GREENZYS, an eco-friendly literary based children's brand that encompasses – books, plush toys, animated content and an interactive website, will be introduced to consumers on April 5, 2010, exclusively at FAO Schwarz New York and online through FAO.com and will be expanding to domestic and international retailers after the exclusive launch.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100201/LA46944)

The GREENZYS' characters, manufactured as plush toys by Kids Preferred, promote green living and teach eco-friendly practices to youngsters through heartwarming stories and endearing plush animal toys that are both environmentally safe and fun. Among the GREENZYS characters being introduced are Peat the Penguin, an ardent supporter of recycling, reusing and reducing waste; Yew Yew the Panda, who grows bamboo to prevent erosion and create oxygen; Willow the Elephant, who collects rainwater for her plants and uses her trunk as a water hose; and Violet the Giraffe, the ecological genius who teaches the GREENZYS how to reduce their carbon paw print in an effort to protect the environment.

GREENZYS are the creation of product designer Lisa Keyser who, along with GREENZYS co-founder Mark Lieber, shares a deep concern for the earth along with a love of animals.  Lieber, also founder of Rethink Entertainment & Media, has an impressive track record for creating, developing producing and distributing top quality branded entertainment and consumer product franchises.  The Simpsons, Barney, Maisy, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, X-Men, Sweet Valley High, Dragonball Z and The Tick are just some of the franchises Lieber has been associated with throughout his career.

"The GREENZYS are a fun and engaging way of involving young children in the daily activities of green living," says GREENZYS co-founder Lieber.  "We use the animal characters and their stories to reinforce the importance of green living practices such as conservation of natural resources, recycling, reusing and replanting. And if we're successful in entertaining and educating them simultaneously, then we cultivate these eco-friendly practices as habits that will sustain our children and our planet."

"I am very excited to see The GREENZYS come to life and bring Green Awareness to kids around the world.  The GREENZYS is a team of earth conscious animal characters who through fun and enlightening adventures will inform our kids on the positive effect that good green daily practices have on our planet," says GREENZYS Creator, Lisa Keyser.  "Populations are getting larger while the earth isn't getting more capacious, and we need to do a better job of reducing, preserving and conserving.  Every climate and region of the planet will represent new challenges and adventures for THE GREENZYS to thrive within."

Adam Newman is head of creative affairs for the GREENZYS, who oversaw the collaboration with the author, Creative Capers animation studio, and Curious Light web studio to create the content that's being used for all media outlets including literary, internet, mobile entertainment, and all digital formats.

The GREENZYS will also have an original theme song to be released next month.  It will be composed by Michael Orland, musical arranger and associate musical director of the series American Idol with lyrics by Adam Newman.  The GREENZYS song will be performed by 13 year old newcomer recording artist Samia Najimy Finnerty. Samia is the daughter of actress Kathy Najimy and lead singer of the Dan Band Dan Finnerty: popular from the films Old School and The Hangover and featured regularly on The Jay Leno Show. The song will accompany The GREENZYS Animated Video on Greenzys.com and will be the official music video for the brand.

The GREENZYS book is from acclaimed writer Danielle Mentzer, author of Plucked Duck, whose writing and development credits include the Emmy-award winning Santa Claus Brothers, Pink Panther & Pals and The Mouse and the Monster as well as the global hit series Sitting Ducks. Cris de Lara, an award-winning digital artist, illustrates the book series, which is published by DK Publishing.

Beth Richman, of Bluebird Media Consulting, served as an educational consultant for GREENZYS. Richman has previously worked with both Sesame Workshop and Scholastic Media on developing and designing curriculum-based entertainment properties for preschool and school-aged children.

In keeping with the eco friendly children's brand commitment to environmental conservation, a portion of every GREENZYS purchase will benefit the non-profit Environmental Media Association (www.ema-online.org), founded by Cindy and Alan Horn and Lyn and Norman Lear. EMA supporters have included, Gwyneth Paltrow, Maroon 5, Amy Smart, Cameron Diaz , Daryl Hannah, Ed Begley Jr., Nicole Richie, Ted Turner, Blythe Danner and numerous other celebrity/corporate environmentalists.

In a special promotion marking the 40th anniversary of the Earth Day celebration on April 22, 2010, each GREENZYS toy purchased between April 5 and December 31st will support the Arbor Day Foundation (www.arborday.org) by the planting of a tree in our nation's forests.  In addition to the hours of fun that the GREENZYS plush toys and stories give children, youngsters are also invited to go the GREENZYS website (www.greenzys.com) to receive a personalized digital certificate acknowledgement of their planted tree contribution from the specific GREENZY they've purchased.

There's also a GREENZYS pre-School TV series is in development.

To catch a first look at the GREENZYS, go to www.greenzys.com.  To follow GREENZYS on Twitter, please click here.  Become a fan on Facebook by clicking here.

About Rethink Entertainment & Media and MoonReef Designs

Rethink Entertainment & Media (www.rethinkent.com)  represents a new altruistic mind set in entertainment.  As a multi-faceted, award winning studio known for creating intellectual properties and collaborating with top talent on a multitude of projects spanning all forms of media, Rethink Entertainment & Media is committed to educating the world's children on environmental and ecological issues that will impact their lives and their future.  Rethink Entertainment & Media is known for bringing innovative creative ideas and proven entertaining concepts to content for all ages for all genres, formats, and mediums.  Rethink Entertainment & Media is based in Los Angeles.  MoonReef Designs (www.moonreef.com), founded by Lisa Keyser, is a design studio that creates hand painted works of art, digital designs and illustrations for various consumer products including tile, toys, stationary, textiles, giftware, and prints. Keyser is a mother of two children from New Jersey and is passionate about the environment and making it green as well as secure for future generations.  With this in mind, she created the GREENZYS characters.

Kids Preferred, LLC is an award-winning division of Kids Preferred, Inc., which was founded in 1983 and is one of the largest plush toy manufacturers in the U.S.  Known for its superior quality and unique designs, Kids Preferred, LLC serves the specialty, juvenile, gift, and better department store trade by distributing soft toys and gifts under its own brand, private label and licensed brands including amazing baby™, asthma & allergy friendly™, Between the Lions™, Classic Winnie the Pooh®, Elmer, The World of Eric Carle™,  Guess How Much I Love You™, Harley-Davidson®, Madeline™, Martha Speaks™, Pat the Bunny®,  Spot™ and The Snowman™.  The company is headquartered in East Windsor, NJ and has offices in New York City, Hong Kong and Shanghai.  For more information, contact Kids Preferred at 1-866-SOFT TOY (763-8869) or visit their website at www.kidspreferred.com.

Pepsi will be inviting consumers to participate in social causes—an effort that will use social media, like Twitter and Facebook.

This Monday, the company will be launching the Pepsi Refresh Project. Pepsi will be shelling out more than $20 million—spread throughout the year—for donations to local organizations for causes like health, arts, culture, and education.

Ideas for the grants can be submitted on a project-dedicated Website, where browsers can suggest and vote for causes. The details of the project will be unveiled on Monday, when Kevin Bacon and Demi Moore are set to appear on the Today Show on NBC. The two celebrities will be advocating for pet causes and educational mentoring services.

The project will also be advertised on the show and its Website as part of a marketing agreement with NBC Universal.

The Pepsi Refresh Project aims to tap an emerging trend called cause-related marketing or pro-social marketing. This platform gives brands the opportunity to contribute to social causes, while exposing the brand in the process.

Source: NYTimes
 

The Museum of Science, Boston is pleased to announce that it will extend its East Coast premiere run of Harry Potter: The Exhibition by one week. Due to its popularity, the exhibit, which was originally set to end its run on February 21, will now remain open until February 28, 2010. To meet demand for tickets during February school vacation weeks in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the Museum will also offer special extended exhibit hours:

    * Saturday, February 13 through Saturday, February 20, Harry Potter: The Exhibition and Museum exhibit halls are open 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
    * Sunday, February 21 through Thursday, February 25, hours are: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
    * Friday, February 26: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
    * Saturday, February 27 – Sunday, February 28: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

The extended run will give New England fans their last chance to step inside the famous wizard's magical world before the exhibition moves to its next location, the Ontario Science Center in Toronto, Canada. The Museum of Science is the only New England location on the exhibit’s tour.

In partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Exhibitgroup/Giltspur created the 10,000-square-foot exhibition to offer fans a first-hand look at more than 200 authentic artifacts displayed in settings inspired by the film sets—including the Great Hall, Hagrid's hut, the Gryffindor™ common room—and more. Visitors to Harry Potter: The Exhibition will see the amazing craftsmanship and artistry that went into creating the costumes and props for the beloved characters and iconic moments in the blockbuster film series.

"We're delighted to extend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for New England Muggles to step inside Harry Potter's world. And for the many fans that have already sat in Hagrid's chair, scored a Quidditch point for their house, or marveled at seeing Buckbeak's feathers up close—now is their chance to relive this incredible experience with family and friends," said Ioannis Miaoulis, President and Director of the Museum of Science. "Harry Potter: The Exhibition is full of such remarkable artistry and detail, new visitors will be inspired by the creativity that went into bringing a magical world to life, and returning fans will enjoy catching elements that they may have missed the first time," he added.

“We are thrilled to respond to the demand of fans by offering an extended run of Harry Potter: The Exhibition at the Museum of Science in Boston,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President, Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “The success of the exhibition is a testament to support from fans of all ages, and extending this magical experience is the perfect way to show our appreciation to the fans.”   

“This exhibition has offered thousands of Harry Potter fans a fascinating new way to experience the films,” said Eddie Newquist, President, Branded Entertainment, Exhibitgroup/Giltspur. “We’re thrilled to extend the exhibition’s run, and it is our hope that every Harry Potter fan in the Boston area will have the opportunity to experience the magic before the exhibition leaves for Canada.”

Harry Potter: The Exhibition is open now and runs through Sunday, February 28, 2010 at the Museum of Science, Boston. The exhibition requires a time-entry ticket and will be open for guests during the Museum's regular Exhibit Hall hours: Saturday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Special extended hours will be offered during Massachusetts and New Hampshire school vacation weeks; see above for details. Tickets for the exhibition can be purchased on site at the Museum, through the Museum’s web site mos.org, or by calling 617-723-2500, 617-589-0417 (TTY). Combination admission into the Museum and Harry Potter: The Exhibition is $26 for adults; $24 for seniors (60 and over); $23 for children (ages 3-11) and $5 for Museum of Science members.

About the Museum of Science, Boston:

The Museum takes a hands-on approach to science, engineering and technology, attracting about 1.5 million visitors a year via its programs and 700 interactive exhibits. Founded in 1830, the Museum was first to embrace all the sciences under one roof. Highlights include the Thomson Theater of Electricity, Charles Hayden Planetarium, Mugar Omni Theater, Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, 3-D Digital Cinema and Butterfly Garden. The Museum is the first science and technology center to be approved as a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Reaching 25,000 teens a year worldwide via the Intel Computer Clubhouse®, the Museum also leads a multi-museum, $20 million National Science Foundation-funded nanotechnology education initiative. The Museum’s “Science Is an Activity” exhibit plan has been awarded many NSF grants and influenced science centers worldwide. Its National Center for Technological Literacy® aims to enhance knowledge of engineering and technology for people of all ages and inspire the next generation of engineers, inventors, and scientists. The Museum is ranked #3 by Parents Magazine in its list of the country’s “Ten Best Science Centers." For more information visit mos.org.

About Exhibitgroup/Giltspur:  

Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (EG) is an award-winning experiential marketing agency known for creating meaningful and memorable brand experiences. Through exhibits, events, mobile marketing tours, permanent installations and retail environments, EG helps clients accelerate the sales process, deepen brand loyalty and consistently deliver superior results. The company also creates branded entertainment experiences that surprise and delight audiences worldwide. EG recently joined with sister company GES, one of the largest exhibition services contractors, to provide clients with unmatched program solutions. Backed by the financial strength of their parent company, Viad Corp (NYSE: VVI), EG and GES employ approximately 3,500 professionals in 58 client care centers throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.e-g.com and www.ges.com

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. 

Knowledge Resources will be conducting a one-day seminar that will focus on the latest trends and developments in the branded entertainment industry. The event will take place on March 24, 2010, in Johannesburg.

Branded entertainment is quickly emerging as a top marketing concept. This includes product placements and brand integrations across several platforms, like movies, TV shows, Webisodes, and even in video games.

However, branded entertainment is a relatively new concept in South Africa. While there is growing interest, the regional media companies still lack the skills and experience to produce branded content. Knowledge Resources wants to change this.

The seminar will be covering the following topics:
•    An introduction to branded entertainment
•    The rise of video games and brand placement within games
•    How to structure a branded entertainment deal
•    Building brands into story-lines
•    The measurement of branded entertainment

It will also feature speakers from top branded entertainment companies. They will contribute their insights and cite experiences about the emerging industry.

For more information, click here.