Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising Announces Portfolio Deal With Hallmark
“The Simpsons” Anchor New Agreement Providing Greeting Card Giant Access To Extensive Fox Film And Television Properties
CENTURY CITY, CA (July 29, 2008) — From “The Simpsons” to the “Ice Age” franchise, Fox Sports brand and beyond, 20th Century Fox’s entertainment library will be cast in a new line of social expressions for the first time. Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising and Hallmark Cards, Inc. today announced a partnership that will provide Hallmark access to sound clips and iconography from some of the world’s most popular and beloved television, film, animation, and sports properties.
Through the agreement, more than 50 years of Fox history will be available for adaptation across a range of social expression products, many featuring innovations such as cards with motion, intricate paper engineering and stereo sound, will start rolling out at Hallmark Gold Crown® stores and other major retailers this month.
The partnership builds upon one of Hallmark’s popular greeting card programs featuring “The Simpsons” and marketed as, “Turn Up The Funny.” The top-selling line utilizes imbedded sound chips to play character dialogue and music from the animated series and has cast the family’s patriarch Homer as its star with his visage prominently displayed at retail and on the Hallmark website.
“We are very pleased to be collaborating with Hallmark on one of the biggest and best entertainment portfolios in the world,” said Elie Dekel, Executive Vice President Licensing and Merchandising for Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. “Hallmark is a blue chip partner and category leader, who has already proven themselves experts in translating ‘The Simpsons’ into a line of top-selling cards. We’re confident that with their dedicated and extraordinarily talented staff of artists, sculptors and writers they’ll continue to deliver products that consumers clamor for.”
Some of the popular TV brands currently covered under the agreement include, 24, How I Met Your Mother, Arrested Development, M*A*S*H and X Files. On the film side, Hallmark has gained access to recent blockbuster successes such as Night at the Museum, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Juno as well as Fox’s all-time biggest hits – Sound of Music, Miracle on 34th Street, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Moulin Rouge, Planet of the Apes and more. The strategic alliance partnership also extends to upcoming properties that both Fox and Hallmark agree are marketable at retail.
"We are now able to create new ways for millions of people to celebrate important occasions with their favorite entertainment which aligns with our company’s purpose of enriching lives,” said Karen Mitchell-Layton, Hallmark Vice President of Licensing.
“Karen Mitchell-Layton and her talented team of creative executives at Hallmark are best-of-breed and the scope, depth and reach of this partnership exceeds a traditional licensor-licensee relationship. It is genuinely a social expressions strategic alliance with the category leader in this space. All of us here at 20th Century Fox L&M are truly excited about this program and know that the end product will resonate with both retailers and consumers,” added Michael Peikoff, Senior Vice President, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. Hallmark will support the product launch with four-feet of exclusive in-line retail space in nearly 3,500 of its Hallmark Gold Crown® stores nationwide. Other marketing support from Hallmark will include: front of store displays, signage and a robust print advertising campaign.
About Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.
About Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Kansas City-based Hallmark has been helping people communicate, celebrate and connect for nearly 100 years. Hallmark greeting cards and other products can be found in more than 43,000 places in the U.S. alone, with the network of Hallmark Gold Crown® stores providing the very best selection. The Hallmark brand also reaches consumers online at Hallmark.com, on newsstands through Hallmark Magazine, and on television through Hallmark Hall of Fame original movies and the top-rated Hallmark Channel. In addition, Hallmark publishes products in more than 30 languages and distributes them in 100 countries across the globe. The company’s Crayola subsidiary provides fun and imaginative ways for children to colorfully express themselves. In 2007, privately held Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.4 billion. Charitable giving of $16 million a year focuses on the well-being of children and families, vibrant arts and cultural experiences, and basic services for people in need in the communities where Hallmark operates. For more information about the company, visit http://corporate.hallmark.com.