United Media Forges Partnership Bandai America
United Media Forges Partnership With Toy Industry Leader Bandai America Incorporated
United Media to represent licensing interests for Bandai America's
D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection
New York (November 3, 2004) – United Media (UM), a leading independent licensing and syndication company, today announced it has partnered with Bandai America Incorporated and Bandai Entertainment, INC. to represent the licensing interests of key properties for the toy industry forerunner. Effective immediately, UM will develop strategic programs in the U.S. for Bandai's D.I.C.E., a new television series scheduled to begin airing in January 2005 and Tamagotchi! Connection, a new release of the original virtual pet.
United Media's strategy for the D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection licensing programs is to target areas that naturally extend each brand. Categories the company's domestic team will focus on initially include publishing, gift & stationery, domestics & housewares, apparel, and promotions.
D.I.C.E., an animated series scheduled to premiere on Cartoon Network this January, features non-stop action and adventure for 6 to 11 year-old boys. Transforming dinosaur vehicles are brought to life in this new anime entertainment property created by Bandai, with a toy line launching in conjunction with the debut of the series, as well as a video game set for release in fall 2005.
Tamagotchi! Connection, the next generation original virtual pet, was unveiled to consumers at events in New York and San Francisco this August. The successful launch of the Tamagotchi! Connection toy line featuring innovative interactive features, contributed to the sale of millions of units worldwide in 2004. Poised to recreate the phenomenon of the original Tamagotchi!, Tamagotchi! Connection was recently selected by Toy Wishes magazine as one of this holiday's “Hot Dozen” – those toys predicted to be most in demand and toughest to find once the buying season gets underway. To further support the release of the new Tamagotchi! line, Bandai will target tweens with a comprehensive marketing program in 2005.
“With powerhouse marketing programs and the Bandai name attached, both D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection are ‘hot’ and primed for success,” said Joshua Kislevitz, Senior Vice President of Licensing, Domestic, for United Media. “Adding these properties to United Media's portfolio is a natural. Both speak to demographics that complement our roster of brands and each has compelling stories and support behind them that will ensure interest from strong partners.”
“United Media will be an important asset in helping us build strong licensing programs for these two robust properties,” said Bill Beebe, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Bandai America. “With the company's knowledge and experience licensing kids' properties, United Media is a perfect partner to fully develop and maximize the potential of the D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection brands.”
About United Media
United Media (UM) is a worldwide licensing and syndication company that focuses on building brand equity around a wide range of creative content. The company recently signed the new PBS kid series, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, the MTA (New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority), and the popular cable channel, Food Network United Media licenses and/or syndicates other properties, including, PEANUTS, Precious Moments, Copyrights at United Media (The World of Beatrix Potter, Paddington Bear, etc.), Arthur, Raggedy Ann & Andy, and Dilbert. United Media is an E.W. Scripps Company.
About Bandai America Incorporated
Bandai America Incorporated is a subsidiary of Bandai Co., Ltd. the third largest toy company in the world, with 47 subsidiaries in 13 countries worldwide. Global interests include toys and children's entertainment, video game software, multimedia, music, full-length feature films, vending machines, trading cards, candies and licensed apparel.
Bandai America Incorporated is the master toy licensee of some of the most popular properties and brands in children's toys and entertainment, including the Power Rangers, Gundam, Teen Titans, Strawberry Shortcake and Tamagotchi! product lines. Bandai America is headquartered in Cypress, California and company information is available at www.Bandai.com.
About Bandai Entertainment Incorporated
Bandai Entertainment, INC. is the premier distributor of Japanese animation on DVD home video and leading Japanese animated programming distributor for television broadcast in North America. The company has distributed notable titles like Mobile Gundam Seed, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Cowboy Bebop, .hack//SIGN, and Wolf's Rain. Bandai Entertainment, INC. is a subsidiary of Bandai America Inc., who makes the toys for the hit television series, Power Rangers, Digimon, and Mobile Suit Gundam. All U.S. operations are headquartered in a large, ultra-modern facility in Cypress, Calif. Bandai Co., Ltd. is the third largest toy company in the world comprising 53 subsidiaries in 18 countries. In addition to toys and children's entertainment, Bandai Co.'s global interests include video game software, multimedia, music and full-length feature films, vending machines, trading cards, candies, and licensed apparel. Bandai Entertainment is headquartered in Cypress, California and additional company and product information is available through our website at www.bandai-ent.com.
United Media to represent licensing interests for Bandai America's
D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection
New York (November 3, 2004) – United Media (UM), a leading independent licensing and syndication company, today announced it has partnered with Bandai America Incorporated and Bandai Entertainment, INC. to represent the licensing interests of key properties for the toy industry forerunner. Effective immediately, UM will develop strategic programs in the U.S. for Bandai's D.I.C.E., a new television series scheduled to begin airing in January 2005 and Tamagotchi! Connection, a new release of the original virtual pet.
United Media's strategy for the D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection licensing programs is to target areas that naturally extend each brand. Categories the company's domestic team will focus on initially include publishing, gift & stationery, domestics & housewares, apparel, and promotions.
D.I.C.E., an animated series scheduled to premiere on Cartoon Network this January, features non-stop action and adventure for 6 to 11 year-old boys. Transforming dinosaur vehicles are brought to life in this new anime entertainment property created by Bandai, with a toy line launching in conjunction with the debut of the series, as well as a video game set for release in fall 2005.
Tamagotchi! Connection, the next generation original virtual pet, was unveiled to consumers at events in New York and San Francisco this August. The successful launch of the Tamagotchi! Connection toy line featuring innovative interactive features, contributed to the sale of millions of units worldwide in 2004. Poised to recreate the phenomenon of the original Tamagotchi!, Tamagotchi! Connection was recently selected by Toy Wishes magazine as one of this holiday's “Hot Dozen” – those toys predicted to be most in demand and toughest to find once the buying season gets underway. To further support the release of the new Tamagotchi! line, Bandai will target tweens with a comprehensive marketing program in 2005.
“With powerhouse marketing programs and the Bandai name attached, both D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection are ‘hot’ and primed for success,” said Joshua Kislevitz, Senior Vice President of Licensing, Domestic, for United Media. “Adding these properties to United Media's portfolio is a natural. Both speak to demographics that complement our roster of brands and each has compelling stories and support behind them that will ensure interest from strong partners.”
“United Media will be an important asset in helping us build strong licensing programs for these two robust properties,” said Bill Beebe, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Bandai America. “With the company's knowledge and experience licensing kids' properties, United Media is a perfect partner to fully develop and maximize the potential of the D.I.C.E. and Tamagotchi! Connection brands.”
About United Media
United Media (UM) is a worldwide licensing and syndication company that focuses on building brand equity around a wide range of creative content. The company recently signed the new PBS kid series, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, the MTA (New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority), and the popular cable channel, Food Network United Media licenses and/or syndicates other properties, including, PEANUTS, Precious Moments, Copyrights at United Media (The World of Beatrix Potter, Paddington Bear, etc.), Arthur, Raggedy Ann & Andy, and Dilbert. United Media is an E.W. Scripps Company.
About Bandai America Incorporated
Bandai America Incorporated is a subsidiary of Bandai Co., Ltd. the third largest toy company in the world, with 47 subsidiaries in 13 countries worldwide. Global interests include toys and children's entertainment, video game software, multimedia, music, full-length feature films, vending machines, trading cards, candies and licensed apparel.
Bandai America Incorporated is the master toy licensee of some of the most popular properties and brands in children's toys and entertainment, including the Power Rangers, Gundam, Teen Titans, Strawberry Shortcake and Tamagotchi! product lines. Bandai America is headquartered in Cypress, California and company information is available at www.Bandai.com.
About Bandai Entertainment Incorporated
Bandai Entertainment, INC. is the premier distributor of Japanese animation on DVD home video and leading Japanese animated programming distributor for television broadcast in North America. The company has distributed notable titles like Mobile Gundam Seed, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Cowboy Bebop, .hack//SIGN, and Wolf's Rain. Bandai Entertainment, INC. is a subsidiary of Bandai America Inc., who makes the toys for the hit television series, Power Rangers, Digimon, and Mobile Suit Gundam. All U.S. operations are headquartered in a large, ultra-modern facility in Cypress, Calif. Bandai Co., Ltd. is the third largest toy company in the world comprising 53 subsidiaries in 18 countries. In addition to toys and children's entertainment, Bandai Co.'s global interests include video game software, multimedia, music and full-length feature films, vending machines, trading cards, candies, and licensed apparel. Bandai Entertainment is headquartered in Cypress, California and additional company and product information is available through our website at www.bandai-ent.com.
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