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Irwin Toy to Produce All-New ReBoot Toyline
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 American Champion Marketing Group (a subsidiary of American Champion Entertainment, , representing ReBoot series producer Mainframe Entertainment, has concluded a licensing agreement with Irwin Toy, to manufacture and distribute items based on the animated property. ReBoot, the first TV series to be produced with computer generated imagery, will launch its first line of action figures and plush toys to be available for the Christmas 2000 shopping season, supported by a $2 million television advertising campaign.The ReBoot licensing launch will include: 15 action and vinyl figures giving the characters an entirely new look; vehicles, bendables, plush toys, jigsaw puzzles, model kits, and toy carrying cases. ReBoot is currently one of the three most popular programs on the Cartoon Network, sharing the prestigious Toonami block with DragonBall Z and Sailor Moon. Additionally, ReBoot is in production on two made-for-TV films, to be broadcast late 2000/early 2001, just as the products are hitting the shelves. Joy Tashjian, President of ACMG, explained, "ReBoot represents a fantastic opportunity for Irwin Toy to apply all of its expertise with action figures based upon animated television series and fortify the brand. We want ReBoot action figures to reflect the same, very high degree of technological sophistication which kids are seeing in the animated series.'' ReBoot offers a profusion of astounding digital imagery that can be easily translated into state-of-the-art merchandise,'' said Mainframe Entertainment's Director of Merchandising and Licensing, Helen Chapman. ``Viewership for 'ReBoot' continues to rise as we build on the family viewing theme and attract new audiences outside the series' traditional market. We view this new deal with Irwin as a terrific opportunity that will further invigorate the brand and solidify 'ReBoot's' presence in international markets.'' Irwin Toy Ltd., Canada's largest manufacturer and distributor of toys and games, is convinced that an advanced, new line of figures will energize the tremendous equity of the 'ReBoot' series. Irwin Toy Ltd. expects to do up to $50 million in retail sales in the first full year alone. Plans are to market the toys through heavy television ads -- developing a commercial based on the popular series, and to create strategic alliances with major market expos, conventions and appropriate charities. The retail outlets that will stock the line include K-Mart, Toys 'R' Us, WalMart, Target and KB Toys. Lizanne Bertrand, Marketing Director for Irwin Toy Ltd. said, ``We are keenly interested in maximizing new action figure technologies in creating our products. We now have the ability to get finer details in the faces and much better articulation in the bodies of these figures on a mass-production line. Our past successes have given us the tremendous advantage of employing these newer technologies as well as enhancing our market-niche expertise. A property like ReBoot affords the potential to combine these new technologies with a recognizable brand.'' ReBoot has been broadcast since 1994 and airs weekdays domestically in Cartoon Network's prestigious Toonami block. It is the first half-hour television series produced entirely using computer-generated imagery, and airs in some 70 countries around the world. Like the highly successful film, The Matrix, ReBoot takes place inside a computer and features an eclectic array of heroes and villains. Mainframe was recognized for its creation of ReBoot and inducted into the Smithsonian Institute's 1998 Innovation Collection. SOURCE: American Champion Marketing Group [Posted 6/27/2000]
  
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