GREAT NECK, NY – August 3, 2012 – i-Star Entertainment, a privately owned company which has earned a reputation for identifying and creating some of the hottest and most innovative kids products, announced today it has entered into an agreement with Global Merchandising Services who represent the worldwide merchandising rights for 1D/ One Direction. i-Star will produce a line of plush, pillow and light up novelties which will be available at major retailers in the United States starting fall 2012, as well as select retailers around the globe.
i-Star Entertainment’s plush items will range from pillows to stuffed animals that will readily appeal to the collectible merchandise community. Various types of pillows displaying each of the five members of One Direction will also be part of the plush line, along with pillows with images of the boy band as a whole. Rounding out the plush line will be Photo Real pillows which features pictures of all the band members and of the group. In addition, the light up toy line will include items like One Direction FyrFlyz, the precision balanced toy which is designed to spin on its axis creates an awesome light show for all fans of One Direction to enjoy.
1D/One Direction rose to fame after competing on Britain’s The X Factor. The band skyrocketed to top of the charts with hits such as “What Makes You Beautiful”, “Gotta Be You” and “One Thing”. Likened as a modern day “British Invasion”, 1D has become a worldwide phenomenon with an equally spanning fan base.
“We are very excited to be working with I Star and we look forward to a long and successful partnership,” said Tracy Stone, President of Global Merchandising USA.
“We have put together a very strong and focused line that truly captures the personalities of the 1D band members. We anticipate keeping up with the tremendous demand and adding new and fresh styles and looks,” says George Grillo, EVP of i-Star Entertainment. “One Direction has a tremendous fan base already and is growing exponentially – and with their US tour, they’re sure to explode even further,” said Marty Abrams, CEO of i-Star Entertainment.
About i-Star Entertainment
i-Star Entertainment was created by President Joel Rosenzweig and CEO Marty Abrams, who has been the driving force behind a number of successful product launches over the past 35 years including Magna Doodle, Micronauts (the precursor to Transformers), and Sky Dancers. After the success of their 2011 product, FyrFlyz, the company has earned a reputation for identifying and creating some of the hottest and most innovative products for kids. Their 2012 line up will include an expansive line of FyrFlyz products in all shapes and sizes, FyrWorks, safe fireworks for kids, and Pillow Fighters, fun character pillows created for the ultimate pillow fight.
About Global Merchandising Services
Based in London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Global is the turnkey solution for design, product development, manufacturing and sales in all channels of retail distribution: live events, web stores, sponsorships, and third-party licensing. Global Merchandising Services was established in 2008 by 30-year industry veteran Barry Drinkwater, founder and former worldwide CEO of Bravado International Group. GMS provides a non-corporate alternative for artists and entertainment-rights holders searching for a combination of old-school service and cutting edge development. Global creates unique and innovative international merchandise programs as creative as they are profitable. Our staff of industry experts combine passion, experience and knowledge to maximize all potential revenue streams and deliver quality merchandise to the consumer.
www.globalmerchservices.com
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Contact for more information:
Freeman Public Relations
Lauren Lorenzo
llorenzo@freemanpr.com
973-470-0400, x46
Amy Friedland
afriedland@freemanpr.com
973-470-0400, x 25