Toy Play LLC has signed a deal making it the master toy licensee for MR. BEAN. Created by comedian Rowan Atkinson, MR. BEAN, THE ANIMATED SERIES follows the day-to-day mishaps of the quiet and clumsy Mr. Bean. The toy line is set to hit the U.S. and Canada, beginning fall 2004. This announcement comes on the heals of The Sharpe Company being granted the merchandising rights for the MR. BEAN character throughout North America.
Toy Plays line, based on the animated TV series that debuted in States in April 2003 on PBS, will include plush dolls, PVC figures, bendables, beanies, key rings, clip-ons, playsets, wind-ups, coin banks, cuddle pillows and blankets. Toy Play plans to roll out the line at the Mass Market Toy Expo in New York, scheduled for October 21 - 23, 2003. On display will be a talking Mr. Bean doll, 5 Mr. Bean Bendable, 10 soft body doll with a vinyl head, a Teddy plush, a talking clip-on and a PVC collector set featuring Mr. Bean, Teddy, Emma and Landlady.
Everyone who has watched a MR. BEAN episode can at some point identify and laugh at the leading characters everyday problems and his creative if not chaotic solutions, said Charles Day, president of The Sharpe Company. The new licensed toys will leave you smiling. The chuckle factor is huge. The animation provides the kind of imagery that lends itself to a wide range of merchandise targeted at the social expression marketplace. The launch of the animated series creates the opportunity for a truly successful merchandising program.
MR. BEAN is exactly the kind of property Toy Play looks for unique, playful and fun, said Jonathan Breiter, vp, new business development & marketing, Toy Play. Toy Play is committed to being the best brand development partner for industry leading toy properties and were thrilled to develop and market toys for MR. BEAN.
Headquartered in New York, Toy Play LLC is a company of The Betesh Group, a global conglomerate with six offices in four countries and 500 employees worldwide. Toy Play was founded in January 2003 to solidify The Betesh Groups master toy licensee agreements. Since then, Toy Play has established long-term agreements with Hallmark Cards for RAINBOW BRITE and the Jim Henson Co.s MUPPET BABIES. For more information visit www.beteshgroup.com/.
Based in Los Angeles, The Sharpe Company is an entrepreneurial intellectual property management firm, serving as a licensing agent and consultant, strategic brand development manager and entertainment packager. The core focus of Sharpes activities is to bring a global perspective to the business of marketing intellectual properties.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
