Electronic Retailer - June 2011 - 12

INDUSTRY REPORTS

Oak Lawn Marketing Continues to Work Toward ‘Genki’ Japan
Oak Lawn Marketing officials continue to focus on providing whatever aid it can in the wake of the record-breaking earthquake that struck Japan on March 11. Today, with help from 24 of its partners, the OLM x HOPE = Genki Japan Fund has reached $2.3 million – an increase of $500,000 since April. Following the earthquake, an open letter from Oak Lawn Marketing to its colleagues in the electronic retailing industry noted how fortunate Oak Lawn was to have emerged with no critical damage. The letter read: “Once we were able to confirm the safety of our employees and operating capacity of our infrastructure, our focus returned to operating our business at full capacity and to create a plan of action to help those in need.” The letter also detailed the establishment of an employee fund for disaster relief. Oak Lawn Marketing’s OLM Disaster Relief Fund began soon after with an initial $1.8 million from the company and its senior executive shareholders. The fund was officially named the OLM Genki Japan Fund. “Genki” means healthy and energetic. In addition to its effort to provide monetary aid, Oak Lawn partnered with Hope International Development Agency – Japan (HOPE-JP), a nongovernmental organization the company has sponsored since 2002, and teamed up with The Japan Helicopters Association and Global Medic to provide more immediate forms of relief. Today, commitment has not dwindled. Scott Reid, managing director of Brand & Sales Operations at Oak Lawn Marketing said, “Through its direct work with communities that fall in HOPE-JP’s immediate reach, mostly neglected coastal communities, HOPE-JP has directly provided aid to about 10,000 people. Indirectly, and working with other NGOs on the ground, HOPE-JP has helped about 200,000 people in the Tohoku area.” Materials provided have included 12

food and water, hygiene kits, medicine, masks, necessities for babies such as bottles, formula and wipes, blankets (Snuggies) and foldable bicycles. Aside from its fundraising and volunteer efforts, Oak Lawn Marketing has also helped the community with its continued business. “Typically in a situation like this, all television advertising stops. This abrupt halt in advertising is a drain on the local media stations and puts the local economies at risk. However, after consulting with our media partners in the affected areas, OLM was back on air shortly after the disaster.” Oak Lawn Marketing and HOPE-JP continue to accept donations, which can be made by electronic transfer, credit card or check. For updates and information on how to donate, visit www.oaklawn. co.jp/english/index.html or www.hopeinternational.com. – Laura Bradley

expert judges who will choose the top five products. On Sept. 15, professional pitch people will pitch each of those five products on the D2C catwalk located on the show floor. “InventHelp and INPEX are very happy to again partner with ERA for D2C 2011. The ERA panel at INPEX is also a great opportunity for inventors to present their products directly to DRTV folks that are looking for new products for the direct response industry,” said Nicole Hait, INPEX show director. For more information or to register for 2011 ERA D2C Convention, please visit http://www.d2cshow.org/. If you are a company or business attendee interested in attending INPEX 2011, visit www.inpex.com.

Favorable Judgments for Allstar Products Group
Allstar Products Group, a leading marketer of consumer brands including the Snuggie and Topsy Turvy planters, received favorable judgments in two intellectual property complaints relating to its brands. Allstar filed a complaint against The Northwest Company, LLC for false advertising, trademark dilution and unfair competition. The judgment, by the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, prohibits Northwest from the use of the Snuggie trademark and any variation thereof, as well as use of As Seen on TV, in conjunction with any sleeved blanket products. In a second judgment, the court ordered TV Products USA to immediately cease the manufacture, use and sale of “Handy Trends” tomato and strawberry planters, finding that so-called products infringe upon a patent for Topsy Turvy brand products, owned by Allstar Products Group partner Felknor Ventures, LLC. “These are important rulings for Allstar, our partners and our customers, and we will continue to do everything in our power to vigorously protect Allstar’s innovation and intellectual properties,” said Jennifer De Marco, general counsel for Allstar Products Group.

ERA to Qualify Inventors for D2C 2011 at InventHelp’s INPEX Invention & New Product Exposition June 15-17
ERA will team up again with InventHelp to present the InventHelp-INPEX New Product Showcase, which will take place Sept. 13-15 during the 2011 ERA D2C Convention at the exclusive Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. To kick off the 2011 competition, ERA will host a panel of direct response experts at InventHelp’s INPEX Invention & New Product Exposition June 15-17 at the Monroeville Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., to qualify products for the InventHelp-INPEX New Product Showcase at the 2011 ERA D2C Convention. “We are thrilled about our renewed collaboration with InventHelp to host the New Product Showcase,” said Julie Coons, ERA president and CEO. “This event celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit by providing inventors a venue that highlights their innovative products.” The InventHelp-INPEX New Product Showcase enables inventors to present a two-minute pitch about their products to top retailers, along with a panel of

electronicRETAILER | June 2011

Electronic Retailer - June 2011

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