Contact:
Kathy Needham
Needham Marketing (for MCP)
o: 616.458-4212
c: 616.443.2500
e: kathy@missioncitypress.com
www.missioncitypress.com
Michelle Orsi
Three.Sixty Communications (for DIC)
310.372.2309
michelle@360-comm.com
#1 Bestselling Children's Bible Expands Market with All-New Consumer Products Program
FRANKLIN, TN & BURBANK, CA (Nov. 8, 2007) -- The #1 bestselling story Bible of all time, The Beginner's Bible®, is expanding its beloved characters beyond the printed page. Mission City Press, owner of The Beginner's Bible®, has named DIC Entertainment (DIC), a global brand management company, as worldwide licensing agent for all The Beginner's Bible merchandise and interactive content, excluding publishing. Zondervan will remain the master publishing partner for all print products.
The Beginner's Bible® is a trusted, proven brand that helps parents and children discover the life and fun of Bible stories in an engaging, entertaining, and educational way. DIC will develop branded products that extend the experience of The Beginner's Bible® literary heritage into a broad-based consumer products program, including toys, apparel, accessories, and an online Web community for the brand. The program will primarily focus on children 2–5 years old, with a secondary market of parents and grandparents. The program will be supported with a comprehensive national marketing and promotional campaign.
"The Beginner's Bible® is the crown jewel of the Christian children's publishing industry. Mission City Press and Zondervan wanted to find an experienced and innovative company with both theresources and the vision to extend The Beginner's Bible® into new frontiers and new product formats," says Sandi Shelton, President of Mission City Press. "We found a terrific partner in DIC Entertainment, one of the most creative, education-oriented, children's entertainment companies in the country."
"The Beginner's Bible® is a trusted, value-rich children's publication, and DIC looks forward tocreating a merchandise line that will take these timeless stories and bring them into a child's everyday life in a fun and engaging manner," comments Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of DIC. "Our goal is to inspire kids around the world to develop a life of faith through a broad reaching program."
"DIC was interested in children's Bible programming and actually sought us out because of the reputation of The Beginner's Bible®," said Kathy Needham, Marketing Director for Mission City Press. "First published in 1989, The Beginner's Bible® has stood the test of time, and The Beginner's Bible® characters are now the best known children's Bible characters in the world. The vibrancy, charm, and appeal of the characters lend themselves to a myriad of three-dimensional product opportunities. Expanding the reach of the beloved characters of The Beginner's Bible® beyond print will allow us to connect with children in new ways."
The Beginner's Bible® was fully updated in 2005 with new artwork and text. To date, over 15 million units of all The Beginner's Bible® book formats have been sold. Published by Zondervan, The Beginner's Bible® is available in more than 20 languages worldwide. Recently awarded the 2006 Retailers Choice award by the Christian Booksellers Association in the U.S., it also won the 2006 Children's Nonfiction Book of the Year Award in the U.K. Zondervan has an extensive The Beginner's Bible® publishing program in place and will continue to aggressively support the brandwith exciting new print product releases every year.
DIC Entertainment currently serves as the worldwide licensor or agent for evergreen brands such as McDonald's, Strawberry Shortcake, Madeline, Mommy & Me, and Eloise. Since DIC re-launched Strawberry Shortcake into the marketplace in 2003, the brand has generated over $2 billion in worldwide revenues. DIC additionally develops its own brands for global distribution, including Horseland and Dino Squad, both properties currently airing on the children’s branded programming block, "KEWLopolis on CBS."
"With DIC's creativity, resources, relationships, and licensing offices around the world, DIC can greatly enhance our mission of creating products that will help instill faith in God and introduce children to the wonderful, timeless stories of the Bible," says Shelton. "Despite existing success 'of biblical proportions,' we believe the best years and the biggest impact on children's lives are yet to come!"
Mission City Press provides non-denominational Christian print, gift, and toy products that helpyoung people develop a strong foundation of faith in God. The company has three extensive productlines for children: The Beginner’s Bible®, which brings the timeless stories of the Bible to life for children ages 2-6; Faith & Friends®, which provides wholesome, contemporary fashion playdolls, doll accessories, and books for girls ages 6-10; and A Life of Faith®, which uses historical fiction novels, historical dolls, an extensive website, and in-person girls clubs to help 10-14 year old girls learn to live a life of faith. Mission City Press was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. A Christian publishing company at its core, it has also become the world’s leading provider of faith-based dolls.
DIC Entertainment, a fully-integrated global brand management company, is dedicated to creating, developing, producing, distributing, marketing and merchandising family-based intellectual properties. DIC has distinguished itself by building one of the largest libraries of animation worldwide with approximately 3,000 half-hours of programming, including Inspector Gadget™, Strawberry Shortcake™, Horseland™, Madeline™, Liberty's Kids™, and Care Bears™. This year, DIC and American Greetings Properties partnered to launch a new educational and informational Saturday morning programming block, "KEWLopolis on CBS." As a pre-eminent supplier of kid's Page 3 programming worldwide, DIC has developed strategic partnerships with key broadcast partners throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia. In 2006, DIC acquired Copyright Promotions, a Pan-European licensing agency that represents the licensing rights of a broad portfolio of world-renowned companies including DreamWorks Animation, MGM, Marvel, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, Viacom, and The Football Association. DIC Entertainment is headquartered in Burbank, Calif., with offices in New York, Paris, and London.
Zondervan, a
HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in San Diego and Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling
Bibles,
books,
audio,
video,
curriculum,
software, and
digital products through its
Zondervan,
eZondervan,
Zonderkidz,
Youth Specialties,
Editorial Vida, and
National Pastors Convention brands. Zondervan resources are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by
Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan on the Internet at
www.zondervan.com (mobile site:
zvan.mobi).
Zonderkidz™, a division of
Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning
Bibles,
books,
board books,
graphic novels,
audio,
video, and
digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the
NIrV (New International Reader's Version) Bible translation, the 3rd-grade reading level edition of the
NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet at
www.zonderkidz.com.
