LPWire: Foamies Announces Disney Licensing Agreement
Foamies Announces Disney
Licensing Agreement
Leading manufacturer and supplier of crafting products broadens appeal with
Disney characters
Foamies, the most popular line of
foam- shaped products by Darice, intended for crafters, parents, kids and
teachers, will launch an exciting new Disney collection. Armed with a new
licensing agreement, Foamies will now feature Disney's popular characters,
including Winnie the Pooh, Disney Princesses and Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo on
a variety of foam crafting kits.Through this new relationship with Disney
Consumer Products, the No. 1 licensor in the world according to License
Magazine, 2004, Foamies is poised for incremental growth. "Disney is one of the
most popular brands in the world with characters recognized and loved by people
of all ages," said Dave Catan, president and chief executive officer of Darice.
"This new licensing agreement gives us access to some of Disney's core
properties and enables us to leverage the success of Foamies with the magic of
Disney to design a wonderful line of craft products and projects kids of all
ages will love."
"Licensing is an emerging trend in the crafting industry as more and more
companies realize the power of pop culture among crafters," said Catan. He adds,
"Darice is at the forefront of this trend with the new Disney collection of
Foamies that only add to the appeal of the already thriving category."
The Foamies line began with just a few SKUs and today includes nearly 1,500
products ranging from banners and binders with matching sheets to stickers and
frames and an assortment of die-cut, peel-and-stick embellishments for
personalized fun. Working closely with Disney Consumer Products, Darice's
in-house design team is expanding the Foamies program this year with over 100
Disney-specific SKUs including Winnie the Pooh, Disney Princess characters
(Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White) and Nemo
from Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo .
The new Disney collection is planned to hit store shelves this fall and will
offer a variety of arts and crafts kits revolving around room decor, party
supplies, classroom and group activities, and individual crafting projects at a
variety of price points.
The new Foamies are already generating a buzz among buyers at craft and
specialty stores, according to Rosanne Kubisty, marketing director for Darice.
"Disney's core franchises drive high volume," she said. "We're extremely
confident that the new Disney line will be a huge success both in our current
market of specialty and craft stores and in new channels as well. We're already
experiencing a great deal of interest in the group activity packages, which are
truly ideal for birthday parties and crafting get-togethers."
Darice is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of craft products and the
largest full-line craft supplier in the country. Headquartered in Strongsville,
Ohio, Darice offers its products through leading craft centers and a variety of
specialty stores and mass retailers. The company's craft and activity products
include foam shapes along with jewelry, scrap-booking, floral, bridal, art,
holiday, and wicker and woodworking supplies. Darice's family of brands include
Foamies®, Pixie Press®, Precious Impressions®, Blue Jean Teddy®, Victoria Lynn®
and Jewelry Designer®.
--Posted April 8, 2005
Source: Darice