Mainframe Entertainment has announced its expansion into the consumer products area with a new strategic alliance with licensing and merchandising veteran Joy Tashjian. Previously with American Champion Marketing Group, Tashjian launched successful consumer product campaigns for many ABC Saturday morning television series. With American Champion shifting its focus away from the traditional entertainment business, Tashjian has formed her own agency, Joy Tashjian Marketing Group, with many of the staff from American Champion. Dan DiDio, senior vice president, creative affairs at Mainframe, said, "As Mainframe moves from being a work-for-hire studio to owning its own original properties, it is essential for us to leverage that ownership by also launching this effort with Joy Tashjian. Joy is one of the leading licensing experts in the field today and has tremendous relationships with retailers and manufacturers around the world. Her relationships and level of expertise provides us with numerous advantages in devising an effective licensing campaign, as well as in conceiving a vast array of products that suit our properties and also attract today's consumers." DiDio continued, "We are also thrilled to be first-time exhibitors with our own booth at this year's Licensing Show, which should validate our commitment to this new arena while also providing us with an opportunity to introduce our characters and properties to the Licensing community in a very efficient and effective environment." Tashjian added, "Mainframe is to computer generated animation what Jim Henson's Creature Shop is to puppetry and is fast becoming a major player in creating quality animation and family oriented programs. Now, with our help, the company will also be able to support its characters and properties with effective licensing and merchandising campaigns, augmenting its growth and importance in the global marketplace." Tashjian will continue to develop new campaigns for REBOOT, which is getting 8 new episodes for Cartoon Network and YTV, as well as other new properties such as WHITEBLACK THE PENGUIN, DOTS BOTS, SCARY GODMOTHER, GATECRASHER, BATTLE SNAKES, THE WUBBIES and SURF N TURF.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
