DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Nov. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of one of the most iconic doll brands of all time, Play Along(R), a division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc. , is scheduled to launch its Premiere Edition Cabbage Patch Kids(R) Celebration Baby on QVC(R) starting at midnight on Monday, December 3.
The beautiful new Celebration Baby, which comes with a special Carvel(R)-branded ice cream cone, was created especially for QVC to begin a year-long celebration of the brand's silver anniversary. The Celebration Baby will be available throughout the day -- while supplies last.
"For the past five years, every new Cabbage Patch Kids doll in our line has been introduced on QVC with record-breaking success," said David Gold, VP of marketing, Play Along. "We're thrilled to work with QVC once again on our biggest initiative together to date and to offer QVC viewers the first keepsake from the Cabbage Patch Kids 25th Anniversary collection."
Rich Yoegel, director of home merchandising for QVC, added, "We are excited to be celebrating this tremendous milestone with Play Along and the QVC viewers. Our shoppers have embraced the Cabbage Patch Kids collection for years and have made it one of our most successful toy brands. We look forward to many more years as the shopping destination for the newest Cabbage Patch Kids."
The Premiere Edition Cabbage Patch Kids Celebration Babies are adorned in birthday party attire and come with a special Carvel ice cream cone that they can "really" lick! When the ice cream sprinkles get all over their face, the special washcloth wipes them clean again. Every Celebration Baby is "One of a Kind" and comes with two extra fashions, a unique name, birth certificate and adoption papers.
"Carvel Ice Cream was founded in 1934, so it seems appropriate that two long-time beloved brands would come together for this milestone celebration," said Carvel President Gary Bales. "The young and young-at-heart will enjoy this special edition doll now and for another 25 years to come."
About Original Appalachian Artworks
Original Appalachian Artworks, Inc., (OAA) owner of the Cabbage Patch Kids brand, was founded in 1978 by Cabbage Patch Kids creator, Xavier Roberts. It is a privately held corporation located in Cleveland, Georgia. Headquarters to the world famous Cabbage Patch Kids brand and home to BabyLand General(R) Hospital, one of Georgia's top tourist attractions. OAA manages a wide range of other projects while continuing to deliver hand-stitched, one-of-a-kind, soft-sculpture Cabbage Patch Kids. For more information, visit http://www.cabbagepatchkids.com/.
About QVC
QVC, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Interactive Group , is one of the largest multimedia retailers in the world, with annual revenue of more than $7 billion. QVC is committed to providing its customers with thousands of the most innovative and contemporary beauty, fashion, jewelry and home products. Its programming is distributed to more than 166 million homes worldwide. The company's Web site, QVC.com, is ranked among the top general merchant Internet sites. With subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, West Chester, Pa.-based QVC has shipped more than a billion packages in its 21-year history.
About 4Kids Entertainment
Headquartered in New York City with international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. is a global provider of children's entertainment and merchandise licensing. 4Kids, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, provides domestic and international merchandise licensing; product development; television, film, music and home video production and distribution; and Web site development. For further information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.4kidsentertainment.com/.
About Play Along
Play Along(R), a division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc., is the award-winning toy company behind some of the most recognizable and popular children's toy licenses in the world, including classics like Cabbage Patch Kids(R) and Care Bears(R), as well as new favorites like Disney Channel's Hannah Montana and The Cheetah Girls. In addition to traditional toy lines, Play Along also manufactures and markets Speed Stacks(R), the official equipment of the World Sport Stacking Association. Play Along's products are found at specialty, gift and major mass retailers worldwide. For more information about Play Along's products, visit http://www.playalongtoys.com/.
About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories. The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific(R), Play Along(R), Flying Colors(R), Creative Designs International(TM), Road Champs(R), Child Guidance(R), Pentech(R), Trendmasters(R), Toymax(R), Funnoodle(R), Go Fly a Kite(R), Color Workshop(R), JAKKS Pets(TM) and Plug It In & Play TV Games(TM). JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit http://www.jakks.com/.
About Carvel(R) Ice Cream
The United States' first retail ice cream franchise, Carvel(R) Ice Cream has become one of the best-loved and most recognized names in its industry. The 73-year old company is the leading manufacturer of uniquely shaped ice cream cakes, including its signature Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss cakes, as well as a leading provider of premium soft serve and hand dipped ice cream products. Carvel currently operates more than 570 franchised and food service locations.
About Celebration Foods
Celebration Foods, a division of FOCUS Brands, Inc., is the marketer, manufacturer and distributor of leading high quality frozen desserts for all occasions, including, Carvel ice cream cakes and desserts. Headquartered in Rocky Hill, CT, Celebration Foods is the market leader in the ice cream and ice milk frozen desserts category with a 65% share and distribution now reaching over 43 states in leading supermarkets, super centers, and club stores. For more information on Celebration Foods visit http://www.celebrationfoods.com/.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS Pacific's business based partly on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS' products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.
Play Along(R) & (C)2007 Play Along, a division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (C)2007 Original Appalachian Artworks Inc., All Rights Reserved.
CONTACT:
Jen Bernstein, Play Along Tara Hunter, QVC
954-596-2210 484-701-8163
