News Monitor Toys

Selling to Kids, Oct 14, 1998

Forget the sports car and Ken. Girls now have a rock star to look up to. Barbie has a band and a record deal. Beyond Pink, released its first CD from Sony Wonder [SNE], Epic Records Group and Mattel [MAT]. It arrived in stores Oct. 13. . . A real rock band enters Barbie- territory as Toymax Inc. launched a new line of Spice Girls toys earlier this month including figurines, electronics and dress-up sets. . .Mattel also unveiled the 1998 Disney Collector Doll, Toy and Holiday Collection including the debut of the Erica Kane Doll, the first in the series of the Daytime Drama Collection . . . The Rugrats craze continues. Now kids can eat their Rugrats-licensed fruit rolls and play games based on the Nickelodeon cartoon. THQ Inc. [THQI] launches Sony Playstation's "Rugrats: Search For Reptar" and Game Boy's "The Rugrats Movie" video games next month.

Licensing

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. [RDA/RDB] reached a three- year licensing agreement with Mattel [MAT] to produce and distribute Barbie interactive books that will launch in the fall of '99. Pleasantville, N.Y.-based Reader's Digest Children's Publishing will create the book collection of craft, activity and educational books for girls ages 2-9. Golden Books [GBFE] is launching two titles in a new Barbie series, Design By Me, for fall '99. The books will contain materials (fabrics, patterns, glitter paint) to create four fashions for Barbie. Eastman Kodak Company [EK] is licensing motion picture content from Universal Studios to offer 'virtual' pictures where customers can place themselves in a scene from hits "Jurassic Park," "Frankenstein," "Hercules," "Xena" and more.The Lerner Publishing Group signed a licensing agreement with A&E for the publishing rights to a line of children's books based on A&E Television Network's "Biography" series. The books target ages 11-14...As TV licensed products have proved hotter than movie products this year, Burger King, Toy Island and DreamWorks SKG's "Toonsylvania" begin the cartoon's first licensing and promotional program this Halloween. BK is offering five Toonsylvania premiums with its Kids Club program. Toy Island created the toy line.

Online/Interactive

InterMedia Advertising Solutions recently released a report indicating a 92 percent increase in Internet advertising. Kids' Web site MaMaMedia Inc. will carry advertisements for General Mills [GIS] Fruit Snacks, the company announced. Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks will advertise in the fall issue of MaMaMedia Magazine and Web site (mamamedia.com). The site will be promoted in turn on the Fruit Snacks boxes beginning this fall through spring of 1999.Kids can create their own tatoos with Palladium Interactive's CD-ROMs, Tatoo Time for girls and boys, shipped last week.

Television/Video

This month Sony Wonder and Children's Television Workshop released "Elmo Says Boo!" the first Halloween audio release for both companies.PBS began offering "Tots TV" as a daily program, up from weekly status. It also began airing 15 new "Teletubbies" episodes...Ronald McDonald, one of the most recognized clowns of the century, is making his video debut. McDonald's [MCD] premiered "Scared Silly" its first full-length home video production starring Ronald and introducing the character Sundae the dog. It was animated by Klasky Csupo, Inc., producers of Nickelodeon's Rugrats. The 40-minute video launched Oct. 9. Two additional videos, "The Legend of Grimace Island" and "The Visitors from Outer Space" will be released next year...Nickelodeon Movies will teach kids "How To Eat Fried Worms" when the classic children's book comes to the big screen with the help of production company Imagine Entertainment.

People

Gilman Louie named Hasbro Interactive Chief Creative Officer. Louie is Chairman of the board of entertainment software developer and publisher MicroProse Inc.CBS VP of Corporate Communications, Lisa Caputo, joins the Walt Disney Company [DIS] as VP of communications and synergy of the Buena Vista Publishing Group, Inc.In an admirable public relations move, Steve Burns, host of Nickelodeon's "Blues Clues" is a Be SAFE spokesperson for the national Be SAFE Day tour which promotes the safe use of children's over-the-counter medicines and debuted Oct. 8 in Houston.Patrice Adcroft has been named editor in chief of Seventeen magazine. The magazine's previous editor, Meredith Berlin was named development director of Primedia Consumer Magazines, which publishes Seventeen.Michael Goldstein, chairman of the board of Toys "R" Us Inc. [TOY] and 15-year veteran of the company, joined publisher Houghton Mifflin's Board of Directors, effective Dec. 1. Joining Goldstein is Gail Heitler Klapper, founder and managing principal of Klapper Firm, a law and consulting organization.Jeff Moss, 56, one of the original creators of "Sesame Street," died last month of complications arising from colon cancer.

Misc.

The Children's Beverage Group, Inc. retained accounting and auditing firm BDO Seidman LLP CPA to assist the company to reach a fully reporting public entity status and a Nasdaq listing.