AG Expands Care Bears Reach Internationally

NEW YORK/CANNES, October
8: American Greetings Properties (AGP) has notched up new licensing deals on
its Care Bears property in Japan and Australia as it strengthens its focus on
nurturing existing characters as well as developing new entertainment brands.

AGP, the intellectual
property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, has
closed a deal for MindWorks Entertainment to become the exclusive Japanese
licensing agent for the Care Bears, marking the first time the 25-year-old
brand has been officially licensed in that market. The property will launch at
retailers with high-end collectibles, fashion apparel and accessories,
stationery and customized mobile content, with a target audience of boys and
girls ages 3-6. Upon entrance into Japan at the end of 2007, official Care
Bears licensed goods will be sold in key retailers such as Village Vanguard,
Sony Plaza, Kiddyland, and other venues that sell licensed character
merchandise.

In Australia, new
licensing agent Wild Pumpkin is working with Hardy Marketing Solutions for a
campaign to celebrate Care Bears’ 25th anniversary. The Care Bears’
CGI feature film Oopsy Does It
will make its Australian debut in November, with a significant promotional push
by the kids’ charity Starlight Foundation. Additionally, every major Australian
retailer is participating in some way with the Care Bears 25th
anniversary. Myer’s will have a Care Bears destination shop in the flagship
Melbourne store. At K-Mart, purchasers of Care Bears product will receive a 25th
Anniversary Activity Pack, including a coloring book, growth chart, stickers,
poster and pencils. The Coles retail group (Myer and Target stores) will
feature an exclusive range of Care Bears beanies in the birthday month of
November. Target will feature Care Bears in-store character appearances and
point-of-sale distribution and Toys “R” Us will include Care Bears point of
sale and character appearances at various new store openings. In addition to
Hardy Marketing and Wild Pumpkin, AGP continues its partnerships with
Australian DVD partner Magna Pacific and master toy partner Funtastic.

“We’ve successfully
licensed and marketed this brand in more than 70 international territories,
with retail sales topping $2 billion worldwide over the past 25 years,” said
Donna Bruschi, the director of international licensing at AGP. “Now with the
Care Bears official entrance into Japan and fortified presence in Australia,
this brand can truly be called a worldwide sensation.”

The Care Bears is among
AGP’s “heritage” brands alongside Strawberry Shortcake and Holly Hobbie &
Friends. Its new properties include Twisted Whiskers, Maryoku Yummy, Sushi Pack
and Tinpo, all of which are being featured at MIPCOM this week. Josef Mandelbaum, the president and CEO of American
Greetings Intellectual Properties, notes: “We are equally excited about our
continued focus on our heritage brands, plus the foray into diverse new brands
that capture the imagination. New brands like Twisted Whiskers, Maryoku Yummy,
Sushi Pack, and Tinpo will reach different demographics and the accompanying
licensing and merchandising programs will run the gamut from preschool
toy-based properties to adult lifestyle and collectible programs.”

Titles on offer at the
market include the new series Care Bears Adventures in Care-a-Lot as well as the Care Bears Classic Series and Holly Hobbie & Friends: Christmas Wishes, following the adventures of the 10-year-old
great-granddaughter of the classic Holly Hobbie and targeting girls aged 4 to
9. Four DVDs are currently available and two 44-minute specials are currently
in development. For Twisted Whiskers, which began as a greeting card brand, there are 9×30-second CGI
shorts available for mobile or online platforms, plus 26 30-minute episodes
currently in development. Maryoku Yummy is about the magical world of wishes and targets boys and girls aged
2 to 5. There are 52 11-minute episodes in development via a co-production
deal. Sushi Pack will debut
this November on the Saturday morning kids’ block on CBS. Targeting boys and
girls aged 4 to 7 there are 52 11-minute episodes available for an
international audience. And Tinpo
is a series of 30-second shorts that encourages teamwork and creative
solutions.