PROCTER & GAMBLE: has signed Pampers Baby Dry as a sponsor of Sesame Street and Plaza Sesamo for a year, through September and December 2006 for each show, respectively. As an underwriter, Pampers gets on-air visibility; it’ll extend its sponsorship on Sesamestreet.com, Sesameworkshop.org, Sesame Street Magazine and Sesame Family weekly e-mail newsletters.
KRAFT FOODS: Northfield, IL, is bowing Supermac & Cheese whole-grain, fortified pasta. Four varieties— Squarepants, Spider-Man, Fairly Odd Parents and regular elbow— Kraft’s “Sensible Solutions” nutrition criteria, if consumers prepare it with zero-trans fat spread and skim milk. Kraft is converting as much of its portfolio as possible to fit its “Sensible Solutions” guidelines (based on USDA data), and channeling kids’ marketing support to products that comply (Xtra, Sept 20). Supermac & Cheese sells for 99 cents a box, comparable to Kraft’s flagship blue-box Mac & Cheese.
GLOBAL ICONS: a Los Angeles, CA-based licensing and merchandising agency has acquired licensing agency Evergreen Concepts, Los Angeles. As part of the acquisition, Global Icons inherits Evergreen Concept’s client brand portfolio, which includes Build-A-Bear Workshop, Brainy Baby, Lavaggi the “Artist of Hope” and Pretty Tough.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP: is seeking licensing opportunities for Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Production’s upcoming animated TV series The Land Before Time. Production of the 26-episode series is slated to debut on Cartoon Network in 2007. Licensing opportunities are available in categories including pre-school toys, apparel, accessories, interactive games, collectible, fine art, home furnishings, health and beauty aids, food and beverages, gifts, stationery products and wireless communication devices and accessories. Universal plans to further expand the franchise in 2007 with the release of Land Before Time: Day of the Flyers DVD.
NICKELODEON NETWORKS: last week changed the name of its all-animation cable channel to Nicktoons Network (from Nicktoons). The network recently began taking advertising; the name change includes a new logo and updated Web site, NicktoonsNetwork.com.
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