PorchLight Entertainment Bought by Beringea
PorchLight Entertainment was acquired by Beringea through Global Rights Fund II, a media, brand, and intellectual property rights fund. Leading the new company will be Bruce Johnson, president and CEO, and William Baumann, COO and CFO. Malcolm Moss, senior managing director of Beringea, will join the PorchLight board of directors. “Given the excellent growth prospects available in family entertainment, it’s very advantageous for our company to be associated with Beringea and Malcolm Moss,” says Baumann. “Their expertise and experience will be invaluable to PorchLight.”
Kraft Foods Partners with WHAM-O
Kraft Foods inked a licensing agreement with WHAM-O, Inc., for the WHAM-O Life Savers Gummies Flavor Factory. The product will feature the company’s five new flavors: Blackberry, Strawberry, Wild Cherry, Green Apple, and Watermelon. The product (suggested retail, $14.99) allows kids and adults to create Life Savers Gummies in 10 minutes using a kit that includes reusable molds, a funnel, three squeeze bottles, a candy server, flavor mixes, and a carrying case. The deal was secured and negotiated by Kraft’s licensing agency, IMC Licensing.
Creature Feature
Fans of Duel Masters will have a monster of a time checking out some of the first action figures landing on shelves from Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro. New is the 5-inch Figure Assortment (suggested retail, $7.99), with each figure’s power reflective of one of the five Duel Masters civilizations, and the Creatures Assortment (suggested retail, $11.99 to $12.99) featuring spinning propellers and a launching projectile. Also coming to market is the 18-inch Super Bolshack Dragon (suggested retail, $29.99) and the Kaijudo Master Flame Role-Play Hand (suggested retail, $19.99) complete with a built-in deck box for trading cards.
Soldier of Fortune Heading to Shelves
Copyright Licensing Associates will create a full line of Soldier of Fortune articulated action figures via a deal with Dusty Trail. As part of the deal, Dusty Trail will create 6-inch and 3 3/4-inch figures and accessories based on Soldier of Fortune and its heritage. Soldier of Fortune, a magazine created by Lt. Col. Robert K. Brown, USAR (Ret.), is now in its 29th year with circulation topping 750,000 a year.
Coleco Re-Emerges in Electronic Games
Techno Source inked a deal with River West Brands LLC for a line of electronic games, including TV Play Systems, under the trademarks Coleco, Coleco Head-To-Head, and Coleco Electronic Quarterback. The handheld games (suggested retails, $4.99 to $19.99) will come in single-player and two-player versions and ship early next year.
Making a Clean Sweep in Licensing
FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide is cleaning house, nabbing representation for home makeover TV show How Clean Is Your House? The licensing program is already underway with Slow Dazzle on board with a 2005 calendar complete with cleaning tips. Further merchandising will be developed across key categories including housewares, apparel, compilation music CDs, and disposable paper.
You’re Hired!
Brand Central LLC adds The Apprentice to its roster of entertainment properties and corporate brands. The agency recently signed a deal with Mark Burnett Productions to create a licensing program for the TV show that will range from lifestyle apparel and accessories (“The Apprentice Collection”) to office and business products, interactive games, toys, services, and more. The new season starts September 9 for 15 weeks (with a third season coming in January) and promises even more surprises, personality clashes, and boardroom drama.
New Name, Venue for TIA Outdoor Show
Toy Industry Association, Inc., renamed its outdoor category preview for mass merchandisers the American International Outdoor Fun Showcase (formerly the American International Outdoor Toy Show). The show, aimed at mass-market manufacturers of spring and summer merchandise, will be held in the new venue of Phoenix, AZ, May 17-18, 2005. Following the 2005 Outdoor Fun Showcase and held at the same venue will be ToyCon, TIA’s annual meeting and conference, for TIA member companies only. ToyCon dates for 2005 are May 20-22.
Executives Move Through the Ranks
Executives are on the move, with Marvel Enterprises promoting Ralph Lancellotti and
Joann McLaughlin to the newly created positions of co-chief operating officers for its Toy Biz division. DIC Entertainment named Janet Kirker vice president and executive producer of its Web community, www.trollz.com due to launch in first quarter 2005. Majesco appointed Carl Yankowski CEO and chairman.
Genius Products Appoints Four to Board
Genius Products, Inc., will add four industry veterans to its board of directors to help guide the company through its planned aggressive expansion strategy. Peter Schlessel, Charles Rivkin, Michael Koss, and Alexander L. Cappello will join the board of directors, replacing two members and bringing the total composition of the board to five members. Independent directors Schlessel, Rivkin, and Koss also will be appointed to the company’s audit committee.
Hollywood Goes to London
L.A. Office’s RoadShow Europe is the movie industry’s first-ever European marketing and promotional event to introduce Hollywood’s upcoming releases and future marketing opportunities intended for the European marketplace. Through on-screen multimedia property presentations by the major film studios, RoadShow Europe will bring the power of Hollywood to your brand. RoadShow Europe offers an all-day program to explore future marketing and product placement opportunities with marketing executives from Hollywood’s major studios.
RoadShow Hollywood: September 21-23, 2004, Hollywood, CA
RoadShow Europe: October 24-25, 2004, London, UK
(310) 275-2088; www.laoffice.com/license.asp
Link—Licensing International Networking Conference, November 2-4, 2004, Miami, FL
As a Link attendee, you’ll have an opportunity to network and initiate new licensing agreements with key licensing executives from our roster of sponsor companies—all leading players in the licensing arena. Link platinum sponsor Celador International specializes in the development, distribution, and licensing of some of the world’s most successful television and entertainment properties (www.celador.co.uk). Our silver sponsors are Disney Consumer Products (www.disneyconsumerproducts.com), Sesame Workshop (www.sesameworkshop.org), and Warner Bros. Consumer Products (www.warnerbros.com). Our supporting sponsors include Credit Suisse First Boston, NPD Group, and NOP World and publication sponsors Aftermarket Business, Hotel Motel Management, and Video Store magazine. Link welcomes executive-level licensees, licensors, retailers, licensing agents, manufacturers, advertising agencies, and the media from any industry that is involved in licensing or wants to expand its licensing business. Our complete conference program and speaker list is available on our Website. To receive your early-bird discount, register now and get linked! www.linkconference.com
For more licensing news and features, visit www.licensemag.com For more information on DIC Entertainment’s latest licensing efforts, visit www.dicentertainment.com
