BBC Worldwide unveils two new properties at this year's L!censing Show. DOCTOR WHO is about an intergalactic adventurer who, with his companion, travels through time and space witnessing things beyond our imagination. CHARLIE AND LOLA is about a funny four-year old little girl who knows her own mind and "will not ever, NEVER eat a tomato" and her imaginative older brother who persuades her they are really Moonsquirters from the land of Moon. At L!censing International 2005, New York, running June 21-23, 2005, BBC will be located at booth #3933.

McDonald’s Corp. has named DIC Ent. (DIC) as its worldwide licensing agent for active play toys, entertainment and apparel as well as other concepts to come. DIC will develop comprehensive new programs and products for McDonald’s McKids brand slated to rollout in 2005 and 2006.

Amberwood Ent. has entered into a master merchandising and licensing arrangement with RTI, a subsidiary of Gruppo Mediaset, for the animated series, THE SECRET WORLD OF BENJAMIN BEAR. RTI will undertake comprehensive merchandising of product based upon the series throughout Italy.

This series, commissioned by Canada's Family Channel, was co-produced with Scotland's Red Kite Productions and has been licensed in numerous territories worldwide.

Palisades Toys are about to release action figures based on Cartoon Network’s uber-popular [adult swim] properties. Expect the Series 1 action figures to begin showing up at retail outlets sometime in the next few weeks. Each two pack will come with loads of character and episode specific accessories.

Series One includes:
AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE – Master Shake & Mothmonsterman 2-pack
SEALAB 2021 – Dr. Quentin Quinn & Debbie DuPree 2-pack
HARVEY BIRDMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW – Phil Ken Sebben & Bear 2-pack

The No. 37 R&J Racing Dodge Charger has joined forces with UNDERDOG for two of NASCAR's most high profile races, the Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 28, 2005. The No. 37 racecar will be fueled by the "speed of lightning and roar of thunder" in its all-new red, white and blue UNDERDOG paint scheme.

In recent months the team has been referred to as the 'underdog' of Nextel Cup. Beginning with a 9th place finish in the Daytona 500, the team has sought week after week to qualify and race in every Nextel Cup event on the schedule thus far.

Kellogg and Lucasfilm Ltd. have teamed to supply new Kellogg's products inspired by the May 19 release of STAR WARS: EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH.

VIZ Media has announced today that MEGAMAN NT WARRIOR is taking the battle against cyber crime to kids across Europe with an on-pack and in-pack promotional campaign with Frito Lay.

The promotional effort, launching in Benelux, will eventually encompass a number of European territories, and will run through spring 2006. MEGAMAN fans will find entertaining premiums in their Frito Lay snacks.

Nickelodeon has partnered with Chevrolet in a multi-million advertising and promotional multiplatform deal.

"We are thrilled to welcome General Motors to Nickelodeon as an advertiser," said Jim Perry, svp, Nickelodeon Ad Sales. "This partnership highlights the ubiquity of our brand, particularly for non- traditional advertisers, and will give Chevrolet and its new Uplander buyers the ability to connect with the Nickelodeon audience on a multiplatform level."

Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) and the Major League Baseball Players Assoc. (MLBPA) have joined with Cartoon Network for the second year of a program designed to promote youth interest in baseball and baseball card collecting by reaching out to the millions of children who watch Cartoon Network original programming. The partnership, designed to engage children in the game of baseball via non-traditional media partners that speak directly to youth audiences, features characters from the popular Cartoon Network program CODENAME: KIDS NEXT DOOR.

Earthworks Ent. has been selected to serve as the merchandising and licensing representative for the celebrated infant and toddler franchise LITTLE SUZY’S ZOO. Under the agreement, Earthworks Ent., through the company’s recently inaugurated brand management division, will represent select product categories from the SUZY’S ZOO branded world, including LITTLE SUZY’S ZOO, WAGS and WHISKERS.

Aardman has selected McFarlane Toys as the master toy partner for the upcoming family feature film WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, coming to theaters in October 2005.

McFarlane Toys will launch a limited line of toys in fall 2005, with the full product line hitting retail shelves in 2006. Under the direction of Todd McFarlane, McFarlane Toys will capture the richness and spirit of the film’s characters through its relentless attention to detail with a new line of action figures, three-inch figure playsets and plush bean dolls.

Darth Vader and his candy counter-part M-Vader were in New York yesterday to unveil the new Dark Chocolate M&M's, which will be on shelves nationwide starting April 2, 2005. The product was specifically developed to celebrate the release of STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH.

Animated heroes from the collection of Pixar films presented by Disney are bringing action and adventure to McDonald's restaurants nationwide in support of the recent release of THE INCREDIBLES DVD. Running until April 14, 2005, with the purchase of a Happy Meal or a Mighty Kids Meal, guests will receive one of eight retail-size action figures from various films. The Disney Presents Pixar Pals McDonald's Happy Meal lineup includes Mr. Incredible and Dash from the Academy Award-winning THE INCREDIBLES; Nemo and Dory from the Academy Award-winning FINDING NEMO; Mike Wazowski and James P.

Cartoon Network and its Turner Broadcasting sibling the Atlanta Braves are joining forces in creating an all-new entertainment and dining experience for kids and families titled “Tooner Field." The Cartoon Network-branded, interactive area will be located at Turner Field's East Pavilion off the Grand Entry Plaza. This multi-million dollar project will have its first phase — a three-story, layered facade featuring the colorful homes of Cartoon Network's most popular characters — ready for opening day, April 8 (Braves vs. the New York Mets).

American Greetings Corp. and DIC Ent. (DIC) kick off the spring season with a STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE Seaberry Beach national promotion. Developed by DIC, on behalf of American Greetings, the promotion features a sweepstakes with tropical prizes.

Canada’s TELETOON has launched an on-air and online promotion to support the new Mattel toy SMAX! The online initiative includes a TELETOON-designed SMAX! Squeeze Web game, which highlights the new toy and uses color combinations to collect points. The campaign will run until March 27, 2005.

SMAX! are new collectible action figures whose heads pop off to reveal a colored "brain" inside. Each color, (purple, green, orange) indicates the winner in each battle, while all the characters have special personalities and names.

20th Century Fox has announced multiple promotional partnerships for its upcoming animated feature ROBOTS, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Licensing deals include ones with Burger King, which will have ROBOTS-themed kids meal; Kelloggs-Keebler, with ROBOTS-themed packaging for several of its breakfast and snack products; and Verizon, with ROBOTS content on its video-on-demand service.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products kicked off the world's largest toy trade show, the 2005 American International Toy Fair -- in New York City from Feb. 20-23, 2005 -- with a new lineup of licensed toys and products inspired by one of the world's most popular superhero franchises: BATMAN.

While exhibiting at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, Nelvana Ltd. announced it has completed a pan-European direct-to-retail agreement with C&A to carry a carry a range of BABAR-themed infantwear.

Under terms of the direct deal – a first for Nelvana in the international market – C&A stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Russia and the Czech Republic will carry the BABAR baby line, which is expected to debut in June 2005.

Breakthrough Animation enters the 2005 New York International TOYFAIR with an extensive lineup of international licensing deals in place for the company’s animated series, ATOMIC BETTY.