Legendary toon Speedy Gonzales, "the fastest mouse in all of Mexico," has joined Latin sensations Kumbia All-Starz in a music video for their song SPEEDY GONZALES, featured on the band's newest album, AYER FUE KUMBIA KINGS HOY ES KUMBIA ALLSTARZ. The Warner Bros. Consumer Products character was inaugurated as the newest member of the Kumbia All-Starz at a press conference in Mexico City, after record label EMI/Televisa Music leaked to the media that an unnamed Hollywood star was set to join the band. This falls on the heels of a recent flurry of Speedy-related activities ranging from art displays and skateboard tours, to the re-release of classic cartoons and Volkswagen commercials.
"Speedy is the one and only original Mexican cartoon character... a true classic whose fans range in age from children to their grandparents," said Jordan Sollito, EVP, new initiatives and international licensing. "The Kumbia All-Starz have a broad and extremely loyal fan base in the Latin community, so pairing them together was a great fit."
Prior to his collaboration with the Kumbia All-Starz, Speedy took part in the Ãndale Posse Tour, a six-week professional skateboarding tour in 12 cities nationwide, which was supported by a limited-edition line of Speedy skateboards, T-shirts and hats.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products also commissioned 10 Latino artists to create unique artwork inspired by the iconic character. The complete collection, sponsored by the Latino art center Self-Help Graphics & Arts, was unveiled this spring at Nine Star in Los Angeles.
Recently, Speedy also embarked on a notable partnership with Univision, releasing classic SPEEDY GONZALES cartoons in Spanish for the first time ever in the U.S. exclusively on Univision.com. A dedicated mini-site also included exclusive Speedy Gonzales downloads, such as unique Speedy-themed wallpapers, buddy icons, grab-and-go animation and wireless content. Speedy has also recently served as a spokesperson for Volkswagen GTI in selected print, television and in-dealership promotions.
