Evergreen Concepts goes retro for The Chipmunks

With a direct-to-DVD called Alvin and the Mini-Munks in the works for a December release, Alvin, Simon and Theodore are on a comeback mission. And L.A.’s Evergreen Concepts has signed on to help get the 42-year-old characters back on shelves at retail. The licensing agency is working on a retro program showcasing archive character art from The Alvin Show (1961) and Alvin & the Chipmunks (1983-1991), but the Chipmunks also have a great deal of cache in the music world, holding the title of best-selling children’s group with over 43 million records sold. Mamiye Brothers (sportswear) and American Greetings (Christmas ornaments) are already on-board, and Evergreen is looking for licensees in sleepwear, accessories, watches, stationery and men’s ties/boxers to round out the program.

Tokyopop and ShoPro sign veteran master toy partners

Anime merch programs rest so heavily on core toy categories that master toy partners can make or break a property at retail. Not leaving anything to chance, L.A.’s Tokyopop and San Francisco-based ShoPro Entertainment have gone with the big guns for their latest anime properties. Hasbro is working on a fall-launching line of action figures, games and accessories based on Tokyopop’s new property Rave Master, which has been picked up by Cartoon Network for air later this year. And ShoPro has given Mattel the nod to handle worldwide toy rights to MegaMan NT Warrior (excluding Asia).

Agency signings

In international representation news this month, London, England-based Spellbound Entertainment has chosen Kidz Entertainment out of Copenhagen to rep The Koala Brothers in the Nordic regions, where the preschool show has sold into Sweden (TV4), Denmark (TV2), Norway (TV2) and Finland (TV4). Egmont (books, games and puzzles) and Nordisk (videos/DVDs) are already locked in as licensees.

Sesame Workshop has switched up licensing agencies for Sesame Street in two key territories. MM Merchandising Media will build up the property’s merch program in Germany, while Haven Licensing will manage things Down Under.

And Warner Bros. Consumer Products has named PMW Agency (a joint-venture between Hutchison Harbour Ring and Global Brands Group) as its new licensing agent for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. As part of the deal, HHR will both manufacture merchandise for and operate Warner Bros. Studio Stores and shop-in-shops and kiosks branded under the ‘Warner Bros. Presents’ moniker. The first flagship Studio Store is on track to launch in Shanghai sometime in 2005.