Robert: Playmates Toys news from 94th annual NYC Toy Fair:
FIFTH NINJA TURTLE, EXQUISITE FAIRIES OF COTTINGLEY GLEN, AND NHL SPORTS LICENSE HIGHLIGHT PLAYMATES 1997 LINEUP
Playmates Toys Will Deliver 17 Brands for Boys and Girls This Year
NEW YORK (Feb. 10, 1997) -- Ten years after four reptiles emerged from Manhattan's sewers to make licensing history, Playmates Toys rocks the toy world again with the introduction of a fifth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, the beautiful Venus de Milo. The "Birth of Venus" is one of several key events occurring across the Playmates brands in 1997, during which the company will market eight boys and eight girls brands, plus an outrageous skill game from Playmates Games.
Combined, Playmates' four core brands have realized more than 20 years of solid retail sales. The Playmates lineup also features several exciting girls brand introductions, and new line extensions and collectibles that will continue to keep Playmates at the forefront of the action figure business.
Its signature brand is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which remains a top ten action figure line nearly a decade since invigorating the action figure category with sales records yet to be eclipsed by the competition. The Fall premiere of the all-new, live-action Saban Entertainment series, "Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation," on the FOX Kids Network will help introduce a new generation of children to the action-packed adventures of the famed four Ninja Turtles and the first female Turtle, the newest "Venus on the Half Shell."
The ultimate science fiction brand remains "Star Trek". The brand embarks on a kid marketing strategy buoyed by the introduction of the Strike Force-scaled action figures, vehicles and accessories. This new scale of six-inch Starships, articulated 11/4-inch figures and compatible playsets are the perfect size for a child to boldly go where no child has gone before. Also new is the Combat Action Series, the first time that action features have been incorporated into "Star Trek" figures. These detailed, fully-articulated six-inch figures each have two spring-activated action features for the ultimate in Starfleet combat action.
Playmates will raise the stakes in collecting with the "Star Trek" Latinum Edition and Ultra Trek assortments. The hand painted Latinum Edition series features 12-inch, cold castings of "Star Trek" crew members and aliens, plus dioramas of memorable "Star Trek" scenes. Ultra Trek action figures are six-inch productions of "Star Trek" favorites featuring revolutionary product packaging that will allow collectors to open up and play with the toys, yet retain the "mint in box," display condition of their figures.
Waterbabies, now eight million dolls strong, also takes on new looks with its L'il Playful assortment: six-inch dolls that little girls can hold in the palms of their hands. Each water-filled L'il Playful doll comes with her own special fun-filled accessory, like L'il Brittany with Bouncy Chair and beach-going L'il Lauren with Sandbox.
Over two million little mommies now cuddle Baby So Beautiful dolls, which adds Just Born Baby So Beautiful to the lineup. These tiny Baby So Beautifuls are just as precious and unique looking as their older siblings, yet just "hours old" and still wearing their hospital bracelets.
New girls brands are headed by the exquisite Fairies of Cottingley Glen line, based on the Fall motion picture "Fairy Tale: The True Story." The line and film are inspired by the story of two English schoolgirls who actually photographed fairies, gnomes and pixies. Playmates captures the whimsical spirit of the fairies with delightful, collectible products in a line that combines the shimmery beauty of the ten fairies with the magic that only a toy can bring.
Two playful new dolls will charm little girls this Fall. Little stylists will adore Pretty Crazy Curls, which comes with magic rollers that can curl the doll's (and Mommy's!) hair with a warm water spritz. Sweet Dreams Baby stretches, slowly snuggles and squirms, then rests her head on her tiny hands as she falls asleep in bed or her little Mommy's arms.
The creative world of artist Mary Engelbreit is brought to life in Mary Engelbreit's Cozy Corners playsets, six environments featuring Rosie the Gardener, Sarah the Baker and other memorable Engelbreit favorites. And two hot preschool licenses, "Mr. Men and Little Miss" and "The Big Comfy Couch," are also big wins for Playmates.
The company's first sports licensing win introduces the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association into its new Pro Zone sports line. Look for Jaromir Jagr and Eric Lindros to be featured, along with NHL stars Patrick Roy, Paul Kariya and others.
Playmates brings the World Wrestling Federation into kids' bedrooms this Spring with authentic recreations of wrestling superstars Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Bret "Hit Man" Hart and many others. The Ringmasters figure assortment are individual two-inch figures of favorite World Wrestling Federation stars mounted on a ring-logo base, and the Grudge Match figure assortment pits a pair of highly-detailed, two-inch wrestling rivals against one another in a wrestling ring unique to that figure pair.
"Zorro" will make its mark on both big and small screens this fall, and Playmates will introduce a lineup of hard-edged action figures, accessories and role-playing toys based on the classic entertainment property. And, since 1997 will be another year of the dinosaur, Playmates' Primal Rage returns with new product and packaging timed for the summer blockbuster season.
Success with "Space Jam" in 1996 brings more classic but newly-hip Looney Tunes figures, playsets and activity toys in 1997. "Space Jam" realized more than $40 million in U.S. retail sales in just 12 weeks last Fall and returns with additional product keyed to the film's March 11 home video release.
Playmates Games expects to make an impact with the jolt-jumping family game of skill, Zap Trap. Players must pass an electric wand through an intricate metallic maze without touching the sides of the maze. This outrageous game is the top-selling skill game in Japan, where it is based on the #1-rated Japanese TV game show, "Frustration Bar."
"This year we have the best mix of brands for both boys and girls in our company's history," said Richard V. Sallis, president, Playmates Toys. "The new management team has really come together, and I anticipate that we will enjoy a very successful year. In particular, the repositioning of the Turtles and 'Star Trek' lines represent very positive changes to those brands; the Fairies of Cottingley Glen and Cozy Corners look like terrific lines; 'Mr. Men and Little Miss' and 'The Big Comfy Couch' could do very well in the preschool category; and I think our entering the sports collectibles arena with NHL Pro Zone will prove to be a big step for the company."
Playmates Toys is a leading marketer of many of America's best-selling action figures and dolls, including the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(r); action figures and accessories based on the "Star Trek(r)" franchise; and the Waterbabies Doll(r) and Baby So Beautiful(tm) lines of dolls. Its Playmates Games division develops and markets skill & action games, board games and puzzles. |
