VARSITY AND COOKIE JAR GROUP FORM STRATEGIC LICENSING PARTNERSHIP Licensing agreement opens up Varsity brand to audiences worldwide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Memphis, TN/Burbank, CA (October 2009) - Varsity, the global leader in cheerleading and dance team apparel, instruction and competition, is pleased to announce that Cookie Jar Group has been named the exclusive licensing agent and entertainment partner for the Varsity brand. Cookie Jar Group, an international industry leader in consumer products and entertainment, will help launch Varsity-branded merchandise and entertainment starting in 2010. Copyright Promotions Licensing Group (CPLG), Cookie Jar Group's licensing division, will handle all worldwide licensing for Varsity and Cookie Jar Entertainment will develop entertainment for the brand.
The Varsity licensing program will initially target girls ages seven to 18 with a wide variety of consumer products including apparel, health and beauty aids, back-to-school and accessories and interactive as a lifestyle brand that captures the spirit and enthusiasm of cheerleading. As a secondary program, Cookie Jar will leverage the aspirational aspects of cheerleading with girls ages three to six through toys, publishing, apparel and dress up.
In addition to developing branded merchandise for Varsity, Cookie Jar Entertainment plans to develop original programming that focuses on the talent and experiences of today's cheerleaders as well as the cheerleaders of tomorrow. The programming, both live action and animated, will target Varsity's unique market base and beyond, bringing the cheerleading experience to a wide audience.
Varsity is the leading organization with brands in all areas of cheerleading, from educational camps to competitive events and top quality cheerleading and dance team apparel. This summer, nearly 350,000 cheerleaders and dancers learned proper technique, safety basics and new cheers at Varsity camps across the country.
"Cheerleaders represent nearly four million athletes in the United States, and Varsity and its brands are beloved among that group," says Jeff Webb, Founder and CEO of Varsity. "With Cookie Jar's expertise in creating extensions of well-known brands, we know that we can deliver new categories of top quality product lines to an expanded customer base in a way we've never attempted before. We are especially excited about Cookie Jar's expertise in combining outstanding television programming with effective licensing over the years."
"The Varsity brand embodies spirit, pride, passion, athleticism and leadership. Cookie Jar is looking forward to capturing the brand's essence by developing a licensing program that is unique to Varsity," said Lisa Streff, SVP Domestic Consumer Products, Cookie Jar Group.
About Varsity
Varsity is the source for all things related to cheerleading and dance team. With a rich heritage and traditions dating back to 1948, Varsity is an innovative global leader comprised of the leading spirit brands and organizations including its educational camps, clinics, competitions and uniforms to teams around the world. Varsity's National Championships, which are held at the Walt Disney World® Resorts, have been televised on ESPN Networks for more than 25 years. Sponsors of Varsity events include Gatorade and Nike. Web-based Varsity TV features thousands of cheerleading and dance team videos and has become a favorite cheer destination for cheerleaders and coaches alike. Varsity has led the way in cheerleading safety as a supporter of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors since 1988 and as a camp leader training nearly 350,000 cheerleaders per year in cheerleading fundamentals with an emphasis on safety. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Varsity employs 5,000 employees nationwide. For more information about Varsity, please visit http://www.varsity.com.
About Cookie Jar Group
The Cookie Jar Group is a Canadian-based global children's entertainment, consumer products and education company dedicated to excellence. Through Cookie Jar Entertainment, the company is a leader in the creation, production, marketing and licensing of evergreen character brands that appeal to kids and families worldwide. Cookie Jar Entertainment's library of nearly 6,000 half-hour episodes features some of the world's most recognizable brands, including "Strawberry Shortcake", "Caillou", "Inspector Gadget", "The Doodlebops", "Arthur" and "Johnny Test". The company owns non-character based brands for licensing such as Mommy & Me. Through its pan-European subsidiary, the full-service licensing agency Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, Cookie Jar represents numerous third-party iconic brands. Cookie Jar Group also has a one-third interest in international children's television channel Kidsco. Cookie Jar Education, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of North America's largest providers of supplemental education materials, reaching nearly 2,000 teachers across the United States, through the Carson-Dellosa and HighReach Learning brands.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Brook Hefner/Cookie Jar Entertainment bhefner@cjar.com; (818) 955-5454
