20.03.03
Early
Learners get the Fimbling Feeling
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Worldwide has forged an agreement with specialist children's high
street retailer Early Learning Centre (ELC) for its newest children's
property, Fimbles. The deal will see Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide's range of Fimbles
books and videos displayed permanently in store, alongside 12 exclusive
ELC Fimbles lines.
Designed
and manufactured for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide by DisplayPlan Ltd in conjunction
with ELC, the specially designed single units will be installed
in 207 of ELC's high street stores with five stores to feature a
double unit. In addition, ELC concessions in selected Debenhams
throughout the UK will also install single Fimbles branded, permanent
point-of-sale units.
As
part of the agreement, ELC's three larger out-of-town stores will
feature a dedicated Fimbles themed area featuring a Fimbles branded
gondola unit. In addition, a section of the area will also contain
a permanent in-store unit displaying Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide's range of books,
videos and merchandise for Tweenies, Teletubbies and Andy Pandy.
Commenting
on the deal, Mark Johnstone, Director of Children's and Learning,
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide says, "Since its launch on CBeebies in September
2002, Fimbles has captured children's imaginations which has been
reflected in the successful sales of books, videos and other product
ranges including puzzles and soft toys. The agreement with ELC offers
us an opportunity to work with a company who, like us, has a great
track record in connecting with parents and children - we're very
much looking forward to working with them."
Tracey
Walker, Head of Marketing at ELC says, "We are delighted to
be working with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worlwide in developing a unit to showcase our
exclusive Fimbles range for this season."
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Worldwide sold over 564,000 units of children's videos in the build-up
to Christmas 2002 with its latest stripy creation, Fimbles, hitting
the no.1 position in the pre-school television children's video
charts having launched on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's pre-school channel CBeebies
just weeks before.
Pre-schoolers
have got the Fimbling feeling when it comes to soft toys. Baby Pom,
the smallest of the three Fimbles, became the number one best selling
pre-school soft toy December 2002* although the characters only
went on sale a few weeks before. Baby Pom's companions Fimbo and
Florrie are also popular choices with both characters appearing
in the top 10 best selling soft pre-school toys in December 2002.
*NPD
- December 2002
Notes
to editors:
-
Since Fimbles launched on CBeebies on 23 September 2002, the programme
is seen on a daily basis by over 1 million parents and carers
with children under four years old
- The
Fimbles website launched on the same day as the television programme
and attracts over 800,000 visitors a week
- The
first issue of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide's Fimbles magazine sold 133,000 copies
when it launched on 14 November
- Ravensburger's
Fimbles puzzle was the No1 best-selling puzzle across the entire
UK puzzle market during November
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