Weekly E-news, Issue #79, October 5, 2004

Sponsored by:
Cartoon Network Expands Its World Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Consumer Products are launching the first Cartoon Network-dedicated family entertainment center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this month. Cartoon Network World is located in the Alto Palermo Shopping Center and will be managed by Isla de la Fantasía, which specializes in developing family entertainment centers. Here, kids can walk on the streets of The Powerpuff Girls’ Townsville, explore the Codename: Kids Next Door Tree House, roam through Scooby-Doo’s haunted house, or drive The Flintstones’ car. The new interactive world also will provide visitors with photo opportunities with Cartoon Network characters, licensed merchandise, a themed snack bar, and a special area for birthday parties. The Skinny on Fat Albert Entertainment Rights appointed UrbanWorks Entertainment LLC, part of Ventura Entertainment Enterprises, its home entertainment partner in North America and Mexico for Fat Albert and the Cosby kids. The deal marks the first time Fat Albert will be available on DVD with the debut planned for December. The first releases will coincide with Twentieth Century Fox’s first live-action movie due this Christmas. Lisa Marks and Associates also is working on a consumer products program in North America, and the return of the animated series is in discussion. K2LP Sports New Marvel License K2 Licensing & Promotions inked a multi-year deal with Marvel Enterprises for an assortment of sports balls, floatation devices, and children’s fishing sets featuring properties including Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Captain America, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Namor, Ghost Rider, and Daredevil Classic, as well as Marvel’s preschool line, Spider-Man and Friends. Bushnell Brand Extended to Outerwear Boston Harbour LLC will develop a collection of Bushnell outerwear as part of a deal with Bushnell Performance Optics. The Bushnell Outerwear collection will target outdoor specialty stores, sporting goods stores, and specialty and department stores with in-store presence planned for fall 2005. MODA International Marketing is the licensing agency for Bushnell Performance Optics. 4Kids Entertainment Launches New Pokémon Episodes 4Kids Entertainment, Inc., is launching 52 all-new Pokémon episodes under the Pokémon: Advanced Challenge banner. The episodes will showcase new Pokémon characters, as well as favorites featured in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games. The show is set to launch on RTL 2 (Germany), Sky One (UK), Media Set (Italy), RTE (Ireland), SIC (Portugal), Star Channel (Greece), YTV (Canada), Televisa (Mexico), and Cartoon Network (Latin America). Avirex Beefs Up Marc Ecko Program Avirex Ltd. signed an exclusive licensing deal with Marc Ecko Enterprises to create a collection of young men’s and junior sportswear and textile outerwear for the U.S. and Canada. The new lines will feature fashion denim, Ts, knits, and textile outerwear and be on shelf at department and specialty stores in spring 2005. Casa d’Oro to Create Prayeries Line SBSG Enterprises LLC inked a licensing agreement with Casa d’Oro for a line of modular charm bracelets and charm links based on Prayeries. Prayeries are fun little angels who inspire, delight, and comfort. Scary Stories Attracts Licensees Scary Stories, Inc., has begun to attract licensees for Naughty Naughty Pets, its line of quirky plush toys. On board are Ripple Junction, Berkshire, and Logotel with products due in stores this fall. The deals were negotiated through The Sharpe Company, the worldwide licensing agent for the property. CI Technology Group Makes Acquisition CI Technology Group acquired the promotional merchandise management division of The Beanstalk Group. With the acquisition, the company was renamed Evigna and will be led by company veteran Steve Lemberg, now CEO. Shan Mehta, principal of CITG, becomes Evigna’s president and co-chairman, and Jeff Beckett, another investor, also becomes co-chairman. Rising Through the Ranks Dan Spinazzola was appointed senior vice president of sales at Takara-USA. Over at Miken, Sarah Yang was appointed merchandiser as the company prepares to broaden its target demographic by diversifying designs to far exceed the brand’s initial “surf ’n turf” standards. National Geographic appointed Shruti Gandhi to the newly created position of director of marketing and creative for the licensing division and Markus Hutnak director of licensing, apparel, and outdoor equipment. RoadShow Europe, October 24-25, Empire Cinema—Leicester Square, London The 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 market. 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 a unique, all-day program to explore future marketing and product placement opportunities with top marketing executives from Hollywood’s major studios. RoadShow is where brands and entertainment connect! Call (310) 275-2088 or visit www.laoffice.com for more information. LINK—Licensing International Networking Conference, November 2-4, Miami, FL David Diesendruck from Redibra will speak on “Licensing in Brazil—a 360-Degree Perspective.” He will discuss the overall economic climate in Brazil and give an overview of all major licensing categories from a Brazilian perspective. This is in addition to a full roster of speakers, which can be viewed at www.linkconference.com Attendees of this executive-level educational and networking event presented by License! include: Best Buy, FAB/Starpoint, General Motors, Hot Topic, Joester Loria Group, Mervyn’s, and Target Stores. A full list is available on our Website. LINK takes place at the Doral Golf & Spa Resort in Miami from November 2-4, 2004. WHERE WILL YOU BE? Register at www.linkconference.com For more licensing news and features, visit www.licensemag.com For more information on Action Performance Companies’ latest licensing efforts, visit www.action-performance.com

Sponsored by:

Cartoon Network Expands Its World

Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Consumer Products are launching the first Cartoon Network-dedicated family entertainment center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this month. Cartoon Network World is located in the Alto Palermo Shopping Center and will be managed by Isla de la Fantasía, which specializes in developing family entertainment centers. Here, kids can walk on the streets of The Powerpuff Girls’ Townsville, explore the Codename: Kids Next Door Tree House, roam through Scooby-Doo’s haunted house, or drive The Flintstones’ car. The new interactive world also will provide visitors with photo opportunities with Cartoon Network characters, licensed merchandise, a themed snack bar, and a special area for birthday parties.

The Skinny on Fat Albert

Entertainment Rights appointed UrbanWorks Entertainment LLC, part of Ventura Entertainment Enterprises, its home entertainment partner in North America and Mexico for Fat Albert and the Cosby kids. The deal marks the first time Fat Albert will be available on DVD with the debut planned for December. The first releases will coincide with Twentieth Century Fox’s first live-action movie due this Christmas. Lisa Marks and Associates also is working on a consumer products program in North America, and the return of the animated series is in discussion.

K2LP Sports New Marvel License

K2 Licensing & Promotions inked a multi-year deal with Marvel Enterprises for an assortment of sports balls, floatation devices, and children’s fishing sets featuring properties including Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Captain America, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Namor, Ghost Rider, and Daredevil Classic, as well as Marvel’s preschool line, Spider-Man and Friends.

Bushnell Brand Extended to Outerwear

Boston Harbour LLC will develop a collection of Bushnell outerwear as part of a deal with Bushnell Performance Optics. The Bushnell Outerwear collection will target outdoor specialty stores, sporting goods stores, and specialty and department stores with in-store presence planned for fall 2005. MODA International Marketing is the licensing agency for Bushnell Performance Optics.

4Kids Entertainment Launches New Pokémon Episodes

4Kids Entertainment, Inc., is launching 52 all-new Pokémon episodes under the Pokémon: Advanced Challenge banner. The episodes will showcase new Pokémon characters, as well as favorites featured in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games. The show is set to launch on RTL 2 (Germany), Sky One (UK), Media Set (Italy), RTE (Ireland), SIC (Portugal), Star Channel (Greece), YTV (Canada), Televisa (Mexico), and Cartoon Network (Latin America).

Avirex Beefs Up Marc Ecko Program

Avirex Ltd. signed an exclusive licensing deal with Marc Ecko Enterprises to create a collection of young men’s and junior sportswear and textile outerwear for the U.S. and Canada. The new lines will feature fashion denim, Ts, knits, and textile outerwear and be on shelf at department and specialty stores in spring 2005.

Casa d’Oro to Create Prayeries Line

SBSG Enterprises LLC inked a licensing agreement with Casa d’Oro for a line of modular charm bracelets and charm links based on Prayeries. Prayeries are fun little angels who inspire, delight, and comfort.

Scary Stories Attracts Licensees

Scary Stories, Inc., has begun to attract licensees for Naughty Naughty Pets, its line of quirky plush toys. On board are Ripple Junction, Berkshire, and Logotel with products due in stores this fall. The deals were negotiated through The Sharpe Company, the worldwide licensing agent for the property.

CI Technology Group Makes Acquisition

CI Technology Group acquired the promotional merchandise management division of The Beanstalk Group. With the acquisition, the company was renamed Evigna and will be led by company veteran Steve Lemberg, now CEO. Shan Mehta, principal of CITG, becomes Evigna’s president and co-chairman, and Jeff Beckett, another investor, also becomes co-chairman.

Rising Through the Ranks

Dan Spinazzola was appointed senior vice president of sales at Takara-USA. Over at Miken, Sarah Yang was appointed merchandiser as the company prepares to broaden its target demographic by diversifying designs to far exceed the brand’s initial “surf ’n turf” standards. National Geographic appointed Shruti Gandhi to the newly created position of director of marketing and creative for the licensing division and Markus Hutnak director of licensing, apparel, and outdoor equipment.

RoadShow Europe, October 24-25, Empire Cinema—Leicester Square, London

The 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 market. 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 a unique, all-day program to explore future marketing and product placement opportunities with top marketing executives from Hollywood’s major studios. RoadShow is where brands and entertainment connect! Call (310) 275-2088 or visit

www.laoffice.com

for more information.

LINK—Licensing International Networking Conference, November 2-4, Miami, FL

David Diesendruck from Redibra will speak on “Licensing in Brazil—a 360-Degree Perspective.” He will discuss the overall economic climate in Brazil and give an overview of all major licensing categories from a Brazilian perspective. This is in addition to a full roster of speakers, which can be viewed at

www.linkconference.com

Attendees of this executive-level educational and networking event presented by License! include: Best Buy, FAB/Starpoint, General Motors, Hot Topic, Joester Loria Group, Mervyn’s, and Target Stores. A full list is available on our Website. LINK takes place at the Doral Golf & Spa Resort in Miami from November 2-4, 2004. WHERE WILL YOU BE? Register at

www.linkconference.com

For more licensing news and features, visit

www.licensemag.com

For more information on Action Performance Companies’ latest licensing efforts, visit