License! magazine

Issue #127: September 13, 2005

Welcome to License! magazine's weekly e-mail newsletter featuring the industry's latest headlines.

Sponsored by LINK

Wyatt to Head HIT Operations
Patricia Wyatt was named president of HIT North America. Wyatt's responsibilities include expanding the existing consumer products and home entertainment businesses for Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends, Barney, Pingu, and Angelina Ballerina, as well as launching new content.

Miller Takes Lead Licensing Role for Cartoon Network
Christina Miller was named vice president, U.S. consumer products, for Cartoon Network Enterprises. In her new position, Miller will oversee Cartoon Network Enterprises' licensing, retail, and product strategies; manage the U.S. consumer products team, including category managers and retail business development; and lead all consumer products licensing business.

Partnership Celebrates Youth Soccer Month
Pokémon and U.S. Youth Soccer joined forces on Pokémon U.S. Youth Soccer All-Stars, a scholarship contest to reward U.S. Youth Soccer players for their achievements on and off the field. Pokémon is the official youth entertainment sponsor for U.S. Youth Soccer for 2005. To enter, U.S. Youth Soccer members ages 18 and under must write a 150-word essay about times they have exhibited teamwork, sportsmanship, hard work, improved skills, and other positive values in their everyday lives. The scholarship program runs through October 31. Contest details and entry forms are available at http://www.pokemon.com/ and http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/.

Mary Engelbreit Taps United Media
United Media will be the agency of record for Mary Engelbreit Studios, effective immediately. United Media will begin to extend and expand the existing Mary Engelbreit licensing program in key areas including apparel, infant, home décor, gifts, and offerings related to the studio's children's book publishing program. Representation will include the U.S., as well as key countries such as Japan, Canada, and the UK.

Promotion Fetes Play-Doh's 50th Anniversary
Hasbro, Inc., kicks off its year-long celebration of Play-Doh's 50th anniversary this month with a national promotion with Chuck E. Cheese. When visiting any of the 493 locations throughout the U.S., kids will have a chance to win prizes instantly, including a first-place family vacation to Beaches Resort in Jamaica, courtesy of Beaches/Sandals Resorts. Other prizes include Play-Doh-themed birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese's, gift cards to http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/, Chuck E. Cheese's T-shirts, Play-Doh playsets, and Chuck E. Cheese's game tokens. More than 1.8 million specially marked Play-Doh 4-Pack compounds also will feature a Chuck E. Cheese's coupon offer good for 10 free game tokens with food purchase.

Live Show Embarks on 50-Plus City Tour
Following a two-month run at Dollywood's KidFest, Clifford The Big Red Dog LIVE! hits the road with a 50-plus city tour. The musical adventure, created by Turnstile Entertainment, raised its curtain in Williamsport, PA, September 9. Destinations include Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Camden, NJ; Denver, CO; Mesa, AZ; Washington, D.C.; Boston, MA; and Wallingford, CT.

iZ Readied for Worldwide Launch
Zizzle is busy supporting its new iZ product launch, signing an exclusive distribution deal with Sega Toys for the sale of iZ in Japan and Korea. Closer to home, the interactive music character will be unveiled this month at Toys "R" Us Times Square and will head to shelves at toy and mass merchandise stores internationally soon after. The 9-inch-tall, tri-legged character is a unique fusion of music and toy. Users can create their own music by pressing his belly to start a beat and then adding and changing rhythm and leads (melody) by turning his two ears. A flicker switch perched on his head tops off the play by adding sound effects. The iZ (cord included) also can be attached to an iPod or any music source with a standard headphone jack.

Little Einsteins to Air on Playhouse Disney
Disney's Little Einsteins, a new series for preschoolers, will premiere in a special prime-time presentation Sunday, October 9, on Disney Channel before airing the next day in its daily time slot during the Playhouse Disney programming block. Little Einsteins blends live-action images of nature, art, and landmarks with 2-D character animation.

Jelly Belly Sweet on Licensing Business
Jelly Belly Candy Co. will launch its first comprehensive licensing program in 2006 with the guidance of The Licensing Company. The strategic global initiative will translate the brand into a focused range of products including food and beverage and lifestyle categories such as stationery, home, and fashion.

Brand Central Supports Literary Title
Brand Central LLC was tapped as the worldwide licensing agency for new action-adventure franchise "Alex Rider: Stormbreaker" due in theaters summer 2006. Brand Central already has started signing on partners including master toy licensee Jazwares with action figures and role-play toys based upon the gadgets used by Alex Rider in the film. "Alex Rider: Stormbreaker" is the first book in the series by UK author Anthony Horowitz.

Canadian Audiences Tune into New Shows
VIZ Media brings two of its properties to Canadian audiences this month with the debut of Deko Boko Friends and Naruto. Treehouse will air 61 episodes of Deko Boko Friends, while Naruto will be introduced to 'tween and teen audiences September 16 on YTV.

Kelly Rowan's Licensing
Stone America Licensing, LLC, adds Kelly Rowan (best known as Kirsten Cohen on Fox's The O.C.) to its list of clients. Initially, Stone America will offer to both manufacturers and retailers the right to license apparel (casualwear, loungewear, eveningwear, business, jeans, etc.) and apparel accessories for distribution to mid- and upper-tier retailers. Additional categories to follow will include jewelry and health and beauty care.

Upcoming Industry Events

The L.A. Office RoadShow Hollywood, September 26-29, and RoadShow Europe, October 24-26, http://www.laoffice.com/roadshow
LINK New York, October 5-7, the Roosevelt Hotel, New York, ny.linkconference.com
Brand Licensing 2005, October 25-26, Earls Court, London, http://www.brandlicensingexpo.com/

Help Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Clothing, hygienic and baby-care products, toys, and school supplies are needed. Fashion Snoops, an online fashion trends analysis service for fashion and licensing professionals, has teamed up with the Big Buddy program of Baton Rouge, LA, (www.bigbuddyprogram.com) to provide these items to some 1,200 stranded kids in several Baton Rouge shelters and homes. Corporate sponsors for the truck shipments also are needed as the cost ranges from $2,500 to $4,000 per truck. Payments for the truck shipments can be done directly to the shipper; corporate FedEx accounts also can be used. Here's how you can help. Donated items can be shipped directly to the Big Buddy Program, 1415 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, Attn: Bethany A. King, Mentoring Director, Phone (225) 388-9737, Fax (225) 205-9291. FedEx, UPS and USPS are now delivering to the area. You also can send packages to Fashion Snoops, 60 W. 38th Street, 4th Floor East, New York, NY 10018. Please contact Fashion Snoops immediately at (212) 768-8804, or e-mail laura@fashionsnoops.com if you would like to contribute.


Submit Licenses Granted & Available Now Online
License!'s License! Finder allows you to submit licenses granted and available now online, which will be published on the License! Website (http://www.licensemag.com/) on a weekly basis once approved by an editor. Go to http://www.finder.licensemag.com/ to fill out the verification form and submit your licenses granted or available now. Highlights from each month's online submissions will be published in License! magazine. Any questions, contact Alyson Grala at (212) 951-6743 or via e-mail: mailto:agrala@advanstar.com.

For more information on licensing news and features, visit License! magazine's Website, http://www.licensemag.com.