WBCP making 2010 the year of Looney Tunes
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) is making 2010 a banner year for the Looney Tunes, with an array of original initiatives that continue to spotlight one of the crown jewels of the Warner Bros. portfolio.
WBCP has more than 1,000 licensees worldwide supporting the Looney Tunes brand, with multiple categories including food and beverages, apparel and accessories, domestics and home, stationery, publishing, toys and games, gift and novelties and more.
“When consumers think of Warner Bros., the Looney Tunes are often the very first images that come to mind. Their timeless appeal, antics and sense of irreverence are made for today’s audiences of all ages,” said Brad Globe, president, Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. “This is a landmark year for the properties, as we’ve developed programming and secured partnerships befitting of the legendary characters and their millions of worldwide fans. We’re truly excited about our slate of offerings not only this year, but into the foreseeable future.”
This year will also mark a return to the big screen for Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, two of the most popular Looney Tunes characters of all time. The studio will present animated 3-D shorts featuring the duo before three of its family features, all to be released this year.
This year mark’s the characters’ long awaited return to television with 'The Looney Tunes Show', an all-new half-hour animated series for Cartoon Network. No longer confined to seven-minute shorts, iconic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are out of the woods and living in the suburbs among such colorful neighbors as Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. In addition to each episode's main story, the show also features cartoons within a cartoon. The Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian and other classic characters sing original songs in two-minute Merrie Melodies music videos, and the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote are featured in two-and-a-half-minute CG shorts.
Looney Tunes Active! is a global initiative which features the iconic characters as ambassadors of an active lifestyle for children. The naturally energetic nature of the Looney Tunes, one of their defining characteristics, makes them the ideal ambassadors of a more active lifestyle for kids everywhere. Launched in 2006, Looney Tunes Active! has quickly evolved into one of the world’s most dynamic licensing programs, with WBCP Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) helping to lead the charge.
To date, EMEA has served as a key region for the Looney Tunes Active! initiative with one billion branded products sold at retail in three years across multiple categories. Warner Bros. Consumer Products has forged global partnerships with Nestle Waters, McDonald’s and Intersport, with numerous local companies complementing this line up.
WBCP has also partnered with sports associations, including Lega Basket (Italy), the Spanish (FEB, Men’s World and Europe Champions), UK and France (Women’s European Champions) Basketball Federations, to encourage kids to be and stay active. These partnerships positively promote a more active lifestyle and the participation in physical activities through team sports.
Other initiatives with the Looney Tunes property include the characters appearing in US public service announcements, which are part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s 'Let’s Move!' initiative to combat childhood obesity, being part of the 'Eating Right Kids' programme in 1,700-plus Safeway stores in the US, and a new 'Bugs Bunny at the Symphony' concert series which celebrates the 20th anniversary of Bugs Bunny on Broadway.
The Looney Tunes have a significant presence in the publishing world this year, with a number of high-profile initiatives around the word. In the United States, DC Comics releases a set of Looney Tunes comic books, each with three original stories. Also in North America, Canadian publisher Rofact International Canada produces a series of coloring-and-activity titles featuring the characters. In Europe, a number of companies including Edizioni Play Press (Italy) and Panini (UK and France) publish a wide range of products for kids.
At Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Pilar Zulueta has been promoted to executive vice president and general manager, EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa), it was announced today by Jordan Sollitto, executive vice president International Licensing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP).
“Pilar has been instrumental in helping to lead our continued expansion and success in this key region with her strong leadership and expertise in the world of entertainment licensing,” said Sollitto. “Taking on this more senior position allows her to play an even larger role in shaping the future of our business.”
Zulueta continues to report to Sollitto and hold responsibility for the management of licensing and retail business development activities. Working with licensees, retailers, promotional partners and WBCP offices, she oversees regional sales and marketing initiatives related to key consumer products categories including, toys, apparel and accessories, housewares, promotions and publishing, among others.
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