment has entered into an agreement with Toys "R" Us to release its direct-to-video, animated musical pre-school series, ITTY BITTY HEARTBEATS. As part of the deal, Toys R Us will also carry a combo pack featuring a VHS of four eleven-minute episodes, a musical CD and two plush toys of the series' lead characters, CoolHeart and SweetHeart. All products will be exclusive to all Toys "R" Us stores beginning October 21, 2003, before launching wide 30 days later.
Marx Toys and Entertainment Corp. has received its first order of 10,000 units for its revolutionary TOYWARE line from Hanan Enterprise Sales Inc. TOYWARE Interactive technology allows action figures to move and speak using interactive commands received wirelessly from a computer. This includes text-to-speech applications for Instant Messages, using the company's first product -- "The IM Buddy."
