The Kookys’ Brand Extension Program Kicks Off at Licensing Show ‘08
4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE), the children’s entertainment and merchandise licensing powerhouse, has been appointed worldwide licensing agent for The KookysTM brand by rights holder Courage International. Based on the hugely popular character pens known as the Kooky Klickers®, The Kookys are a unique and fun range of personalities that have redefined “pen pals” for the 21st Century, captivating fans of all ages in the Kooky craze.
Each Kooky Klicker is uniquely named and numbered, and collections are released in limited edition “Krews.” With millions of Kooky Klickers sold since they hit the market in 2002, the brand is now recognized as one of “Ten Hottest Toys at Retail” by Toy Book, March 2008.
The Kookys’ distinctive shape, design, color and range of unique personalities make them a perfect fit for a full line of Kookys licensed products. Already established as a lifestyle brand and building upon the successful Plush range, produced by Commonwealth Toy & Novelty Co., 4Kids Entertainment will expand The Kookys brand into multiple categories to facilitate the growth of this lifestyle brand. 4Kids is developing a comprehensive licensing program, initially focusing on core categories including apparel, accessories, games, stationery, candy, bags and backpacks, and room decor. The property’s target audience is Boys and Girls 6-11 and Tween/Teen Girls 12-17.
“Kooky Klickers have captured the attention of “kool” kids of all ages across America,” said Carlin West, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, 4 Kids Entertainment. “Kookys are a highly collected icon of today’s generation. 4Kids is tremendously excited about making the world of licensed product a lot more Kooky.”
"The Kooky Klickers character pens are experiencing explosive sales at mass and specialty retail," said Mark Siegel, President of Courage International. "We are excited to partner with the leader in consumer products and entertainment licensing to extend the Kooky's brand into new and exciting product categories."
With Kooky Klickers quickly selling out at toy and specialty retailers, secondary market channels like eBay have become an active hub for Kooky collector trading. Additionally, www.Kookys.com is an online destination for Kooky collectors, where they can interact, learn more about Kookys and share their stories.
