The Top Name in Children’s TV Adds New Toy Partners By Phil Guie
S
esame Street is not only a trusted name identify as popular Sesame Street characters. in educational TV programming, but, Prestige’s version of the musical pull-toy, after 45 years, has also evolved into a a familiar favorite that hangs on a crib and, globally recognized brand for toys and children’s when the baby pulls down on it, plays soothing products. Recently, Sesame Workshop, the notmusic, comes in three different Sesame Street for-profit educational organization behind characters, each with a prized item: Elmo Sesame Street, welcomed two new licensees to and his goldfish Dorothy, Ernie and his its family: Prestige Toy Corp. and TCG. rubber duckie, and Cookie Monster with, of Both companies will introduce a new course, a cookie. line of Sesame Street toys, each for a difThe Prestige infant line will arrive on ferent part of the North American children’s mass-market shelves by mid-summer market. Prestige has signed on for a line of soft and all products meet or exceed industry infant toys, while TCG will deliver wooden play- Cookie Monster and Elmo Ring Rattles, safety standards. Surveying the licensed field, things for the toddler and preschool age groups. Gershin notes that most other Sesame Street by Prestige Toy Corp. For the Sesame Street brand, the new partproducts have primarily been aimed at prenerships mark a new direction toward these two specific cate- school-age children and, as such, the baby market is potengories. “In the past, we’ve delved into these categories with tially underserved. “A lot of our products are for newborns up other preschool partners who simply added these categories to to 12 months,” he says. “We’re focused much younger, and we their preschool mix,” says Ann Kearns, vice president of li- just felt there was a tremendous opportunity in the baby part censing, global consumer products for Sesame Workshop. “Our of the business.” strategy now is to look for partners For Kearns, the timing for a push into the infant market that can focus on a particular cateseems right, given the enduring appeal of the TV show. She gory and maximize it both for us points to three generations of families that have and themselves.” grown up with Sesame Street, includPrestige, which Kearns notes has a ing today’s new parents and their successful history in the infant children. “Whether it be new moms toy category, will have Sesame or first-time grandparents, we feel that there is an interest for Street-branded rag dolls, Sesame Street infant toys musical light-up dolls, ring among parents and grandparents rattles, and activity teethers who want to introduce their inin its upcoming infant line. Robert fants to the characters they or Gershin, president of Prestige Toy, their children enjoyed while growsays the new line consists of core Sesame Street Pull-Alongs, ing up,” says Kearns. baby items that parents can easily by TCG
36 • THE TOY BOOK
MARCH/APRIL 2014