Licensing

Pokemon Ball Kills Second Child. On Wednesday, December 26, 2000, a second child was reported to have suffocated on Burger King's promotional Pokemon ball. The 4-month old, Indianapolis, Indiana boy was found dead by his grandmother who left the toy in the crib with the sleeping child. Millions of the toys were recalled on December 11, 1999 after a Sonora, California girl was found in her playpen with half the ball over her nose and mouth. U.S. federal officials accused the Miami-based fast food chain of being too slow in recalling the containers, which the company denied. The balls, which measure 2-and-3/4 inches to 3 inches in diameter and can be opened by pulling the two halves apart, were used as containers for Pokemon action figures given away at the restaurant. The packaging on the toy stated that the item was "safety tested and recommended for all ages." On Tuesday, February 1, 2000, Burger King plans to air 15-second TV commercials warning parents to "immediately take the balls away from children under the age of 3. They should discard the ball or return both halves of the ball and the clip to a Burger King restaurant for a free order of fries." The Pokemon toys, which were handed out to over 25 million people, were safety tested for choking, not for suffocation, said Burger King spokesman Charles Nicolas. Currently, it is not an industry practice to test for suffocation added Nicolas.

Harvey Fashions A New Product Deal. The Harvey Entertainment Company and PG Capital, an apparel industry investment company, have finalized a joint venture for a new apparel company, Harvey Fashion LLC. The new company will be responsible for manufacturing, selling and marketing a complete apparel collection, based on the popular Harvey Classic Character library. Paul Guez will serve as chairman of the board and CEO. The creation of Harvey Fashion LLC replaces and extends the scope of an earlier Harvey apparel venture planned with Guez and Azteca Productions Int'l. However, Harvey Fashions LLC may work with Azteca, utilizing their manufacturing facilities. The first product shipments are expected to arrive at retailers for the fall selling season. Guez is a 30-year veteran of the apparel trade and a 50% owner of one of Los Angeles' largest garment manufacturers. His present company has offices and manufacturing facilities in both Los Angeles and Mexico and employs about 5,000 workers. Also joining Harvey Fashions LLC is Patrick Guetta and Tony Guetta, who have been in the merchandising industry, including Disney and Warner Bros., for the past 12 years. The new venture will initially focus on infant and children's apparel, selling to mass merchants as well as specialty stores.