NEW YORK -- March 29, 2005 -- SUBWAY(R) Restaurants, Pokemon USA and 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. have launched a promotion now offering one of four new Pokemon(R) action toy premiums with the purchase of SUBWAY(R) Restaurant's popular Kids' Pak(R) meals.
Pokemon has been one of the most successful children's entertainment properties over the past decade - with a top-rated television program on Kids' WB!, top-selling video games on Nintendo game consoles, a popular trading card game, theatrical and home video movie releases, toys and more. With upcoming releases such as Pokemon Emerald for the Game Boy(R) Advance system, the cool, cute and cuddly Pokemon characters continue their long-lasting popularity among kids.
The Pokemon promotion runs through May 8, 2005 at participating SUBWAY(R) Restaurant locations in the United States and Canada, while supplies last. In keeping with the SUBWAY(R) chain's commitment to its F.R.E.S.H. Steps program, which encourages children to eat healthy and keep active, these familiar, action-oriented Pokemon toy premiums promote energetic playtime activity. The toy premiums available include:
- "Crazy Poke Ball" - Just try and guess where the Poke Ball will go next - rolling a different path every time, this toy will keep kids surprised!
- "Deoxys(TM) Whirl" - Throw the Deoxys Whirl ball high into the sky, then watch as its tail spins around! This toy features Deoxys - the newest Pokemon character featured in the new home video movie release "Pokemon: Destiny Deoxys".
- "Pokemon Lacrosse Stick" - Children will have a great time tossing and catching a ball, with Groudon, Kyogre, and Pikachu highlighted on the lacrosse stick handle.
- "Rayquaza(TM) Disc" -- Rayquaza, also a star from "Pokemon: Destiny Deoxys," graces the handle which spins in the opposite direction of the 6-inch (15 cm) flying disc.
In addition, a safety-designed "Mega Bloks(R)' Little Farm" three-piece toy premium is available for toddlers 18 months and older. Included with each Pokemon toy premium is a $3 savings coupon, redeemable with the purchase of "Pokemon: Destiny Deoxys" on DVD or video.
"SUBWAY(R) is spending a lot of effort to show it's the healthy alternative for kids," said Bruce Loeb, V.P. of Marketing for Pokemon USA, Inc. "For us, teaming with SUBWAY(R) shows Pokemon is working hard to be good for kids' mind, body and soul."
"So many kids know and love their favorite Pokemon characters, they're the ideal complement to a springtime Kids' Pak(R) meal," says Michelle Cordial, Director of Implementation for the SUBWAY(R) Franchise Advertising Fund Trust. "We are delighted to combine meal time and fun time with Pokemon USA's participation in our Kids' Pak(R) program."
"We are pleased to expand our relationship with SUBWAY(R) Restaurants and offer this new exciting promotion featuring Pokemon, one of our most endearing properties," said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and CEO of 4Kids Entertainment. "SUBWAY(R) Restaurants enjoys a strong record of working with leading brands and we look forward to introducing these Pokemon toy premiums to its young, health-conscious guests."
Each Kids' Pak(R) meal selection includes a freshly made deli-style sandwich, a Fruit Roll-ups(R) fruit snack, a Minute Maid(R) 100% Juice box, and now, a Pokemon toy premium.
About Pokemon
Pokemon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokemon Company in Japan, manages and oversees the property outside of Asia, which includes licensing, promotions, publication of the trading card game, an animated TV series, movies, the official Pokemon website, and pokemoncenter.com - an e-commerce site. Pokemon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo's Game Boy(R) and has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokemon was introduced in North America in September of 1998 and has since generated over $15 billion in worldwide retail sales. The trading card game, fueled by organized play programs around the world, has spurred global sales of more than 13 billion cards to date, while the Pokemon animated series on Kids' WB!, now in its seventh season, consistently ranks within the top three shows for boys ages 6-11. For more information, visit http://www.pokemon.com.
About SUBWAY(R) Restaurants
The SUBWAY(R) restaurant chain, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the world's largest submarine sandwich franchise, with 23,000 locations in 80 countries. The chain is also the second largest fast-food chain in the world, surpassing McDonald's(R) number of locations throughout the United States, Canada, and most recently, in Australia.
Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, and with regional offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane, Miami and Singapore, the SUBWAY(R) chain was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. That partnership made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business.
The SUBWAY(R) chain was named the number one franchise opportunity in Entrepreneur magazine's 2005 "Franchise 500" listing, marking the 13th time in 17 years that this honor has been achieved.
Visit http://www.subway.com to learn more about the SUBWAY(R) restaurant chain - and for great games and fun activities, go to http://www.subwaykids.com.
SUBWAY(R) and Kids' Pak(R) are registered trademarks of Doctor's Associates Inc.
About 4Kids Entertainment
Headquartered in New York City with international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) is a global provider of children's entertainment and merchandise licensing. 4Kids, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, provides domestic and international merchandise licensing; television, film, music and home video production and distribution; media planning and buying; and Web site development. For further information, please visit the Company's Web site at: http://www.4KidsEntertainment.com.
