I Can Do That! Games™ Announces Curious George™ Licensing Deal with Universal Studios, Rolls out Retail Distribution to Key National Acco
SEATTLE (Business Wire EON) November 24, 2008 — "I Can Do That! Games' innovative and high quality approach to design and product development makes them an ideal partner for Curious George," said Tricia Chaves, Senior Director, Licensing, North and Latin America, Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. "The games will inspire the same curiosity, imagination and discovery that Curious George embodies. We are eager to develop a line of preschool games that fans of the hit television series will want to play again and again."
The company plans to launch three new Curious George-themed preschool games in 2009. Curious George has been a touchstone literary brand for children and parents for more than 65 years. The Curious George television series, produced by WGBH Boston, Universal Studios Family Productions and Imagine Entertainment, airs on PBS KIDS® and since its September 2006 debut, the series has been the number-one rated weekday children's series on television among kids ages 2-5 years1. Winner of the 2008 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program, the show is also popular with parents, enjoying 100% brand awareness with moms of kids ages 2 – 112.
I Can Do That! Games foster self-confidence with fun, innovative play experiences that allow kids to discover what they can do. The company is the brain-child of founder and CEO Jacobe Chrisman, the former head of product development for Cranium who has a decade-long track record for producing game aisle hits. Chrisman leveraged his industry know-how, along with the expertise of partners such as Seattle-based Forrest-Pruzan Creative, a leading game invention studio, to execute a successful company launch in 2007. The company debuted its Dr. Seuss-themed games through an exclusive retail partnership with Toys "R" Us and racked up nearly all of the industry's top honors in 2007, including an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and a Parents' Choice Gold Award and a Toy Industry Association Game of the Year Finalist honor. National exposure on programs such as Live! With Regis & Kelly and NBC's TODAY helped to fuel grass roots awareness for the brand, which was profitable in year one.
The Universal Studios announcement comes as I Can Do That! Games broadens its national footprint by rolling out games to new retail accounts including Target, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and specialty outlets across the country. The expanded distribution will allow this burgeoning company to bring its innovative games to a larger national audience during the 2008 holiday season.
I Can Do That! Games will introduce three new Dr. Seuss-themed games for children in 2008, doubling its offerings to a total of six games. As the company grows it will continue to seek out high-quality licensing partnerships that offer touchstone experiences for children and their families.
To learn more about I Can Do That! Games, visit www.icandothatgames.com.
1Source: NTI 9/06-11/06, 1/07-11/07, 1/08.
2Source: Marketing Evaluations, Fall 2007.
About I Can Do That! Games™:
I Can Do That! Games™ foster self-confidence by giving kids a chance to discover what they can do. Through decades of research, years of award-winning inventions, and thousands of play-tests, the toy and game industry veterans at I Can Do That! Games have mastered the art of making incredibly fun, high-quality play experiences for kids and their families.
Founded in 2007, the Seattle-based game company has already won some of the industry's top honors, including a Parents' Choice Gold award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold and Platinum awards, a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, and a coveted Toy Industry Association Game of the Year Finalist distinction.
I Can Do That! Games can be found at mass and specialty retail outlets nationwide.
To learn more about I Can Do That Games, visit www.icandothatgames.com.
About the CURIOUS GEORGE Television Series
Brought to PBS KIDS by Imagine Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Universal Studios Family Productions, with the support of Curious George publisher Houghton Mifflin, CURIOUS GEORGE the television series is designed to inspire kids to explore science, math, and engineering in the world around them in a fun and entertaining way. Based on the best-selling Curious George books by Margret and H.A. Rey, the daily series expands George's world to include a host of colorful characters and original locales, while maintaining the charm of the beloved books. Each of the half-hour episodes includes two animated stories followed by short live-action pieces showing real kids who are investigating the ideas that George introduces in his stories. The series encourages inquiry and curiosity, promotes hands-on exploration, and shows parents and caregivers how to support children's science and math-related play.
CURIOUS GEORGE is a production of Imagine Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Universal Studios Family Productions. Executive producers are Ron Howard (Imagine), Brian Grazer (Imagine), Carol Greenwald (WGBH) and Ellen Cockrill (Universal). Funding is provided by public television viewers. National corporate sponsorship of CURIOUS GEORGE is provided by Shea Homes, Amazon.com Grocery, Chuck E. Cheese's®, and Sun-Maid®. The CURIOUS GEORGE Web site is pbskids.org/curiousgeorge. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H.A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. Television series: © 2008. Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
About the CURIOUS GEORGE television series on DVD
On August 26, 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release the Curious George: Sails with the Pirates and Other Curious Capers DVD, containing 8 fun-filled and entertaining shows from PBS KIDS' wildly popular TV series. The seventh in a collection of DVDs drawn from the hit show, Curious George: Sails with the Pirates and Other Curious Capers includes more than two hours of fun. The DVD is packed with games and activities that are sure to delight kids while helping them build math, science and engineering skills.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company is a global education company with approximately $2.5 billion in combined revenue. The Company publishes a comprehensive set of best-in-class pre-K–12 educational solutions, ranging from research-based textbook programs to instructional technology to standards-based assessments for students and educators. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. With origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. To learn more about Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, visit www.hmhpub.com.
About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of its extensive property portfolio. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.
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