Weekly E-news, Issue #76, September 14, 2004

Sponsored by:
Radio Disney Apparel Debuts at Kohl’s Radio Disney and Disney Consumer Products premiered the Radio Disney apparel line exclusively at Kohl’s Department Stores. The music-inspired line is designed for girls ages 7 to 16 and embraces the tagline, “My Music. My Look. My Way.” The apparel features a mix of black and indigo denim, novelty tops, and separates, all with accents such as satin ties, rhinestones, and lace trims. Special holiday and spring styles for the new line are planned for later this year and into next year. Target Customizes New Service Target Corp. is giving its online customers another reason to shop by adding a new e-retail store for customized clothing. “Target to a T” can be accessed at target.com/custom-order and allows customers to choose a specific size, fit, and color preference from Target brands including Mossimo, Merona, and Cherokee. Prices range from $34.99 for jeans and pants to $44.99 for shirts. Custom clothing is delivered within three to four weeks. Marks & Spencer Takes on Postman Pat Marks & Spencer has something to write home about after nabbing the exclusive on Postman Pat from Entertainment Rights. The retailer will support the property in 70 of its top stores leading up to holiday 2004. The program will include a range of nightwear, underwear, slippers, watches, and puzzles for children ages 3 to 6. “Postman Pat and his faithful companion, Jess the Cat, have a broad, mass appeal across the generations, and consequently, we feel they will be an enormous success in Marks & Spencer, proving to be an irresistible gift buy for parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings, and godparents alike,” says Anya Hollis, director of marketing and consumer products, Entertainment Rights. Rocawear Supports Batman Begins Batman soon will be hitting the streets as part of a deal between Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Comics, and Rocawear Clothing. The deal marks the first of its kind for Rocawear and will include styles inspired by logos and graphics from the Batman Begins film due summer 2005. The apparel line will roll out in three phases with collections “Urban Legends,” “Gotham City,” and “I Am” due in better department and specialty stores in May, June, and July 2005. Playboy Pets Playboy partnered with Chromebones on a collection of pet-care accessories. The line is a first for Playboy and will include collars, harnesses, leashes, bowls, and carriers, all sold individually and in sets. The Playboy Pet Accessories collection (suggested retails, $30 to $400) comprises three lines, two sold at Harrods and the other at Spencer Gifts. Atari Readies Vintage Games Atari, Inc., rounded up 85 vintage games for its Atari Anthology being offered for PS2 and Xbox for the first time. Atari Anthology includes an array of game categories, including Arcade Originals, 2600 Arcade Games, and 2600 Adventure Games, as well as offerings from the action, sports, mind, casino, racing, and space genres. The product hits shelves in November and retails for $19.99. The company also will begin shipping its Atari Flashback Classic Game Console (suggested retail, $44.95) in November, a new plug-and-play system with 20 classic games. In other news, Atari and Alliance Gaming Corp. entered into a licensing agreement to develop a series of slot machines based on classic titles from Atari’s library. Under terms of the deal, the slot machines will premiere at Bally’s at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas scheduled for October 5 to 7. The first out will be PONG, with others such as Asteroids, Centipede, and Breakout to follow. ShoPro Adds Sonic X Licensees ShoPro Entertainment is building the licensing program in North America for Sonic X, signing on Accessory Network, American Marketing Enterprises (AME), Franco Manufacturing, and Happy Kids. Accessory Network will create a line of backpacks, bags, hosiery, headwear, wristwatches, and stationery; AME will come to market with children’s sleepwear; Franco Manufacturing will market bedding, bath, and beach towels, while Happy Kids will produce coordinated sets, fashion knit/woven sets, and swimwear for children. Product is set to debut early spring 2005. Shell Games Ghost in the Shell comes out of its shell this fall with a movie sequel, TV series, graphic novel, and several DVDs. Go Fish Pictures, a division of DreamWorks Pictures, will release the sequel, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, in theaters September 17. Less than two weeks later, Manga Entertainment and Bandai Entertainment will release the second DVD volume with seven others due over the next year. Dark Horse Comics also will contribute with the October 6 release of the “Ghost in the Shell 2nd Edition” graphic novel. In November, anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex debuts on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and then on PlayStation 2. Finally, the original Ghost in the Shell movie will be available in December in a special edition DVD. Hi-5 Harmonies Kids from coast to coast are moving to the lyrics of Hi-5 with the group’s debut CD release from KOCH Records. “Jump and Jive With Hi-5” captures the sounds of the popular TV series with 10 upbeat songs, including the “Hi-5 Theme” and “Ready or Not,” as well as 17 “songlets” such as “Sailing Down the River” and “Pizza, Pizza, Pizza.” The CD also invites children to be part of the Hi-5 magic with nine fun-filled karaoke tracks, including “So Many Animals.” The enhanced CD includes bonus preview of MGM Kids’ all-new Hi-5 home video/DVD titles, excerpts from Discovery Kids’ Ready Set Learn! program, and special Internet links. Children also will be treated to a 24-page booklet featuring song lyrics and photos of Hi-5. KOCH Records is supporting the release with a multi-faceted national marketing campaign that includes a special give-away of 3-track Hi-5 CD samplers as a gift with purchase for the first wave of MGM Kids’ home video/DVDs, which were released earlier this month and distribution of Hi-5 stickers promoting the CD at the annual Toys “R” Us Holiday Parade in New York City and similar events across the country. Soderberg Promoted Yvonne Soderberg was promoted to executive director of marketing for Sony Pictures Consumer Products. In her new post, Soderberg will lead the marketing and product strategies for key properties such as Sony Pictures Animation’s first full-length CGI- animated feature film, Open Season; upcoming movies Memoirs of a Geisha and Stealth; and TV properties such as Astro Boy and Jackie Chan Adventures. She also will continue to act as liaison between the various Sony Pictures Consumer Products divisions. Link – Licensing International Networking Conference—November 2-4, 2004, Miami, FL Early-bird registration for Link ends September 17. Visit www.linkconference.com and click on “Register” to save $200 on the price of the conference. Link attendees include presidents, vice presidents, chief marketing officers, and directors of licensing from top retailers and major QSRs from both domestic and international markets. Our confirmed list of retailers so far includes the vice president and business team leader from Best Buy, the president of licensing for Claire’s Stores Inc., the general merchandise manager/vice president for Hot Topic, the senior manager of Mervyn’s, and the partner, business & licensing, for Target, among others. Where else can you network with key decision makers who can make a difference in the possibilities for your brand or property? Attending Link will not only give you the opportunity to get your “Master’s in licensing” via our executive-level education program, but also will provide you an opportunity to link up with retailers. In addition to our keynote addresses from Todd Kahn of Sean John and Marshal Cohen of The NPD Group, our program includes sessions entitled, “The Wonderful World of Wireless Licensing,” “Identifying New Business Opportunity with Licensing Candidates,” and our Latin American Licensing Agent Roundtable. To see the complete program, request a brochure, or register online, go to 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

Sponsored by:

Radio Disney Apparel Debuts at Kohl’s

Radio Disney and Disney Consumer Products premiered the Radio Disney apparel line exclusively at Kohl’s Department Stores. The music-inspired line is designed for girls ages 7 to 16 and embraces the tagline, “My Music. My Look. My Way.” The apparel features a mix of black and indigo denim, novelty tops, and separates, all with accents such as satin ties, rhinestones, and lace trims. Special holiday and spring styles for the new line are planned for later this year and into next year.

Target Customizes New Service

Target Corp. is giving its online customers another reason to shop by adding a new e-retail store for customized clothing. “Target to a T” can be accessed at target.com/custom-order and allows customers to choose a specific size, fit, and color preference from Target brands including Mossimo, Merona, and Cherokee. Prices range from $34.99 for jeans and pants to $44.99 for shirts. Custom clothing is delivered within three to four weeks.

Marks & Spencer Takes on Postman Pat

Marks & Spencer has something to write home about after nabbing the exclusive on Postman Pat from Entertainment Rights. The retailer will support the property in 70 of its top stores leading up to holiday 2004. The program will include a range of nightwear, underwear, slippers, watches, and puzzles for children ages 3 to 6. “Postman Pat and his faithful companion, Jess the Cat, have a broad, mass appeal across the generations, and consequently, we feel they will be an enormous success in Marks & Spencer, proving to be an irresistible gift buy for parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings, and godparents alike,” says Anya Hollis, director of marketing and consumer products, Entertainment Rights.

Rocawear Supports Batman Begins

Batman soon will be hitting the streets as part of a deal between Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Comics, and Rocawear Clothing. The deal marks the first of its kind for Rocawear and will include styles inspired by logos and graphics from the Batman Begins film due summer 2005. The apparel line will roll out in three phases with collections “Urban Legends,” “Gotham City,” and “I Am” due in better department and specialty stores in May, June, and July 2005.

Playboy Pets

Playboy partnered with Chromebones on a collection of pet-care accessories. The line is a first for Playboy and will include collars, harnesses, leashes, bowls, and carriers, all sold individually and in sets. The Playboy Pet Accessories collection (suggested retails, $30 to $400) comprises three lines, two sold at Harrods and the other at Spencer Gifts.

Atari Readies Vintage Games

Atari, Inc., rounded up 85 vintage games for its Atari Anthology being offered for PS2 and Xbox for the first time. Atari Anthology includes an array of game categories, including Arcade Originals, 2600 Arcade Games, and 2600 Adventure Games, as well as offerings from the action, sports, mind, casino, racing, and space genres. The product hits shelves in November and retails for $19.99. The company also will begin shipping its Atari Flashback Classic Game Console (suggested retail, $44.95) in November, a new plug-and-play system with 20 classic games. In other news, Atari and Alliance Gaming Corp. entered into a licensing agreement to develop a series of slot machines based on classic titles from Atari’s library. Under terms of the deal, the slot machines will premiere at Bally’s at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas scheduled for October 5 to 7. The first out will be PONG, with others such as Asteroids, Centipede, and Breakout to follow.

ShoPro Adds Sonic X Licensees

ShoPro Entertainment is building the licensing program in North America for Sonic X, signing on Accessory Network, American Marketing Enterprises (AME), Franco Manufacturing, and Happy Kids. Accessory Network will create a line of backpacks, bags, hosiery, headwear, wristwatches, and stationery; AME will come to market with children’s sleepwear; Franco Manufacturing will market bedding, bath, and beach towels, while Happy Kids will produce coordinated sets, fashion knit/woven sets, and swimwear for children. Product is set to debut early spring 2005.

Shell Games

Ghost in the Shell comes out of its shell this fall with a movie sequel, TV series, graphic novel, and several DVDs. Go Fish Pictures, a division of DreamWorks Pictures, will release the sequel, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, in theaters September 17. Less than two weeks later, Manga Entertainment and Bandai Entertainment will release the second DVD volume with seven others due over the next year. Dark Horse Comics also will contribute with the October 6 release of the “Ghost in the Shell 2nd Edition” graphic novel. In November, anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex debuts on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and then on PlayStation 2. Finally, the original Ghost in the Shell movie will be available in December in a special edition DVD.

Hi-5 Harmonies

Kids from coast to coast are moving to the lyrics of Hi-5 with the group’s debut CD release from KOCH Records. “Jump and Jive With Hi-5” captures the sounds of the popular TV series with 10 upbeat songs, including the “Hi-5 Theme” and “Ready or Not,” as well as 17 “songlets” such as “Sailing Down the River” and “Pizza, Pizza, Pizza.” The CD also invites children to be part of the Hi-5 magic with nine fun-filled karaoke tracks, including “So Many Animals.” The enhanced CD includes bonus preview of MGM Kids’ all-new Hi-5 home video/DVD titles, excerpts from Discovery Kids’ Ready Set Learn! program, and special Internet links. Children also will be treated to a 24-page booklet featuring song lyrics and photos of Hi-5. KOCH Records is supporting the release with a multi-faceted national marketing campaign that includes a special give-away of 3-track Hi-5 CD samplers as a gift with purchase for the first wave of MGM Kids’ home video/DVDs, which were released earlier this month and distribution of Hi-5 stickers promoting the CD at the annual Toys “R” Us Holiday Parade in New York City and similar events across the country.

Soderberg Promoted

Yvonne Soderberg was promoted to executive director of marketing for Sony Pictures Consumer Products. In her new post, Soderberg will lead the marketing and product strategies for key properties such as Sony Pictures Animation’s first full-length CGI- animated feature film, Open Season; upcoming movies Memoirs of a Geisha and Stealth; and TV properties such as Astro Boy and Jackie Chan Adventures. She also will continue to act as liaison between the various Sony Pictures Consumer Products divisions.

Link – Licensing International Networking Conference—November 2-4, 2004, Miami, FL

Early-bird registration for Link ends September 17. Visit

www.linkconference.com

and click on “Register” to save $200 on the price of the conference. Link attendees include presidents, vice presidents, chief marketing officers, and directors of licensing from top retailers and major QSRs from both domestic and international markets. Our confirmed list of retailers so far includes the vice president and business team leader from Best Buy, the president of licensing for Claire’s Stores Inc., the general merchandise manager/vice president for Hot Topic, the senior manager of Mervyn’s, and the partner, business & licensing, for Target, among others. Where else can you network with key decision makers who can make a difference in the possibilities for your brand or property? Attending Link will not only give you the opportunity to get your “Master’s in licensing” via our executive-level education program, but also will provide you an opportunity to link up with retailers. In addition to our keynote addresses from Todd Kahn of Sean John and Marshal Cohen of The NPD Group, our program includes sessions entitled, “The Wonderful World of Wireless Licensing,” “Identifying New Business Opportunity with Licensing Candidates,” and our Latin American Licensing Agent Roundtable. To see the complete program, request a brochure, or register online, go to

www.linkconference.com

For more licensing news and features, visit

www.licensemag.com

For more information on DIC Entertainment’s latest licensing efforts, visit