License Magazine - August 2007 - (Page 32) casestudy Care Bears Turn 25 America’s teddy bears come out of hibernation with a huge celebratory campaign. By Dawn Wilensky They’ve been called “America’s teddy bears” with a long tradition of teaching children about caring and sharing while also securing a place among today’s most popular evergreen properties. As Care Bears celebrates its 25th anniversary, American Greetings has been busy growing the brand with a new look, new entertainment, consumer advertising, retail promotions, national events, and an extensive product mix not only to commemorate the auspicious occasion but to build a foundation for the years ahead. The anniversary buzz, aided by The Joester Loria Group, kicked off in spring with a limitededition DVD of the original Care Bears movie, plus two additional classic DVDs from Fox Home Entertainment closely followed by an online trivia sweepstakes at carebears25.com, a 25th anniversary microsite where consumers had the chance to win a Dodge Grand Caravan. The new movie, Oopsy Does It, hit the big screen last month and debuts on DVD in October; and 26 new TV episodes air this month on CBS’s Saturday morning programming block, with each show promoting emotional intelligence among its young viewers. The Bears’ new look is an important part of the movie, with the more distinct personality of each bear played up as part of the plot and reflected on their “belly badges” (formerly known as “tummy symbols”). All apparel, publishing, and other consumer products entering the marketplace will reflect the bears’ new attitudes. “Kids have a tendency to think of the bears as a group without really knowing each bear’s name, so our goal was to make each character more distinct and give them each a power related to their specific personality traits—for example, Cheer Bear can change her rainbow into a parachute or a rope to help her or her friends in any given situation,” explains Dave Polter, senior creative consultant at American Greetings. Bear Essentials Always trying to keep the bears out of hibernation, American Greetings has assembled a strong portfolio of about 100 licensees creating a wide range of categories. Key retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys ’R’ Us as well as specialty accounts such as 32 www.licensemag.com August 2007 http://carebears25.com http://www.licensemag.com
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