07.03.02
Talking Dalek leads assault on the High Street
Exterminate!
Exterminate!
A six-inch high talking Dalek looks set to lead an assault on the
High Street as it ushers in a new era in the production and marketing
of Doctor Who-associated merchandise. Product Enterprises, which
became Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide's Toy Licensee for Doctor Who last November,
reports from recent international toys fairs that merchandise associated
with the classic Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ series is already attracting huge interest
worldwide.
The
talking Dalek (price Β£24.99) was launched in November 2001
and sales have already far exceeded expectations, according to managing
director Stephen Walker. "The last time we saw such activity
was at the height of the series' popularity back in the 1970s, but
this was when the programme was still in production. Demand has
been so great that we've up scaled our operations and plans are
already well-advanced for two new ranges - a smaller range of articulated
figures which include micro-motors (known as Roll-A-Matics), and
large scale talking action figures."
This
spring will see the launch of the first in the Roll-A-Matics range,
a set of four 2.5 inch fully articulated motor action Daleks. Available
from the end of April, this range will later be expanded to include
the Tardis, Cyberman, Sea Devil, Ice Warrior - all to scale. Next
in line in the large scale talking action figures range are the
Talking Cyberman and a Talking K9, also produced to scale so they
can be built into an impressive collection.
The
phenomenal success of its larger successor, the talking Dalek, is
enabling Product Enterprises to invest in an ambitious new toy which
could become THE gift for Christmas 2002 - a 12 inch radio controlled
Dalek which will be invading high streets from October 2002.
"The
radio controlled Dalek has been the star of the toy fairs this spring,"
says Stephen Walker. "The Dalek is one of the most iconic British
images of the last 40 years and we're finding that it has a wide
appeal through a variety of retail outlets, from gift shops and
record stores to mainstream retail, and across all age groups. The
appeal of Doctor Who merchandise is not limited to this country.
We know that there's a huge market in the US and Australia but at
the most recent New York Toy Fair, for example, we had strong interest
from wholesalers in Germany, South Africa, Spain and Portugal".
"We
are delighted with the response to Product Enterprises - they have
taken Doctor Who to a whole new market and really raised the profile
of the brand with high quality, inventive product," says Siobhan
Williamson, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide's Head of Adult Licensing. "Their
fresh and innovative approach has brought the property bang up-to-date
while maintaining its core values, enabling it the compete in a
market filled with sci-fi merchandise."
NOTE
TO EDITORS:
Product Enterprise Ltd has been designing and developing toys for
high profile clients around the world for more than ten years. The
company now manufactures and distributes its own licensed products
beginning with the Doctor Who brand. Produce Enterprise is currently
developing other licenses as well as inventing its own range of
innovative toys and collectibles.
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