DIC Names CEE Licensing Agent for Strawberry Shortcake

BURBANK, May 5: DIC
Entertainment has appointed Plus Licens as the merchandising and publishing
agent for Strawberry Shortcake in
Central and Eastern Europe.

Plus Licens will develop
and implement a comprehensive merchandising and publishing campaign across the
region for the property, known in Central and Eastern European territories as Zemlyanichnoe, Pechenie, Truskaweczka and Eperke.
The property currently has more than 300 licensees worldwide, and DIC and
American Greetings Properties will continue to work with partners to build the Strawberry
Shortcake franchise with new brand
themes—dance, western, music, fairytale and Hollywood
glamour—content, categories and distribution channels in development
through 2010.

"Strawberry
Shortcake represents a valuable
strengthening of our Eastern European portfolio," said Peder Tamm, the
president of Plus Licens. "The classic Strawberry Shortcake franchise was one of the biggest licensing
innovations of its time, and the power of the relaunched brand combined with
Plus Licens' fashion design experience and market position in Eastern Europe
should provide the base for a brightening long-term future for Strawberry
Shortcake in these
territories."

“Strawberry Shortcake continues to do phenomenally well throughout
Europe and the world, and we are thrilled to have Plus Licens onboard to
develop and aggressively drive the merchandising and publishing program
throughout the territory,” commented Leslie Nelson, the senior VP and managing
director for EMEA at DIC. “We look forward to continuing to create fresh and
unique product lines to continue to build the awareness and success of the
brand.”

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski