I'll Take Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to Block

Brandweek, July 31, 2000 by Becky Ebenkamp

Help is on the way for those who don't know their Lee Harvey Oswalds from their Pamela Anderson Lees. This fall, Endless Games will debut" Who Am I? The Biography Game," the latest spinoff of the addictive A&E docu-franchise.

On game cards, the rich and famous rattle off their histories as players vie to solve the personality puzzles. (Reserve advance pity for the poor slob who draws the likes of, "I was riding high in the [music, acting, ventriloquism ...] business, and then, tragedy struck, and I spiraled into a sea of cocaine-fueled degradation. But now I'm back on top and my new [CD,TV show, puppet project ...] launches next spring." Sheesh that could be anybody). Subsequent rounds challenge players to identify VIPs from their high school yearbook shots and other obscure photos.

To support the $30 game's debut at an array of retail tiers encompassing such stores as FAO Schwarz, Kmart and Store of Knowledge, Endless is engaging in demo events to build hype in a year when board games are expected to resurge in popularity At NYC bars, restaurants and train stations, hired gamers have played the Biography game out loud and onlookers "just jump in with the answers." said founder Kevin McNulty, who eschews advertising as a game-selling tactic. "We don't want to go out there screaming--just a little fire here, a little fire there ..." Oh, is that a clue? The answer must be Michael Jackson!

Program: Who Am I? The Biography Game

Marketer: Endless Games, Hoboken, N.J.

Agency: Litzky Public Relations, Hoboken, N.J.

Key Players: Endless: Kevin McNulty, Mike Gasser, founders