New Muppet Babies Stuff

[Jonathan]

Look

 

[Jonathan]

It Says:

jim henson’s muppet babiesÔ
HITS RETAIL FOR 20th Anniversary


The Jim Henson Company Announces Two-Tiered Strategy For Muppet Babies

In Specialty And Mass Market With Master Toy Licensee Toy Play , Bendon Publishing And Horizons Already On Board





NEW YORK, MAY 28, 2003 – The Jim Henson Company announced today the launch of a new retail merchandising initiative surrounding the 20th Anniversary of the Emmy Award-winning animated television series Jim Henson’s Muppet BabiesÔ. The program will consist of a two-tiered approach to hit retail in 2003 and 2004.



Master toy licensee Toy Play, a division of The Betesh Group; Bendon Publishing and Horizons have already signed on. The program will strategically focus on the expansion of licensees for the property in very specific markets: 1) specialty retailers for tweens and teens beginning in 2003 and 2) mass market for preschoolers and toddlers starting in 2004.



Licensing Program Elements

1) Specialty Markets for tweens and teens:

With the widespread success of the MuppetsÔ at key retailers and specialty stores including Hot Topic and Urban Outfitters, Muppet Babies is primed to be the next hot item for this fashion-forward set.

· Toy Play is creating a line of product for the tween and teen market to include cuddle pillows, plush, plush beanies, and clip-ons that will hit specialty stores for back-to-school. Toy Play will continue to expand its specialty store line moving forward.

· Horizons will launch a line of socks, hats, flip-flops and other accessories this fall in specialty stores including Rainbow Shops, Hot Topic, Mandee and more.

· Mighty Fine t-shirts are already available in retailers such as Torrid, Urban Outfitters and Juicy Boutique.



2) Mass Market for preschoolers:

· Toy Play beanie babies will be available at Walgreens this September for the





2-2-2 Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies



preschool audience, with plans to hit the mass market for spring 2004. The launch of plush with video will be TV advertised for an Easter launch. Toy Play will also TV advertise Muppet Babies during Holiday 2004 for its Muppet Babies plush.

· Bendon Publishing will publish 32 titles including board books, coloring books, activity books, story books and puzzles that are set to hit shelves back-to-school 2003 in mass market.



Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies was first introduced to audiences in June 1984 with the theatrical release of The Muppets Take ManhattanÔ. In September 1984, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies made its television debut as an animated series on CBS’ Saturday morning children’s block. The series focused on the importance of imagination and ran for eight consecutive years and is still in international syndication.



During its original broadcast, Muppet Babies received five Emmy® Awards, including four consecutive wins for “Outstanding Animated Program”, further solidifying a place in history for Baby KermitÔ, Baby Miss PiggyÔ, Baby Fozzie BearÔ, Baby GonzoÔ, Baby RowlfÔ, Baby ScooterÔ and Baby SkeeterÔ (Baby Scooter’s look-alike sister).



In 1985, The Jim Henson Company partnered with Hasbro to create a successful Muppet Babies plush line with retail sales exceeding $25 million. In addition, promotional partners included Procter & Gamble’s plush program, which sold $1 million and McDonald’s holiday plush promotion, which sold 38 million.



The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more than 45 years, is a multimedia production company; one of the top character licensors in the industry; a leading publisher of children’s books and home to Jim Henson Television, Jim Henson Pictures, Jim Henson Interactive, Jim Henson Home Entertainment and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™. The Company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices and production facilities in New York and London. The Jim Henson Company Web site is located at www.henson.com



This Is so Cool!!!!!!

 

[King Prawn]

what a great time to be a Muppet fan

this is all so exciting for me considering i wasn't alive for the first Muppet merchandise explosion but luckkily i am now.

Hopefully will get are first ever Skeeter & Scooter plushes

this might also be the reason why Henson didn't allow Palisades to produce Muppet Babies Action figures, anyway thanks for the info

 

[radionate]

Exciting News!

Thanks for sharing!

I'll be sure to check out the thousands of Walgreens that have sprouted up in Memphis for the toys in September!

 

[Gonzo]

Originally posted by King Prawn
Hopefully will get are first ever Skeeter & Scooter plushes

this might also be the reason why Henson didn't allow Palisades to produce Muppet Babies Action figures, anyway thanks for the info

...a set of Muppet Babies Beanies would be awesome--if they did the main 8 (including Skeeter) that'd be sweet, but if they included Bunsen and Beaker, that'd rock my Muppet Baby world.

....and if they included Nanny's legs....

 

[Phillip]

A set of 4 Muppet Babies beanies came out around 1997. They included Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo and Animal. I think they were made by Tyco but I could be wrong on the manufacturer.

 

[Cheebo]

Does this mean the show is back? It would be insane to do this with out brining back the show.

 

[Luke]

Yes people, the end of the world is near - Henson are unleashing the Muppet Babies on us again !!!!! LOL !!!!

No, it hasn't announced the show is gonna get rebroadcast but i wouldn't be suprised. It's gonna be 'Video With Plush' so you get a free video when you buy the plush - like Care Bears.

To be honest, i think this is gonna fall flat on it's face unless they can get the original show taken by one of the major networks but worth a try i guess and i should think they have something or other up their sleeves like that because somehow they've managed to pull in all those licensee's. Next up Fraggle i hope !

 

[BlueFrackle]

Guys,

Ill be happy if we get some nice new Plushes, I loved the older plushes, But new ones of Scooter, Skeeter, Bunsen and Beaker wouldn be great !

I hope they'll have plastic heads too, Like those Direct Conncet ones from the 80's.

Also, Last year they brought out two videos in the UK with the episodes with Bean Bunny, Janice and Statler and Waldorf. I wonder if that was like a tester for the UK Market ?

I hope so, Seeing as they sold real quick.


see ya

 

[King Prawn]

Janice?

are those videos still around anywhere, I know Amazon.co.uk had two new Muppet Babie videos, are those the ones that include Janice?