Kids promotions kick it up a notch

Discount Store News, Jan 4, 1999 by Robert Scally

Exclusive agreements should give retailers a first quarter boost

LOS ANGELES -- Several of the nation's major retailers are looking toward exclusive promotions linked with licensed children's properties to help drive traffic during the first few months of this year.

Saban Entertainment's promotion for "Power Rangers Lost Galaxy" will bounce into Wal-Mart stores during the first quarter, while The Jim Henson Co 's promotion for "Bear in the Big Blue House" will dance its way into Target Stores in February.

Target's promotion follows the retailer's exclusive introduction late last year of a line of toys and apparel based on the Disney Channel program "Bear" Merchandise from Mattel that debuted m December will be featured on endcaps in February, said Betts FitzGerald, vp of licensing for The Jim Henson Co.

Conventional plush and beanbag toys, a Classic Lever See'n'Say and puzzles will be included in the display Bear infant and toddler apparel from Happy Kids also will premiere exclusively at Target in February. The assortment will include sleepwear from AME, children's underwear from Fruit of the Loom, slippers and sneakers from S Goldberg and kid's backpacks from Worldwide Dreams.

Special events, contests and appearances are becoming regular parts of exclusive agreements between retailers and entertainment companies. The Bear and Power Rangers promotions include events that take the promotion directly to stores and customers.

The Target promotion will include in-store appearances from Bear in addition to a special stage tour that will be sponsored by the Disney Channel.

A 10-week mall tour, "Disney Channel's. On the Road with The Bear in the Big Blue House" will kick off Jan 8 at the Mall of America in Minneapolis and will make stops in Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Tampa, Fla, Denver, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Jose, Calif.

Meanwhile, Saban will bring the Power Rangers Intergalactic Encounter, a 5,000-sq-ft, inflatable "bounce house," on a tour of Wal-Mart stores that will premiere at Toy Fair and kick off nationally in Miami in March. The tour will continue through September.

The promotion follows last year's 35-city tour of a Power Rangers space ship simulator ride, which helped boost product sales at Wal-Mart by 400%.

At Wal-Mart, the Power Rangers' new promotion is designed to help support the program, which airs on the Fox Family Channel, and its expanding line of licensed merchandise.

The Power Rangers have struggled to establish credibility after the white-hot introduction in 1993, which nearly relegated the franchise to flash-in-the-pan status when the initial fan fever cooled.

One of the ways that Saban rescued the Rangers was through building relationships with retailers such as Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us, said Elie Dekel, senior vp of Fox Family Worldwide consumer products group. Other retailers and franchisees have also gotten behind the resurgent Power Rangers.

Toys "R" Us and Bandai America have teamed up to launch the Fox Kids Power Rangers Lost Galaxy Sweepstakes, which will run from Dec 25 to Jan 15 The sweepstakes grand prize winner, who will be selected Jan 22, will host a party for his or her school to view the first two episodes of the new "Power Rangers Lost Galaxy" television show before they are broadcast in February.

A national advertising circular from Toys "R" Us and special sweepstakes in-store standees will help call attention to the contest. In addition, Kids "R" Us will launch an exclusive Power Ranger apparel program Jan 15 through April 4.

The Power Rangers are also going upstairs FAO Schwarz will feature Power Rangers boutiques in its high-volume stores during January.

A Power Rangers promotion for Back-to-School is also in the works with major regional discount department stores. Power Rangers apparel will also be featured in Target this spring.