The Buzz
Staff -- Playthings, 4/1/2002
"A lot of brands can't make that jump from TV to product," says Gullane Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, David Jacobs about the cautious tone in the licensing biz. "It may be eye-candy on TV, but it may not translate to toys."…"Sports is a 365-day business," says McFarlane Productions head Todd McFarlane about the appeal of the major league and player licenses. Some retailers, however, only stock McFarlane's sports figures and forget that "sports guys listen to music, play video games and watch movies. It's all just pop culture."…MGM has tapped Vital Toys to make 1-inch to 18-inch dolls and action figures with Madonna's likeness from the film Desperately Seeking Susan. Separately, Sideshow Toy will produce 12-inch articulated figures based on the three stars of Platoon, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger and Charlie Sheen…A Hasbro promotion for Beyblade will send a few lucky kids to Japan at the end of May to compete for the Beyblade World Championship…Sesame Street snagged a Best Album for Children Grammy for "Elmo and the Orchestra"…Japanese toymaker Takara will soon be taking orders for its real single-seater electric car (Takara makes the miniature Choro Q cars). The vehicle, due out in July or August, reaches 37 mph and will cost one million yen (about $7,800)…For more buzz visit playthings.com.
