Hassenfelds Make LIMA Hall of Fame
Alan G. Hassenfeld, chairman of the executive committee and former chairman of the board of Hasbro, Inc., and the late Stephen Hassenfeld, CEO and chairman of the board until 1989, have been selected for induction into the International Licensing Industry
Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) Licensing Industry Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony will take place on June 8, 2010, at the second
annual LIMA Opening Night Awards Party at Licensing International Expo 2010, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
LIMA says that the Hassenfelds were among the first to recognize the impact toys and games could have in telling a story and to harness the power of licensing to build a strong global brand. As a result, licensing has a preeminent role at Hasbro; the company has been a top toy licensing partner for many entertainment and brand companies, and many of Hasbro’s own brands have become licensing juggernauts in their own right. Beginning with the revitalization of G.I. JOE in the early 1980s and continuing today with Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Playskool, My Little Pony, and the successful Transformers program, with more than 250 licensees across all major lifestyle categories, Hasbro’s portfolio of brands is unmatched, says LIMA.
“Stephen and Alan transformed their family’s Rhode Island toy company into a global marketing powerhouse, along the way garnering Wall Street’s respect for toy companies,” says Charles Riotto, president of LIMA. “They also share LIMA’s commitment to integrity in business and to giving back to the communities and consumers who support our business. LIMA is proud to honor them as licensing industry pioneers at Licensing International Expo this June.”
Discovery, Horizons, Michaels in Exclusive Animal Planet Deal
Discovery Communications announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Horizon Group USA to develop Animal Planet-branded craft and activity kits exclusively for Michaels. The deal was brokered on behalf of Animal Planet by its licensing agent, The Joester Loria Group (JLG) and is North American based only.
Michaels is the exclusive retail launch partner for the product line, which is set to launch in April in all 1,018 Michaels’ retail stores and online at www.michaels.com. The program, which will be included in the Michaels’ Kids Summer Camp 2010 program, will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign to include in-store signage, in circulars, and on Michaels website. The product line will include 19 assorted SKUs targeting kids ages 5-11.
DreamWorks Launches Kung Fu Panda World
DreamWorks Animation is launching an online world for kids based on the Kung Fu Panda property in April. The
browser-based destination for kids (no downloading or installing) lets them engage in a variety of activities such as playing games, chatting with friends, trading goods, mastering Kung Fu styles, getting a pet, or exploring the world.
There is free play as well as subscription and sponsored game play options, providing a wide-range of member experiences, says DreamWorks. In addition, the studio says there is no personal information solicited or shared. There is chat and behavior filtering and monitoring. A parent panel offers a unique and easy-to-use set of controls that allow parents to oversee and manage their child’s account by enabling and disabling features in the Kung Fu Panda World. This feature also allows parents to play an interactive role in the child’s online experience by playing games to earn points for their kids. Visit
www.kungfupandaworld.com.
Jackson Estate Signs $250 Million Deal with Sony
The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that the estate of Michael Jackson signed a $250 million deal with Sony. The deal is expected to cover 10 albums over seven years using
new, unreleased material and the repackaging of existing material.
According to The Wall Street Journal, since Jackson’s death Sony has sold an estimated 31 million albums globally. By the first anniversary of his death this June, Jackson’s estate expects to have earned $250 million from the sale of music, merchandise, and tickets to the concert film This Is It.