Holiday cheers

Animated feature film and TV series tie-ins may just be the highlight of holiday spending this year. Consumers are already expected to spend more than $681 million this season, a jump from last year's figures, according to the NPD Group, and are more likely to treat themselves and their kids to something familiar, like a plush doll of the tap dancing penguin from this fall's CGI feature Happy Feet, or Avatar action figures and play sets based on the Nickelodeon series.

This holiday season, Warner Bros.' Happy Feet, about a young penguin, Mumble, who can't sing but can tap dance, will be tied to toys, games, books and more, including a Tap Dancing Mumble doll, Penguin Slide play set, assorted figures, and role play items like Penguin Feet and a Penguin playsuit and dance mat, all from Thinkway Toys, Toronto. New York-based Sababa Toys has several Happy Feet games in the market, including Mumble's Tumble and Return to Emperor Land. Additionally, craft product will be available from Jakks Pacific, as well as books from DK and Penguin.

At the same time, several production houses will extend some already popular properties. Fox has new product out for The Simpsons and Family Guy, including new McFarlane Simpsons figure play sets and a Family Guy DVD Blast game from Screenlife, Seattle.

Universal Studios Consumer Products, Burbank, Calif., will extend its Curious George offerings this season to reflect the recent DVD release and animated series, which just launched this fall on PBS. “Our retail development team has created a variety of promotions tailored to specific retail partners to ensure that George is top- of-mind in this media-heavy window,” says Amy Taylor, senior vice president of sales and retail for Universal. “As we continue to build success during this time frame, we expect it will create anticipation for our new product line that debuts in January 2007 and is tied to the PBS Kids television series.”

Some related retailer promotions include a free plush doll with purchase of the George DVD at Best Buy, a Curious George boutique with large signage at the front of the store at New York's FAO Schwarz, and a Curious George Character Emporium that includes more than 30 different licensed products at Barnes & Noble. An extended line of books from George publisher Houghton Mifflin, as well as product from Marvel Toys, New York, like the Tickle 'n' Giggle doll, bean bags and Bump 'n' Go toy vehicle, are due out before the end of the year.

Nickelodeon has launched product for three of its popular animated series. For Avatar, play sets, figures (Fisher-Price), a trading card game (Upper Deck), Plug 'n' Play games (Jakks) and other products surround the TV series about a boy who's torn between being a regular kid and the next Avatar. For The Backyardigans, Ty is offering Beanie Babies plush, while Fisher-Price markets bath play sets and a Sing-Along Music Maker. The company also has a Go, Diego, Go! Talking Rescue Center play set and a Power Wheels Jeep Wrangler 4x4 ride-on.