New Licensees on Board for The Office

SAN FRANCISCO: Joy Tashjian Marketing Group (JTMG) has closed deals with four new licensees for the Emmy Award-winning series The Office, which airs on NBC.

USAopoly is working with Hasbro on a special "Office/Clue" board game, slated to launch in retail stores in July. Innovative Design has renewed its contract to create stationery products around the series, while CSS Industries signed on to created boxed Valentines and journals. TLine Designs will produce T-shirts with specialty distribution.

From Deedle-Dee Productions, Reveille and Universal Media Studios, The Office is a documentary-style comedy. Based on the BBC hit, the series is a parody of modern office life and working a 9 to 5.

"I believe The Office product captures the humor, frustration and silliness of almost any office in America," said Joy Tashjian, the president of JTMG. "The tremendous popularity of the series has allowed us to leverage our relationships with licensees and fast track this property into retail with top-notch companies. These products are sure to meet the demands of the show’s loyal audience and everyday consumers alike."

"We are really excited to be able to add these great companies to our licensing program for the show," commented Kim Niemi, the senior VP of NBC Universal Television’s DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group. "The universal appeal and quirkiness of The Office create a multitude of possibilities for products that allow fans to take a little bit of the show’s humor home with them."

"One of the things that makes The Office so special is its unique voice within such a relatable environment, and we’re always looking for the right products to bring this POV to life beyond the TV screen," added Todd Cohen, the VP of scripted programming at Reveille. "These partners have captured the show in ways we know our fans will appreciate and love."