Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 29

to change our TV website a little bit to match our style guide so that it all flowed,” Telfer explains.

Confronting the Counterfeiters
CJ Products is no stranger to the counterfeit problem plaguing countless numbers of marketers. In fact, Telfer says her company has been fighting counterfeiters ever since they launched the first Pillow Pets commercial back in 2009. “When Pillow Pets became a popular product, everybody was going to jump on the bandwagon,” she says. “What we’ve done is protect our name. We had the registered mark, My Pillow Pets, and it’s likely we’re going to get the registered mark, Pillow Pets, now because of the commercial.” What’s more, CJ Products has successfully gone after people who have misrepresented the brand to the consumers by illegally using the Pillow Pets logo. Telfer adds that her company also has registered copyrights on their designs. “So far, we’ve been able to stop more than 15 different companies from selling a folding pillow that looks like our line,” she explains.

“What’s really exciting is we’re on the other end of licensing, where people are now paying us to use our logo and name on their merchandise,” says Telfer. “We’ve got apparel companies that are developing a whole pajama line, which I’ve been told will be available at Walmart next year. We’ve also got jewelry, bedroom décor and bedding being developed. My ultimate goal would be

to one day create a Pillow Pets cartoon, but we’ll see.” Although Telfer is grateful for all the success Pillow Pets has brought her and CJ Products, she never loses sight of what’s really important to her. As she points out, “It’s been a fun ride, but you definitely have to have it in your blood. As an entrepreneur, the money is great, but it’s more of a passion.”

Looking Toward the Future
These days, Telfer and CJ Products are riding high on the wave of Pillow Pets’ success, which is building momentum beyond U.S. borders. The company has collaborated with a few large distribution companies to market Pillow Pets in Australia and the UK, as well as other markets throughout Europe. Asia is another area of growth, with Japan currently serving as Pillow Pets’ leading market in that space. What else is in store for the brand? “Right now, we’re in the middle of expanding the licensing of Pillow Pets,” Telfer notes. “We have Disney characters coming out in fourth quarter of this year and then with DreamWorks, we’re doing Pillow Pets for Shrek and Donkey.” She adds that other plans in development include a line of pillows for Warner Bros. and Sesame Street.
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Electronic Retailer - December 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Electronic Retailer - December 2011

Calendar of Events
Your Association, Your Bottom Line
Industry Reports
FTC Forum
eMarketer Research
IMS Retail Rankings
Jordan Whitney’s Top Categories
Lockard & Wechsler’s Clearance & Price Index
Ask the Expert
Pillow Pet Talk
What’s New in SEM?
Canada’s Economy Weathers the Storm
How to Cook Up a Successful Offer
DRTV
Legal
Radio
Member Spotlight
Advertiser Spotlight
Bulletin Board
Advertiser Index
Classifieds
Rick Petry
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - cover1
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - cover2
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 3
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 4
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 5
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 6
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Calendar of Events
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Your Association, Your Bottom Line
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Industry Reports
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 10
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 11
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 12
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 13
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - FTC Forum
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 15
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - eMarketer Research
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 17
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - IMS Retail Rankings
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 19
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Jordan Whitney’s Top Categories
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 21
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Lockard & Wechsler’s Clearance & Price Index
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 23
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Ask the Expert
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 25
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Pillow Pet Talk
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 27
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 28
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 29
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - What’s New in SEM?
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 31
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 32
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 33
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Canada’s Economy Weathers the Storm
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 35
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 36
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 37
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - How to Cook Up a Successful Offer
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - DRTV
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Legal
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Radio
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 42
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 43
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Member Spotlight
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 45
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Advertiser Spotlight
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Advertiser Index
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Classifieds
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - 49
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - Rick Petry
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - cover3
Electronic Retailer - December 2011 - cover4
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