-Target heads back to school with Wishbone

Target Stores in the U.S. has drafted Wishbone, the literature-loving Jack Russell terrier, to help with its back-to-school efforts. The promotion includes a three-week television campaign, extensive in-store displays, as well as a national sweepstakes. Polaroid, Pepsi, Nabisco and Frito-Lay are providing the contest prizes. The Target back-to-school event runs throughout August.

The Wishbone television series has appeared on PBS since 1995, and is currently watched by over seven million American viewers a week. Despite the show’s relatively recent beginnings, the ‘little dog with a big imagination’ has attracted a host of licensed goods, including party fare, apparel, plush toys and CD-ROMs. Wishbone is produced by Big Feats! Entertainment, a division of Richardson, Texas-based Lyrick Studios.

-LIVE launches Halloween line

LIVE Home Video is looking to scare up Halloween excitement by relaunching six family videos full of ghosts, goblins and pumpkins. The six titles, targeted at kids of all ages, include Claymation Comedy of Horrors and the animated Norfin’s Castle of Doom, The Canterville Ghost, Follow That Goblin!, Lumpkin the Pumpkin and The Great Bear Scare. The videos will be released on August 19, and will be valued at US$9.98 each.