Master Toy Licensee for Lunar Jim
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. signed on Fisher-Price as the worldwidemaster toy licensee for its children's stop-motion animated property, LunarJim. Fisher-Price will develop, manufacture, and distribute toys includingaction figures, vehicles, and role-play items. Distribution of the toys willbegin Canada in fall 2006. Co-produced by The Halifax Film Company and AllianceAtlantis, Lunar Jim (26 x 30 minutes or 52 x 11 minutes) is set to debut inearly 2006 on the BBC and CBeebies in the UK; ZDF and Kika in Germany; ABC inAustralia; Discovery Communications in Pan Latin America; and CBC, SRC, and BBCKids in Canada.
Hasbro to Create Whac-A-Mole Games
Hasbro, Inc., secured the exclusive worldwide licensing rights from Bob's SpaceRacers, Inc., to create, manufacture, and market games based on Whac-A-Mole.The first game, to be marketed under the Milton Bradley brand, will be TVWhac-A-Mole, a plug 'n play experience, scheduled to hit retail stores thissummer. Like the arcade game, TV Whac-A-Mole players earn points forsuccessfully fending off moles with freezing water, messy pies, and theinfamous mallet.
Phoenix Footwear Acquires Paradise Shoe Co.
Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc., acquired the assets of the Paradise Shoe Company,LLC, effective immediately for an undisclosed amount. Paradise Shoe Co. is theexclusive licensee of the Tommy Bahama line of men's and women's footwear,hosiery, and belts. Concurrent with this transaction, Phoenix Footwear signedan exclusive license agreement with the Tommy Bahama Division of OxfordIndustries, Inc., owner of the Tommy Bahama brand, whereby Phoenix Footwearwill design, manufacture, and distribute the Tommy Bahama line of men's andwomen's footwear, hosiery, and belts and men's small leather goods andaccessories. Terms of the license agreement were not disclosed.
Loews Hotels and Fisher-Price in a Family Way
Loews Hotels and Fisher-Price, Inc., created Loews Loves Little Kids presentedby Fisher-Price. Beginning in November, all Loews Hotels will provide playclasses for babies and toddlers, arrival amenities, on-loan toys, and portablebaby gear for children ages 6 months to 36 months. In time for the holidayfamily travel season, the baby and toddler play classes will be available atthe Loews Coronado Bay Resort, CA; the Don CeSar Beach Resort, a Loews Hotel,St. Pete Beach, FL; the Portofino Bay Resort and the Royal Pacific Resort,Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando, FL; the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, FL; andLoews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, AZ.
Beach Goers Recruited for Tweety Squad
Tweety squad beach teams took to beaches in five markets across the countrylooking for 13- to 17-year-old girls interested in becoming fashion-forwardTweety trendsetters. The team recruited members by handing out premiums such ascompacts and umbrellas and inviting them to join the Tweety Squad. Interestedgirls were added to a team that will be part of an exclusive dialogue withWarner Bros. Consumer Products going forward in order to respond to thefast-changing needs of this customer segment. Members also will have exclusiveaccess to the tweetysquad.com Website, which offers free products, games,Tweety news, and more. The beach squad will capture the girls' informationelectronically through a PDA. Members who join will be entered into a drawingfor a $2,500 American Express gift card.
DC Comics Extends Custom Comic Program
DC Comics is teaming with Sports Illustrated For Kids and LEGO Systems tolaunch the next chapter in one of the comic book industry's longest running andmost successful custom comic programs. As part of the new deal, DC Comicscreated a series of Bionicle custom comics that will run in both S.I. For Kidsand the DC Comics kids' line, which includes The Batman Strikes, Teen TitansGo!, Justice League Unlimited, Scooby-Doo, and Looney Tunes. The program beginsin Scooby-Doo #99 (which went on sale August 10) and runs through the end ofthe year. To read the complete story, readers will need to read both S.I. ForKids and the DC Comics kids' line. Each DC comic will offer a tag promoting theprogram.
LeapFrog Talks Up New Product
LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. entered into an agreement to provide its educationalgame content to Enfora, a global leader in wireless solutions, for use in itsnew TicTalk parent-controlled educational cell phone for children. The dealincludes the integration of five LeapFrog learning games into the TicTalk cellphone (suggested retail, $99) covering core subject areas such as spelling,math, science, and social studies for first through sixth graders.
Thomas Kinkade Extends Vision to Beauty Products
The Thomas Kinkade Co. partnered with Youtopia Lifestyle Products on a range ofhealth and beauty products due on shelves in spring 2006. The line will includefine fragrances for the body and home, personal-care lotions and soaps,potpourri, and room sprays. Products will be available as single items and giftsets packaged with the vision of Thomas Kinkade's artwork.
VIZ Media to Release Kamikaze Girls
VIZ Media, LLC, is releasing Japanese film Kamikaze Girls in several majorNorth American cities beginning September 9 in New York at the Village EastCinemas, followed on September 16 at Landmark's NuArt Theater in Los Angeles.Additional bookings in Seattle, San Francisco, and other cities will follow.Kamikaze Girls stars two hot young J-Pop talents as a Lolita-type character(Kyoko Fukada) and a high school biker girl (Anna Tsuchiya), whose strongpersonalities initially clash but eventually bind them together. A translatednovel and manga graphic novel series arrive early 2006.
World Poker Tour Ups Two Execs
WPT Enterprises, Inc., owner of World Poker Tour, promoted Andrea Green to vicepresident, and Melissa Feldman to manager of global consumer products.Currently, the World Poker Tour has a full licensing program in the U.S. andCanada with new consumer product launches in Australia and Western Europe.
Agent Signed for Paddington
Copyrights Group signed on Stone America to represent Paddington and CountryDiary of an Edwardian Lady in North America. Paddington's licensing programwill focus on utilizing his appeal with the adult marketplace in creatingclassic Paddington apparel and apparel-related accessories. Country Diary willconcentrate on creating a quality home d
