PET PROJECT VIRTUAL LAND OF ANIMAL FANTASY TURNS REAL PROFITS FOR NEXT-GENERATION INTERNET HIT.Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer GLENDALE - Here, on the third floor of a nondescript non·de·script adj. Lacking distinctive qualities; having no individual character or form: "This expression gave temporary meaning to a set of features otherwise nondescript" office building on Broadway Avenue, lies an entire alternate universe, one which has spawned some of this holiday's hottest toys and drawn the eyes of millions around the world. This bizarre land, known as Neopia and populated by a few humans and a slew of imaginary pets, has its own stores, its own stock market, its own newspaper. It has 62 million residents, whose owners split their time between Neopia and actual lands from Sherman Oaks to Singapore. When they get hungry, they visit Neopian McDonald's, where they spend the currency of the realm, neopoints. This is where next-generation pet rocks, e-commerce and cyber communities coalesce co·a·lesce intr.v. co·a·lesced, co·a·lesc·ing, co·a·lesc·es 1. To grow together; fuse. 2. To come together so as to form one whole; unite: . In less than four years, Neopets Inc. has built a cult of devoted users, spawned several hit toys and cultivated relationships with some of the biggest names in American business. This month, it expects to build its sales and expand its virtual empire in the real world. When Adam Powell For other people of the same name, see Adam Powell (disambiguation). Adam James Powell (born December 20 1976 in Newport, Wales) is a game programmer, businessman and the founder of Neopets. and Donna Williams Donna Williams may refer to:
``As I watched the growth, I saw it like Disney in the early days,'' said Doug Dohring Doug Dohring is owner of the Dohring Company, a marketing research firm based in Glendale, California. Some of the websites owned by the Dohring Company include:
Neopets' audience has the potential to grow by millions more this month. Its current 20 million users - who own multiple pets, making for the 62 million Neopian inhabitants
The game is based loosely on the concepts from SameGame. - are mainly in the English-speaking world. By the end of December, the company expects to translate its site into Korean, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Chinese. Toy analysts also expect brisk sales of the plush-toy characters in Target, Wal-Mart, Toys `R' Us and KB Toys K•B Toys (previously known as Kay Bee Toys) is a chain of mall-based retail toy stores in the United States. It was founded in 1922 by the Kaufman brothers. It currently operates 605 stores in 44 U.S. states, Puerto Rico as well as Guam. this holiday season. ``If it's successful, it'll create a real global property,'' said Chris Byrne Chris Byrne co-founded the band Black 47 with Larry Kirwan in 1989. While still with the band, he created a side project - the "celtic hip-hop" band Seanchai & the Unity Squad. "Seanchai" is Byrne's hip-hop stage name, loosely translated from Irish as 'storyteller'. , who follows the toy business for TheToyGuy.com. ``It speaks to the role of the Internet in kids' culture today. There will be no barriers.'' Dohring, who came across the nascent site while doing market research, bought the rights and launched it as a business in April 2000. It now has a trading-card line, plush toys and interactive plastic figures that have become some of this year's hottest gift items. Kraft, Mattel and The Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney Co. all advertise their products in the online universe, generating ad revenues for a site that's free for users. Using a technique that Neopets trademarked under the name ``immersive advertising,'' users don't have to read traditional ads to play the game. Rather, the products are built right into the games, so users vie in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamon Toast Crunch (first renamed Cinnamon Grahams in the UK but now called Curiously Cinnamon) is a breakfast cereal produced by General Mills. The cereal was first produced in 1984. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is rivaled by Waffle Crisp. Swirl game or Reese's Puffs challenge, racking up neopoints for interacting with the ads. ``We just thought it was something that would keep people coming back,'' said Powell, now a Neopets creative director. ``It seems to have worked.'' Though Dohring won't reveal revenues for the privately held company privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. , analyst estimates have placed its revenues in the millions of dollars. Neilsen Net Ratings says the Neopets site get 2.3 million hits each month. Williams, who helped her programmer friend Powell dream up the world with her anime-inspired drawings, is still taken aback by the response. ``My parents told me I'd never get a job with art,'' she said, surrounded by the 90 people who now bring her drawings to life. ``It was supposed to be a virtual world, but it's developed far beyond that.'' Brent Hopkins, (818) 713-3738 brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Neopets creative directors Adam Powell and Donna Williams, in the company's Glendale office, are riding the wave of a rapidly growing firm. Toys developed from the Web site have hit stores. (2 -- color) Neopets graphic artist Anthony Conley designs a prototype character for the Web site, to be voted on by a board. John Lazar/Staff Photographers |
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