American Greetings taps Enteraktion to create interactive children's storybooks and games; LIVE Entertainment to distribute globally.PACIFIC PALISADES Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 22, 1996--After dominating the world of greeting cards See e-card. for nine decades, American Greetings American Greetings Corporation, Inc. NYSE: AM is the world's largest publicly-traded greeting card company. It is based in Cleveland, Ohio and sells paper greeting cards, electronic greeting cards, party products (such as wrapping papers and decorations), and electronic has entered the realm of digital animation, forging a major licensing agreement with new-media company Enteraktion Inc., which will create and produce an extensive series of interactive storybooks and other products based upon the company's most beloved characters, it was announced Thursday by company principals Harvey Levin Harvey Robert Levin is an American producer, lawyer, legal analyst, and investigative reporter. Levin received an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his J.D. from the University of Chicago. , senior vice president of American Greetings, and Tom Walsh, chairman and chief executive officer of Enteraktion. To be produced by Walsh and Margaret Blatner, the interactive storybooks and video games See video game console. will be made available to consumers through Enteraktion's distribution agreement with LIVE Entertainment, which will distribute globally to retail and specialty stores. American Greetings characters instantly recognizable worldwide such as Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake is a licensed character owned by American Greetings, originally used in greeting cards and expanded to include dolls, posters, and other products. ,'' The Popples  It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Popples (TV series). ,'' The
Holly Hobbie Blue Girl'' and
The Birthday Bear'' will be brought to life by Enteraktion, which will offer children interactive, wholesome products that are certain to be embraced by parents, especially because of their nonviolent content. In commenting on the announcement, Levin stated: We are pleased to have Enteraktion represent some of our most special characters. It's very exciting to imagine our characters interactively coming alive for children and adults to enjoy.'' Noting that the deal will begin to fill the void of video games and interactive storybooks geared toward young girls, Walsh said: I am thrilled that Enteraktion Inc. was selected as the company to bring these famous characters into the interactive world. It is certainly a huge compliment to our creative staff. These characters represent some of the most famous franchises in the world.'' In addition to the agreement with American Greetings, Enteraktion will output through LIVE Entertainment up to 20 video games/CD-ROMs over the next five years. Enteraktion is currently in production on an alien-abduction'' video game/CD-ROM titled The Arrival.'' The game, scheduled for the first quarter of 1997, is based on the LIVE Entertainment film release starring Charlie Sheen that opened nationwide this summer. The game will be cross-promoted with the sell-through of the video and marketing efforts including a trailer of the game on every home video shipped by LIVE. American Greetings is the world's largest publicly traded greeting-card company, with 90 consecutive years of sales growth. Greeting cards make up 65 percent of the company's net sales Net Sales The amount a seller receives from the buyer after costs associated with the sale are deducted. Notes: This amount is calculated by subtracting the following items from gross sales: merchandise returned for credit, allowances for damaged or missing goods, freight and a greater percentage of net income. The company also markets related social-expression products including gift wrap, gift bags and gift accessories, party goods, picture frames, women's hair accessories and nonprescription non·pre·scrip·tion adj. Sold legally without a physician's prescription; over-the-counter. reading glasses sold primarily to mass merchandisers, chain drugstores and supermarkets. Enteraktion is an interactive-entertainment software development and publishing company located in Pacific Palisades that creates interactive video games/CD-ROMs, interactive storybook CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). products and new software entertainment for the Internet/World Wide Web. LIVE Entertainment, with headquarters in Los Angeles, is a diversified entertainment company and software supplier specializing in the domestic and international marketing and distribution of filmed entertainment with its primary focus on motion pictures. The company distributes to the theatrical, nontheatrical, home- video, interactive and television markets both domestically and internationally through its subsidiaries, including LIVE Entertainment, LIVE International, LIVE Home Video, LIVE Interactive and LIVE Film and Mediaworks. CONTACT: Baker/Winokur/Ryder Public Relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most Ken Schramm, 310/277-6200 kschramm@bwr-la.com |
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